Quick Question for Rockville folks (Baltimore, Silver Spring: theater, living in, cost)

[MichaelinMaryland]

When you take 270 south and you hit the spur, which way is 495-South to hit Virginia? Is it the same way to go to New York?

[TrippingJay]

The three right-most lanes are for 495 West heading towards NOVA.

NY is the opposite direction for 495 East towards Baltimore/Silver Spring.

[CHIP72]

My suggestion if you want to go to New York (Broadway theaters) from the Rockville area is to:

1) Take the Metro Red Line from Rockville (or Shady Grove, Twinbrook, or whatever station works best for you) to Union Station.
2) Take an Amtrak Northeast Regional train from DC Union Station to NYC Penn Station.
3) Take NYC MTA subway from Penn Station to the station closest to the theater (using either the 7th Avenue line 1/2/3 trains or the 8th Avenue A/C/E trains). The theater may be within walking distance of Penn Station too, if it is in what I'll call the "theater area" (i.e. a few blocks north of Times Square along and near Broadway); it is probably no more than a 15 minute walk.

The Amtrak Northeast Regionals pretty much run hourly from roughly 4-5 AM to 11 PM, with slightly later start times on weekends. I know the last train back from New York to Washington (excluding the overnight train) leaves Penn Station at just after 10 PM M-F and 11 PM on weekends. The trip takes a little more than 3 hours one-way.

Incidentally, if you drive to New York, you may want to consider using I-270, US 15, I-81, and I-78 to get there, traveling via Frederick, Harrisburg, and Allentown. The distance is a little longer, but you don't have tons of tolls (only ones are for crossing the Delaware River and crossing the Hudson River) and there's a lot less traffic than I-95 and the New Jersey Turnpike.

P.S. You probably don't really want to drive in midtown Manhattan, nor do you want to park there, at least if you want to have all your limbs afterwards.

[MichaelinMaryland]

Thanks for the suggestion; I'll be driving though like I did to Philadelphia, it's funner/romantic that way. For your suggested route, how do I get on all those highways like will I hit US 15 by just going left of the spur and keep going and then I-81 and I-78 (I thought those were used to go west)?

Any suggestions if I go South?

[CHIP72]

Believe me, driving to NYC, especially once you get close to the city, is not romantic, unless your idea of romantic involves lots of traffic, having to wait 10 minutes to get through the Lincoln Tunnel, and the crazy street traffic once you get into midtown Manhattan - and I say that as someone who likes to drive.

To get to New York via the Frederick/Harrisburg/Allentown route, do the following:

1) Follow I-270 north to Frederick. When you hit the I-70 interchange, just go straight ahead and follow the signs that say "Gettysburg" (more specifically I think they say US 15 North - Gettysburg). You do not need to use any ramps.

2) Drive north on US 15 for about 65-70 miles until you get to PA Route 581. Follow the signs that say "PA 581 East - Harrisburg/Hershey".

3) Stay on PA 581 East for about 2 miles. When you hit the interchange for I-83, just go straight (follow signs for Harrisburg), don't use any ramps. PA 581 East turns into I-83 North.

4) Stay on I-83 North for about 7-8 miles. I-83 North will go off to the left at its interchange with I-283 and US 322; make sure you stay to the left. Follow I-83 North until it ends at I-81, and follow the signs for "I-81 North/to I-78 - Hazleton/Allentown" (stay to the right).

5) Stay on I-81 North for about 20 miles. When you hit the interchange with I-78, stay to the right and follow the signs that say "I-78 East - Allentown".

6) Stay on I-78 East for 100+ miles until the Newark, NJ area, and follow the signs for the Lincoln Tunnel. The Lincoln Tunnel is the easiest way to get to midtown Manhattan by car.

Incidentally, you are correct that the way you drive to Philadelphia is the same way you drive to New York, when you are starting out in the Rockville area. However, once you get into Delaware, instead of following I-95 or I-495 through the Wilmington area, you'll want to cross the Delaware Veterans Memorial Bridge. The signs on I-95 as you approach the bridge will say something like "I-295 North - New Jersey/New York". You WILL want to go that way. Going through Philadelphia is a problem because (due to PennDOT's infinite wisdom 40-45 years ago) there is no direct connection between I-95 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike to get across the Delaware River.

Finally, in addition to Amtrak, another, cheaper way to go to NYC from DC is via low fare bus, more specifically either BoltBus or Megabus. Both of those bus services have their stops near the Metro Center Red Line Metro station in DC, and near Penn Station in NYC. The trip via bus will take about 4 1/2 to 5 hours one-way. I've used both and like both; I prefer BoltBus but Megabus has a better schedule.

[westsideboy]

Backtracking all the way to Frederick and Gettysburg before you even start heading east seems a little silly. My guess is that it would add about 100 extra miles to your trip. Why not just use I-495 and I-95 to get to I-695 in Baltimore then take I-83 to Harrisburg. From there you can get on I-78 and follow Chip's directions. This is still not a straight shot, but you still avoid the tolls and worst of the I-95 traffic.

[MichaelinMaryland]

Wow I thought you said it would just be a little bit more distance! Sounds simple enough though, thanks I hope I don't take any wrong turns.

[CHIP72]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

Backtracking all the way to Frederick and Gettysburg before you even start heading east seems a little silly. My guess is that it would add about 100 extra miles to your trip. Why not just use I-495 and I-95 to get to I-695 in Baltimore then take I-83 to Harrisburg. From there you can get on I-78 and follow Chip's directions. This is still not a straight shot, but you still avoid the tolls and worst of the I-95 traffic.

The driving distances between Washington and Harrisburg via I-270/US 15 (Frederick) or I-95/I-695/I-83 (Baltimore) are approximately the same; the Baltimore route is a hair quicker. Coming from Rockville however, the former route (I-270/US 15) is shorter and quicker, and backtracking to I-95 would significantly lengthen the Baltimore route. I've driven both routes many times, both when I lived in the Harrisburg area and now when I'm living in the Washington area.

[CHIP72]

I'd estimate the driving distance between Rockville and New York as being about 230 miles via I-270/I-495/I-95/New Jersey Turnpike and about 265 miles via I-270/US 15/I-81/I-78. With the tolls, I estimate the cost is about $45-50 via I-95/NJ Turnpike and about $10-12 via I-270/US 15/I-81/I-78.

[westsideboy]

Using mapquest I got 231.81 for the I-95 route in 4hr 9min, the US-15 way was 275.04 in 4hr 57 min. You were right on about going through Frederick being faster to get through Harrisburg.

I think you have convinced me though. I would drive 44 more miles to pay $30 less in tolls.