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I'm not sure if this question should be here or in the MD suburbs of DC forum, but my sister will start working at US News and World report on Thomas Jefferson Place in Georgetown that will likely occur during rush hour. Since the closest Metro stop is more than a half mile away at Foggy Bottom, it would be a bit of a challenge since we live in Howard county (just south of Columbia). I understand she can take the Camden line down to Union Station and take the Circulator bus out to Georgetown (with a free transfer with the MARC ticket), or she could drive/park and ride to either the Silver Spring or Greenbelt stations and take the Metro as far as Foggy Bottom. I just want to find out from the experts what the best method is to commute.
I've done that walk from Foggy Bottom to Thomas Jefferson St in Georgetown before. It's really not that long. 10 to 12 minutes at a normal pace. Walk along K Street and then go under Whitehurst Freeway. Good exercise too.
I would be surprised if the Circulator bus was faster than the Metro. In fact it probably would be a lot slower. The bus makes a ton of stops, drives slow, and from Union Station to Georgetown it would have to go through all of downtown DC in heavy traffic.
I've done that walk from Foggy Bottom to Thomas Jefferson St in Georgetown before. It's really not that long. 10 to 12 minutes at a normal pace. Walk along K Street and then go under Whitehurst Freeway. Good exercise too.
I would be surprised if the Circulator bus was faster than the Metro. In fact it probably would be a lot slower. The bus makes a ton of stops, drives slow, and from Union Station to Georgetown it would have to go through all of downtown DC in heavy traffic.
Yeah, I don't know about the morning commute, but in the evening the Georgetown-Union Station Circulator goes at a snail's pace.
This might be the best commute:
1) Drive to Laurel MARC (12 min. w/o traffic)
2) Take MARC to Union Station (35 minutes)
3) Metro to Foggy Bottom (10 minutes assuming instant transfer)
4) Bikeshare / walk to office (10 min. including walking to/from bikeshare station, 16 min. walk)
If you assume steps 1, 3, and 4 will take 15 minutes each (due to traffic, transfer, and potentially not having a bike available respectively), that's a total 80 minute commute, of which only 30 minutes are spent actively driving, walking, or biking. I don't think it'd get much better considering where you're commuting to and from.
There's also a Circulator bus between Dupont Circle (Red Line) and Georgetown; that plus the Red is probably the fastest way from Union Station to Georgetown.
Greenbelt would probably be the easiest Metro park & ride location from your location; there's no parking at Silver Spring. Glenmont also has a large P&R, but it's not right off 95.
I know a lot of folks in Columbia who use the commuter buses. Look at 995; it has pick up points all over Columbia (last one on Broken Land) and takes you to the Farragut West Metro in about an hour.
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