Baltimore/DC conundrum

[Cotswold Eagle]

I am cruising from Baltimore on Monday 5 December. I intend to fly in from the UK on the Saturday and spend Sunday in Washington DC (probably taking in the Redskins game - I am familiar with getting from downtown DC to FedEx Field). But where to stay, bearing in mind I don't want to hire a car?

 

1 - at a BWI hotel, get the train to DC and back on Sunday from the airport and a shuttle to the ship on Monday?

2 - in DC and get the train to Baltimore on Monday morning (and I assume a cab from Penn station to the port)?

 

Any thoughts? And can someone explain the MARC/Amtrak difference, please?

[Chesterpeake]

MARC stands for Maryland Rail Corporation. It is a state sponsored commuter system and operates only Monday through Friday. There are two lines from Washington to Baltimore. Both leave from Union Station in Washington. One follows the tracks of the old Pennsylvania Railroad and is called the Penn Line. It stops at BWI Airport; final Baltimore stop is at Pennsylvania Station.

The other line uses the old Baltimore & Ohio tracks, does not stop at BWI and ends at Camden Yards, where Baltimore's stadia are located. It is called the Camden Line. Camden Yards is closer to the Maryland Cruise Terminal than Penn Station.

However, since it doesn't operate on week-ends, you would more likely use Amtrak which is the national or federal rail system [poor cousin to the European National Rail Lines]. Regional Amtrak trains stop at BWI and Pennsylvania Station in Baltimore; Union Station in Washington. Amtrak trains are a bit more expensive.

Hope this answers that question. I will have to give more thought to your question about where to stay.

[Fattony]

MARC: http://mta.maryland.gov/marc-train

Amtrak: http://www.amtrak.com

 

Critical point: we don't know into which airport you are flying. If flying into BWI, I'd probably stay in that area and commute down and back on Sunday. If flying into IAD (e.g., non-stop from London) or DCA (e.g., via JFK or other U.S. stop), I'd stay in DC and not head up to Baltimore until Monday morning (probably on Amtrak).

 

MARC runs only on weekdays and is aimed at commuters going to DC in the morning and back in the evening. It costs less than does Amtrak (whose fares vary widely by exact time of day and day of the week). MARC trains have limited space for bags, as it is aimed at folks with perhaps a briefcase and/or small suitcase. Amtrak trains have more space for bags and on many trains you can check additional bags for the baggage car. If you go from Baltimore to DC to Landover and back on Sunday for the game, you'll need to rely on Amtrak for the Baltimore-DC-Baltimore part. Southbound Amtrak trains stop in New Carrolton before arriving at Washington's Union Station, but I don't know if it'd be any easier to get from there to Fed Ex field than from downtown DC. Amtrak has regular trains (some with reserved seats, some not), and high-speed "Acela" trains. The regular trains also have a business class option (I've not taken it).

 

Good luck on getting Redskins tickets. They sell out way in advance. They're playing the New York Jets Dec. 4. Could be a tough ticket to get. As you seem to know, they play in Landover, Maryland, not in Washington itself and their field is NOT easily accessible by public transportation (need to use Metro rail or bus and then special game-day shuttle buses, IF those still run). I gather you've been to DC and have seen the sights there already so I won't suggest that in lieu of going to the game (Baltimore itself is interesting, with a great national aquarium, railroad museum, and Fort McHenry, the site from which Frances Scott Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" while watching a naval battle between the Americans and the hated Brits during the War of 1812) and lots of excellent restaurants with views, especially in the Inner Harbor and Little Italy areas. Between your two choices, it comes down to whether you want to make Sunday an exceptionally busy day in order to save some hassle on Monday.

[Chesterpeake]

British Airways has one daily nonstop to Baltimore [bWI]. Their other flights and all other flights from England land at Dulles Airport in Virginia.

If it were me, I'd stay away from Dulles because of its congestion and remoteness. I would fly into BWI and stay at one of the many airport hotels with shuttles. I'd shuttle over to the BWI Rail Station and take a train towards Washington. I'd probably get off at the New Carrollton Station where I can transfer to the DC Metro to FEDEX Field too see the Redskins. Do the reverse to get back to your BWI hotel and be relaxed for your ten to twelve minute shuttle to the cruise Terminal next morning.

[Fattony]

Another option, if you stay in DC on the 3rd, is to see the Washington Capitals hockey team play the Ottawa Senators in the downtown DC arena (quite nice), and then watch the Redskins (or Ravens) game on TV in the comfort of a bar or restaurant on Sunday. Just a thought. Too bad the Ravens are playing on the road that day. It'd be more convenient, and they are currently doing a lot better than are the Redskins.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Good luck on getting Redskins tickets. They sell out way in advance. They're playing the New York Jets Dec. 4. Could be a tough ticket to get. As you seem to know, they play in Landover, Maryland, not in Washington itself and their field is NOT easily accessible by public transportation (need to use Metro rail or bus and then special game-day shuttle buses, IF those still run).

 

Tickets are pretty easy to come by on the (official) resale markets on StubHub and Ticketmaster - in fact easier and easier as the 'Skins' season unfolds ;) Morgan Boulevard Metro station is an easy walk to FedEx (there is a special walkway they have put in up to the main road to the stadium.

