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we took 85 recently on a trip from Charlotte to Baltimore and we were good until we hit DC. IF that is your final destination you should be fine with that route it is not heavily traveled route which is nice. we left really early on a saturday am.
We do the 85/95 route and try to time it well. Basically if you can arrive to the DC area at some odd time of day then you will be fine. If you are limited then you just have to deal with the traffic. Short of flying in via heliocopter DC traffic is DC traffic.
I am from DC and I go there once in couple months.
Here is what I would do.
go on 77/81/66 and return on 95/85.
It usually takes me 7 hours on 77/81/66 coz i tend to stop a few times at some specific places i like to stop which maybe a little further than from the highway. But they say its 6.5 hr drive. Leave early, so you dont get stuck in the rush hour traffic on 66. so plan to leave either early or later so avoid the rush hour. I would leave here at 1am to reach 66 after the rush hour is over, but u can start at 6 or 7 am.
While returning, Saturday in the daytime there is some traffic on 66W initially in Northern VA. I guess all the people are going west to go to shopping/restaurants/places. But after that usually there is no traffic. Unless there is any construction delays 95/85 is pretty smooth too, and coz i dont usually know places on 95/85 its always been 6.5 hrs for me.
we took 85 recently on a trip from Charlotte to Baltimore and we were good until we hit DC. IF that is your final destination you should be fine with that route it is not heavily traveled route which is nice. we left really early on a saturday am.
True, but that was on a Saturday. Weekdays are a different animal. Yes, you should be fine up 95 through Richmond...its when you get towards Occaquan and Prince William County where the traffic kicks in around rush hour. Although going northbound will not be as bad as heading southbound.
Another alternative if you really hate traffic (but it depends on your budget, luggage,etc.) You can always drive 85, cut up 95 a bit to Richmond, park there, then take the train into DC.
If you are willing to take a train, why not just take it all the way from Charlotte to DC? I guess this is getting Off Topic now...
It only takes me about 5 hours and some change to get to Springfield, VA which is near DC but I lay down pretty heavy on the hammer. I also only stop for gas and to maybe throw a burger down my throat.
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