Richmond to Mclean commute (Woodbridge: extended stay, apartment, rent)

[lostraven1972]

I'm considering taking a really good job in Mclean. There are also some days available for working remotely. It is not possible for me to relocate so to take the job I would be committed to long commutes.

I'm trying to determine the best options on how to travel from Richmond to Mclean. I don't have a vehicle that is worthy of driving back and forth the entire distance.

I'm looking at options that would get me to Mclean prior to 9:30am

question 1) Where is the best place to locate carpool offers?

If you tackle any of the following questions please let me know details about connections. Because I am not currently knowledgeable about the different stations or lines.
Question 2) has anyone worked out a good process from leaving from Richmond (RVR) via Train then taking connections or busses to get to Mclean?
Question 3) has anyone worked out a good process from leaving from Richmond via bus? ALSO--How often are busses stuck in traffic and late?

Going to 8200 Jones Branch Dr, McLean, VA 22102

Thank you

[boyd888]

Public transportation between the two places does not exist in the sense of an every day trip. A quick check shows four hours as you have to go through Union Station via train or bus.

You also are not going to find a slug line going to Tyson's much further south than Woodbridge.... realistically if you can make it to Woodbridge you can make it to Tyson's (still a two hour drive).

To summarize, impossible without a car and with a car only slightly less nuts. Unless you are talking a $50K raise or something no way commuting four extra hours a day is worth working at Freddie Mac.

[HokieFan]

Richmond to McLean will be hellacious on a daily basis. Is it possible you could rent a room or basement apartment and stay there Monday-Thursday nights?

[lostraven1972]

The pay is good and would be worth the extra 25 to 30 hours of travel. Staying won't be my 1st choice and I would imagine very expensive.

I found one option of
Richmond Main Street Amtrak Northeast Regional 2hrs25 minutes
Then connect to King Street Station
Then connect to Rosslyn Station
Then catch a bus to Spring Hill Metro Then get off at Jones Branch @ Park Run.

Its definitely not a great situation, but it would avoid hours of being stuck in traffic. Which I have done before and it exceeded a 4 hour commute.

[boyd888]

Amtrak is horribly unreliable for every day use. Your train to DC is only on time 60% of the time the last 12 months (check the Amtrak website). Then you are relying on the DC metro which could actually be more unreliable than Amtrak. You are right about changing at King St.

Your Amtrak is $60 round trip plus metro/bus fare. The extended stay in Tyson's is $80 a night and you save four hours of commuting. So let me back track a bit and say if you could make one trip up to DC a week, work and stay in Tyson's for however many days in a row, then telecommute the rest of the week, it might not be terrible.

[BrassTacksGal]

Do NOT DO IT! I-95 is so backed up almost daily. It could easily take you 3 or 4 hours each way to get to from Richmond to McLean. In the summer on a Monday, Thursday, and Friday it could be much worse. Just DON'T DO IT!

[finalmove]

I really wonder about such a post. The OP should think about what he is asking before posting.

[Va83]

Lots of people commute from Richmond to the D.C. Area. They usually don't do it daily. Is there any options to do more remote work?

[Nate_VA]

I knew someone who did this exact same commute. He was in a van pool that dropped him off at the office. He did it for several years.

[Fallout Zone]

Originally Posted by Nate_VA

I knew someone who did this exact same commute. He was in a van pool that dropped him off at the office. He did it for several years.

I think that this is the only realistic way to do it. Despite what seems crazy to some of us, I bet there are actually a fair amount of people that do Richmond to Tysons.