 

Thanks for all the other info, I'll digest it all. I'll probably fly in to BWI on the direct BA flight.

[Cotswold Eagle]

Another option, if you stay in DC on the 3rd, is to see the Washington Capitals hockey team play the Ottawa Senators in the downtown DC arena (quite nice), and then watch the Redskins (or Ravens) game on TV in the comfort of a bar or restaurant on Sunday. Just a thought. Too bad the Ravens are playing on the road that day. It'd be more convenient, and they are currently doing a lot better than are the Redskins.

 

Thank you, I hadn't thought about the hockey. The Eagle in my screen name is a Philly reference, so I'm quite happy to go and see Sanchez hand it to the Redskins :D I was lucky enough to be at FedEx last season when Vick and the Eagles blew them away.

[Cotswold Eagle]

If it were me, I'd stay away from Dulles because of its congestion and remoteness. I would fly into BWI and stay at one of the many airport hotels with shuttles. I'd shuttle over to the BWI Rail Station and take a train towards Washington... .

 

Thanks for the useful input. The first time I flew into IAD, I assumed we'd been diverted to some little remote airport, not Your Nation's Capital! I guess you still have to take the Washington "Flyer" bus just to get to a Metro station?

 

Now it has been put in my head, if I was to try to catch the hockey on Saturday, I'd have to do the morning flight to Dulles, as the BWI flight doesn't get in until after 5 pm. But my original plan and your suggestion sounds favourite, I think. I need to check hotel rates at BWI vs DC too, but I expect BWI will come out cheaper.

 

Thanks again.

[Fattony]

Thanks for the useful input. The first time I flew into IAD, I assumed we'd been diverted to some little remote airport, not Your Nation's Capital! I guess you still have to take the Washington "Flyer" bus just to get to a Metro station?

 

Now it has been put in my head, if I was to try to catch the hockey on Saturday, I'd have to do the morning flight to Dulles, as the BWI flight doesn't get in until after 5 pm. But my original plan and your suggestion sounds favourite, I think. I need to check hotel rates at BWI vs DC too, but I expect BWI will come out cheaper.

 

Thanks again.

 

Washington Flyer goes to the West Falls Church Metro station. There is also a regular Metro bus, the 5A (see http://www.wmata.com) that goes to the Rosslyn or L'Enfant Plaza Metro stations (it's a regular bus, however). Or taxi. IAD is actually undergoing a lot of transformation/expansion, for better or worse. I haven't used it since we moved out of the area-- just used BWI and DCA on visits in the past 5 years.

[Underwatr]

I'm not sure whether this applies across the Northeast Corridor (e.g., between Baltimore and Washington) but when I took Amtrak to NYC from Pennsylvania there were signs saying passengers were restricted to two pieces of luggage plus a "personal item." It didn't really seem to be enforced but we did a bit of combining before boarding to be by the book. Since you're also flying internationally to DC it may not really be an issue for you (i.e., you maynot have as much luggage). I just know that there's a tendancy to pack more for a cruise.

[Cotswold Eagle]

I'm not sure whether this applies across the Northeast Corridor (e.g., between Baltimore and Washington) but when I took Amtrak to NYC from Pennsylvania there were signs saying passengers were restricted to two pieces of luggage plus a "personal item." It didn't really seem to be enforced but we did a bit of combining before boarding to be by the book. Since you're also flying internationally to DC it may not really be an issue for you (i.e., you maynot have as much luggage). I just know that there's a tendancy to pack more for a cruise.

 

Thanks for the information, but as you say I'll be restricted by airline requirements anyway.

[Cotswold Eagle]

I just wanted to come back to say thanks and to let everyone know how this worked out for me, which may be helpful for others in the future.

 

I did stay near BWI, at the Country Inn and Suites, Linthicum. I got a good rate and I was very happy with my stay. They had an efficient and friendly shuttle, which picked me up from the airport on Saturday evening. One thing to note, the hotel is not on the courtesy phone board at BWI, but fortunately I had their number and a cell phone to call for pickup.

 

I had a very comfortable king bed studio. There was a complimentary breakfast (which was adequate), coffee and cookies in the lobby, and free WiFi throughout. There is a Chili's restaurant next door (across the parking lot), and a Starbucks and small convenience store and food court about 200 yards up the road. Comfort Suites, a Marriott (with a Champions sports bar) and La Quinta are all in the same immediate area.

 

The hotel is close to the BWI Amtrak/MARC rail station and their shuttle drops/picks up there too. However, through the Cruise Critic roll call for my cruise, I met up with a kind couple who had hired a car and gave a me a ride to Greenbelt Metro Station on the Sunday (parking is free there at weekends). A one day Metro pass was just $9 and we quickly got a train downtown. I headed out to Morgan Boulevard on the Metro later for the Redskins game and met my new friends at Union Station for the return journey to the hotel late afternoon.

 

Contrary to what I had read elsewhere, The Country Inn and Suites does run a shuttle to the port for $10 per person (it may be free for those on a stay and park package, I'm not sure). On the day of our cruise they ran one at 1030 and one at noon. I took the 1030, was checked in by 1100 and we boarded about 1140.

 

So everything worked very well, and I would happily stay at the Country Inn & Suites again if sailing out of Baltimore.