How difficult/problematic would it be to commute to DC from Catonsville? (Baltimore: to work, about)

[DillThePill]

When I have to go to DC to visit a client I drive to Greenbelt and then take the Metro. The Marc is too inflexible for me and not faster with all things considered. But it's not cheap - about $13 in Metro fare and parking at peak hours, plus driving expenses.

An hour and 15 minutes is about right to get downtown. I would never do this commute on a daily basis. The quality of life tradeoff isn't worth it.

[carroll4628]

Catonsville is nice but I don't think a "minimum" commute of 75 minutes is worth it. Any break in the system - metro train line out of service, you miss the Marc train and have to wait for the next one, etc. can happen too often and you'll end up spending 2 hours to get home. If you can work from home 2-3 days a week, then I'd live with the commute and I'd definately take the train. I know a few families who had a commute from Ellicott City to Arlington/Tysons Corner/DC mall and the only ones that still live in EC are the ones that only go in 1-2 days a week and otherwise work from home.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by DillThePill

When I have to go to DC to visit a client I drive to Greenbelt and then take the Metro. The Marc is too inflexible for me and not faster with all things considered. But it's not cheap - about $13 in Metro fare and parking at peak hours, plus driving expenses.

An hour and 15 minutes is about right to get downtown. I would never do this commute on a daily basis. The quality of life tradeoff isn't worth it.

Originally Posted by carroll4628

Catonsville is nice but I don't think a "minimum" commute of 75 minutes is worth it. Any break in the system - metro train line out of service, you miss the Marc train and have to wait for the next one, etc. can happen too often and you'll end up spending 2 hours to get home. If you can work from home 2-3 days a week, then I'd live with the commute and I'd definately take the train. I know a few families who had a commute from Ellicott City to Arlington/Tysons Corner/DC mall and the only ones that still live in EC are the ones that only go in 1-2 days a week and otherwise work from home.

These comments both interest me. Not living in the area, and not familiar with long commutes, but realizing that long commutes is something that many DC-working people do.

Just curious, would Arbutus or Elkridge be more acceptable? At least being almost right on top of the MARC train? Or is anything on the MARC train that is on the Baltimore periphery, just too much?

I also agree with you, in that, in my personal opinion, anything beyond 45 minutes is personally just way too much. It just seems that in DC, in general, NoVA doesn't seem interesting and too expensive, MoCo seems the same, PG seems more interesting but other issues, etc.

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Just curious, would Arbutus or Elkridge be more acceptable? At least being almost right on top of the MARC train? Or is anything on the MARC train that is on the Baltimore periphery, just too much?

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The drive to Halethorpe station from Catonsville isn't going to take that long. What's going to make the difference is where in DC you will be working. Sure, living right in Halethorpe or Arbutus and walking to the station (be careful crossing Rt 1 in Arbutus) would be easiest and quickest, but if you want to live in Catonsville, I would just do that.

The trip from Halethorpe to Union Station takes 40-46 minutes. I fail to see how driving 25 miles to Greenbelt in 95 traffic, parking in Botswana, walking to the platform, and taking the metro downtown would be any faster to get to downtown DC.

If you work early hours, you'll get the best parking. There is an MTA bus (No. 77) from C-ville to Halethorpe but it is no faster and all MTA buses are unreliable, time-wise.

As far as DC commutes are concerned, it has the potential to be one of the better ones. Keep in mind too that telecommuting is popular as well, for at least one day per week.

Another option to look at, that I know nothing about, is the express buses from Columbia to DC.

[sobo16]

Tiger Beer,

Carroll4628 raises some good points. This commute can be done, but it does wear on some people. I did it for 2.5 years. It's doable, but I was tired all the time. I was out of the house for 12-13 hours a day. I would wake up at 5am, rush around, and get home around 6:30pm, too exhausted to do much else than prepare for the next day. You could see the fatigue on peoples' faces on the train. Everyone was always rushing around trying to make their metro and MARC connections. My total commute was 90 minutes each way, and living closer doesn't always help: I met people who live in Anne Arundel County whose commutes are at least ~75 minutes each way.

The plus side is that I made friends on the train. We would sit together most days, and it would make the commute more enjoyable. Also, if you live very close to a MARC station and are working right next to Union Station, it would be much easier.

Just think about your quality of life before making the move. Time spent commuting could be time spent with your family. I moved to Boston 6 months ago, and now I have a 15 minute commute with a LOT more free time. I now wake up at the time I used to be on the train, and arrive home at the time I used to catch the MARC train at Union Station. If you have any additional MARC questions, feel free to message me.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by sobo16

Tiger Beer,

Carroll4628 raises some good points. This commute can be done, but it does wear on some people. I did it for 2.5 years. It's doable, but I was tired all the time. I was out of the house for 12-13 hours a day. I would wake up at 5am, rush around, and get home around 6:30pm, too exhausted to do much else than prepare for the next day. You could see the fatigue on peoples' faces on the train. Everyone was always rushing around trying to make their metro and MARC connections. My total commute was 90 minutes each way, and living closer doesn't always help: I met people who live in Anne Arundel County whose commutes are at least ~75 minutes each way.

The plus side is that I made friends on the train. We would sit together most days, and it would make the commute more enjoyable. Also, if you live very close to a MARC station and are working right next to Union Station, it would be much easier.

Just think about your quality of life before making the move. Time spent commuting could be time spent with your family. I moved to Boston 6 months ago, and now I have a 15 minute commute with a LOT more free time. I now wake up at the time I used to be on the train, and arrive home at the time I used to catch the MARC train at Union Station. If you have any additional MARC questions, feel free to message me.

That's the other catch. The last 10 years or so, I've lived within 15 minutes max walking distance from my respective workplaces.

It's actually difficult to conceive of what it would be like to have that just being Union Station to the workplace, with an hour plus well before that.

In an effort to narrow things down, I've thought Catonsville is the farthest out I'd go. I also find myself attracted to many cities on the MARC line such as Artubus, Halethorpe, Relay, Elkridge, Savage, Laurel, Bowie and Greenbelt.

It's difficult to know where to draw the line with where may or may not be acceptable. Obviously the closer the better. At the current moment, I'm thinking that anywhere on the MARC line is good, and anything that takes 20 minutes or so from the front door, to the station, and walking from a car to the platform, should probably be dismissed. (Which would mean Catonsville). That being said, process of elimation, it's interesting to examine it first before throwing it out.

I do like that 'foothills' feel with nearby amenities of Catonsville though. That being said, I'm sure the further I examine more nearby places, there would be equal things I'd like about them as well.

[sobo16]

Are you 100% set on DC/Maryland? There may be other metropolitan areas that would allow you to have a more decent commute and still have what you're looking for in a town/neighborhood.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by sobo16

Are you 100% set on DC/Maryland? There may be other metropolitan areas that would allow you to have a more decent commute and still have what you're looking for in a town/neighborhood.

DC/MD is most interesting because of the jobs/careers/opportunities, etc. I also like the Mid-Atlantic in general.

I suppose, in some ways, metro Baltimore could be that metro for that.

[sobo16]

You're right, there are many jobs here. I hope you can find the right neighborhood and the right job that will allow you a relatively short commute.

[SmokeyLisa]

What about Silver Spring?