loudoun county connector from Ashburn or Herndon to SW DC near Smithsonian metro stop (Falls Church: vs)

[whirledpease]

Am trying to find commute options from AShburn Va to Southwest DC. via either a direct bus route to Indpendence and 12th or a route that connects to a WMATA metro station fairly often.

1) for ashburn, There seems to be a Loudon connector bus that goes from the North Dulles Park and ride to Independence and 12th but the last one in the morning hours stops at 8 am..and the last option is to the WFC metro at about 10.

2)Are there other routes that leave from some other Loudon park and ride that go to the WFC metro?

3)Where can I find the times the buses leave the WFC metro to return to the park and ride?
On the way back is there ever a chance that the last metro train may miss the last LCC ?

thanks,
W

[whirledpease]

Resposting. Looking for information on the direct bus vs bus to metro. The schedules as posted
seem to imply there are a few direct buses from 05:00 to abotu 08:00 and possibly 2 or 3 connectors to the WFC metro after that stopping at about 10 am.
Is that all there is?
Also on the return trip, is there a corresponding scarcity of options? (if the metro is delayed for instance, risk of missing the last bus to the park and ride by about 7 pm?) I do work these hours, and currently commute on the Red line to Shady Grove, so there is no shortage of trains to catch whatever the time in either direction. The commute options from /to Ashburn seem much more constrained, which is why Im checking.
Thanks
W.

Originally Posted by whirledpease

Am trying to find commute options from AShburn Va to Southwest DC. via either a direct bus route to Indpendence and 12th or a route that connects to a WMATA metro station fairly often.

1) for ashburn, There seems to be a Loudon connector bus that goes from the North Dulles Park and ride to Independence and 12th but the last one in the morning hours stops at 8 am..and the last option is to the WFC metro at about 10.

2)Are there other routes that leave from some other Loudon park and ride that go to the WFC metro?

3)Where can I find the times the buses leave the WFC metro to return to the park and ride?
On the way back is there ever a chance that the last metro train may miss the last LCC ?

thanks,
W

[nevis]

Unfortunately that is correct bus wise for the commuter bus from Loudoun. It works great if you have normal 9-5 type hours but after that not so much. Your best bet at present is going to be to drive down to the Herndon Monroe park and ride lot that is just off the toll road. The garage has space for several thousand cars and the 950 and 980 buses go directly to the West Falls Church metro. 980 runs every 5/6 minutes but only at rush hour times. 950 runs all day and is every 30 minutes with the last bus leaving around midnight

Off course when they finally open the silver line things change. 950 and 980 will now go to Weihle Avenue rather than West Falls church so it may be easier to just drive the few more miles and park at the metro itself. Parking will be around $5 day while Herndon Monroe is free and will remain free until the next part of the metro is complete. I know the Metro direct buses from Loudoun will also switch but I thing a few are still going all the way to West Falls Church.