Alexandria Amtrak (Franconia, Springfield, Huntington: apartments, home, transfer)

[ncps]

I'm moving to Alexandria in a couple weeks. I don't plan on having a car for a while, so I'll be coming in on Amtrak. Does anyone know if - like at Union Station - there's a waiting area to catch a taxi, or is that something I'll have to call for when I arrive?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[brooklynborndad]

Originally Posted by ncps

I'm moving to Alexandria in a couple weeks. I don't plan on having a car for a while, so I'll be coming in on Amtrak. Does anyone know if - like at Union Station - there's a waiting area to catch a taxi, or is that something I'll have to call for when I arrive?

Thanks in advance for any help.

During the day at least there are always cabs there I think. In addition to Amtrak there is a busy metro station there.

If you look closely, you can see the cabs at the beginning and end of this video


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfZIbkOZ520

[ncps]

Thanks for such a prompt reply! Very helpful.

[CAVA1990]

There are always cabs out front whenever i'm over there at train times.

[VRE332]

so you will be landing at Union Station or Alexandria ?

[robbobobbo]

The Alexandria train station is also named Union Station.

[CAVA1990]

Stations were called union stations that served multiple railroads. Before that, railroads often had their own separate stations in the same town. Prior to Amtrak, the Florida, Chicago, and New Orleans services that stopped in ALX were run by different lines. After Amtrak took over service on the Crescent in 1979, the name didn't make much sense until VRE began operation in 1992 (although until 2010 it was operated by Amtrak).

[darth254]

I just took MegaBus up to Union Station in D.C. from the Charlotte metro because I was touring apartments in Alexandria in the Carlyle District. MegaBus is a pretty good deal, though you won't get the same leg room or fellow riders you get on an Amtrak. But in my case, MegaBus cost about $44 one way while Amtrak was about $70-100 depending on which train took me up. Both took about 8 hours. You could check Greyhound too but they have a lot of layover and transfer bull crap, EVEN WITH their direct express line which would have taken 9.5 hours.

I don't think you'll have any problems finding a taxi at Union Station. Better yet, you can even take a metro out of there which is what I did. I bought an all-day metro fare for $9.00 (you could be cheaper about it if you know where you want to go specifically but I think an all-day pass works well for apartment hunting). I took the metro from Union Station on the red line down to Gallery-Plaza/Chinatown (it's gonna be the Red Line Towards Shady Grove). Got off there and took the yellow line going towards Huntington down to Alexandria and there are the King St. and Eisenhower stops, though Huntington and Braddock stops might qualify for your hunt though they are more questionable areas. You could also use the blue line going towards Franconia/Springfield, but you'll be forced to get off at King St stop.

I took the Alexandria Amtrak Station back home because it's schedule worked more favorably than MegaBus, and the Alexandria Amtrak station is right near the King St. metro stop.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by ncps

I'm moving to Alexandria in a couple weeks. I don't plan on having a car for a while, so I'll be coming in on Amtrak. Does anyone know if - like at Union Station - there's a waiting area to catch a taxi, or is that something I'll have to call for when I arrive?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Where are you coming from?