Anonymous wrote:What is happening with Union Station these days? As an undergrad, I used to hang out there all the time before taking the train to UVa and never felt unsafe. Are people actually getting harassed and/or mugged INSIDE the station?

Yes. Including on the metro platform and metro trains. OD's in the station too.

OP, have her walk directly to the taxi line with the crowd. That is the safest option and will not involve waiting.

There have been quite a few violent incidents on Metro recently at much more heavily used hours. No way would I have someone from out of town take 2 different lines at that hour. And then what at the other end? Far safer to walk to the line of waiting taxis and go door to door. Tell her to use the restroom on the train if needed, it is not an option in the station.

It’s especially bad snd smelly and empty seeming at that time of night. Pick her up yourself.

Anonymous wrote:What is happening with Union Station these days? As an undergrad, I used to hang out there all the time before taking the train to UVa and never felt unsafe. Are people actually getting harassed and/or mugged INSIDE the station?

You wouldn't recognize it. I worked on the Hill for decades (even in the "bad old days" of the 80's) and was shocked when I was back for a visit last summer. A huge number of the shops and restaurants are closed, and aggressive homeless people are the only people who "hang out" there, anymore. It's very sad.

What is happening with Union Station these days? As an undergrad, I used to hang out there all the time before taking the train to UVa and never felt unsafe. Are people actually getting harassed and/or mugged INSIDE the station?

(This is the original poster.) Thanks to everyone who responded -- I appreciate it.

Anonymous wrote:How/when did Union Station get so bad? I used to go there and enjoy dinner with friends every now and then. Did they kill it with all the construction?

There's a massive homelessness issue from H Street over right now.

1st choice: you drive in, park in garage, meet her at train, drive home.

2nd choice: taxi line, with strict instructions to follow the crowd to the taxi line as fast as her legs will carry her. No dawdling.

Uber and metro are distant third choices b/c of the coordination with uber and metro's pathetic schedule at night, especially with the transfer needed to get to Rosslyn.

If it were my friend/relative/child of a friend/relative, I'd be doing (1). I'm an average-size female but very familiar with Union Station.

How/when did Union Station get so bad? I used to go there and enjoy dinner with friends every now and then. Did they kill it with all the construction?

Anonymous wrote:
Can't you just go pick her up yourself?


It’s honestly riskier if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing (which you don’t if you’re posting here) to try to coordinate a pickup there. The safer option is for her to follow the Amtrak crowd to the taxi line and take a taxi line directly to your door.

+1 Safe.

Taxi from the official taxi line or Uber with a pick up out front. She’ll be fine.

Anonymous wrote:Does metro run that late especially if this is a weeknight?
I thought metro is barely functioning with 20-min intervals, reduced trains, staffing problems, single tracking a lot more than usual, etc.

Metro runs until midnight on weeknights, 1 AM on weekdays.

Single tracking is mostly over, although there are sporadic weekends where they do single tracking work.

Yes it is not super functional right now because of the reduced train availability, but they are running trains every 12 minutes on the red line, and because the section from Metro Center-Rosslyn is blue/orange/silver, those are combined running every 8 minutes. If it was a trip to say West Falls Church, which is orange line only, it could be up to a 24 minute wait at Metro Center, which is way too long.

Anonymous wrote:Can't you just go pick her up yourself?

It’s honestly riskier if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing (which you don’t if you’re posting here) to try to coordinate a pickup there. The safer option is for her to follow the Amtrak crowd to the taxi line and take a taxi line directly to your door.