URGENT- Commuting from Columbia to Union Station in DC? (Baltimore: crime, college)

[MDBound(again)]

Help! My fiance and I are relocating (again, that is) to MD, and are trying to figure out where to live. We love Columbia, and have lived there before, but I need to get to Union Station in DC every day, and am unsure of the quality of life that goes with this living in Columbia. We are not stuck on Columbia by any means, but enjoy it's location in relation to Baltimore and Annapolis and DC, which gives us job flexibility down the road.

I know I have several commuting options: car (but not really with parking), car to METRO stop somewhere, bus service, or MARC train service. I like the idea of utilizing public transit for lots of reasons, but I am unsure as to how long of a commute to expect if I took MARC to Union. What stop would I use? I see one in Savage, and if we lived in south Columbia (Kings Contrivance or Owen Brown), maybe driving to Savage would be fine, but how long can I expect on the train itself? I know there is also a Dorsey Hall stop, so if we lived near there, what area is that? Luckily, I have flex time options, so that I can start work as early as 7 am and leave at 3:30.

Please help me! I have to make a decision within the next week of where to live? Also, if I walk 3 blocks from Union Station @ 7 AM, will I be safe (I am a petite woman)?

Thanks, y'all!

[PenguinSix]

7am? Yea, very safe. 7am is when cops execute search warrants cause most of the bad guys are finally asleep by then.

You shouldn't have any problems at that time in that area.

[Gabrielle]

I used to walk from Union Station to Judiciary Square around that time in the morning and never felt unsafe. I would recommend using the MARC for your commute.

[trying2moveup]

If you are looking at Kings Contrivance - you could go (Murray Hill to) Guilford to Leisher to 216 east right into Laurel, make a left at main street and end up at a MARC station. There are two stations in Laurel. Depending on where in K.C., probably no more than 3 miles from where the crow flies to do this. Owen Brown - same thing (take Broken land to Guilford, hang a left and then make a left on Murray hill) but probably a few miles farther.

[terp4ever]

Hello,

I currently use MARC/Metro to commute from Germantown in Montgomery County to College Park, via DC (long commute, I know). It is really a comfortable and quick way to commute...if you can work around the schedules. If you live in Columbia, Savage station (on the Camden Line) would be the closest stop to you, but the closest Metro line would likely be Greenbelt, which is probably at least 30min away.

The biggest problem with MARC that I have is the schedules. The trains only operate in rush hour, and it is not nearly as flexible as Metro. Looking at my schedule, Savage, which seems to be one of the busier stops is serviced by all trains and has a ticket agent on sight (a big plus). But there are only five trains into DC, with the first one departing at 5:35am and the last one departing at 8:40am. Same thing on the return: first outbound at 4:13pm and the last out of DC at 7:35pm. If these hours work for you, I fully recommend it. Also, because of the recent spike in gas prices, regional growth etc., MARC has been a victim of its own success and some trains can get really crowded. So if you board the train too late in DC don't always expect to get a good (or any) seat.

I don't know how bad 95 is (I'm presuming it's the most direct route into DC from Howard), but I-270 and the Beltway in MoCo and PGC are basically large parking lots during the rush, so driving's not an option for me, and MARC is definitely a life saver--it's quicker and more convenient than Metro, and doesn't drive you insane like rush hour traffic does. Hope this helped...

Oh and btw, the area where Union Station is located (a stone's throw from the Capitol) is a very busy (especially @7am) and low-crime area. The only thing you have to watch out for is the rest of the morning commuter mob trampling over you.

[Mom2M&J]

You could also take an MTA bus to either Silver Spring, and then the subway from there, or into town.

[trying2moveup]

OOPS! That's supposed to be GORMAN Road. . .not "Guilford."

SOrry for the mistake

Originally Posted by trying2moveup

If you are looking at Kings Contrivance - you could go (Murray Hill to) Guilford to Leisher to 216 east right into Laurel, make a left at main street and end up at a MARC station. There are two stations in Laurel. Depending on where in K.C., probably no more than 3 miles from where the crow flies to do this. Owen Brown - same thing (take Broken land to Guilford, hang a left and then make a left on Murray hill) but probably a few miles farther.

[NJ2MDdude]

I worked one block from Union Station heading towards the Capitol for nearly 10 years. The area is SAFE for pedestrians at 7am.

[MDBound(again)]

Wow! Thanks for all of this helpful information. I've been speaking with some friends about the same situation, and the general consensus that I am gathering is that while the Dorsey, Savage and Laurel stops on the Camden line are nearby, the catching the Penn Line @ BWI might actually be a better bet. I am hearing that this line is more reliable, has more runs daily, and because the Penn does not share tracks with CSX/freight, the trains run more smoothly and sometimes faster (especially if you catch a train that is "express" to Union Station).

What do you all think of this? If I opted for this, do you think it would be best best to live in Columbia or maybe Ellicott City and drive 20 mins to BWI, or live elsewhere that has an equivalent quality of life somewhere within close proximity to BWI (assuming there is a place like this)? We like the amenities Columbia offer, so it would be tough for us to not choose Columbia...

Thanks again, keep it coming

[dkf747]

The line from BWI may be faster, but if it takes more time to get to BWI then what is the point? I could see you doing that if the schedule is better though.