Baltimore Travel Forum

I am about to move to downtown Baltimore with my husband (who will work in Baltimore) and am trying to decide if I should keep my current job in NW Washington DC. I looked into the Marc train, but the school I work at is 1.7 miles from the closest metro station. There is a Metro bus that would get me there, but that seems like it would take so long- marc train to union station, to metro stop, to a bus stop. I'm thinking about driving and trying to avoid peak rush hour times. Has anyone done this commute? any advice for me? Am I crazy for doing it? what are the best times to avoid traffic in the morning and afternoon? Thanks for any help!

Where exactly in NW Washington will you be going? Which interchange you will have to use can make all the difference. For instance if you are going to be anywhere near Georgia Ave or the 270 split, then traffic is going to suck no matter when you leave. It is not that crazy of a commute. In fact it is shorter than what most people do around here every morning. I work in Reston, Virginia and have coworkers who come from as far as Aberdeen and York, Pennsylvannia every morning so you would have what is considered a "short" commute in this area. Therefore, you are not crazy for doing it. The best times to avoid the traffic is before 7am in the morning and before 3pm in the afternoon. If you leave home or work later than that you may as well stay home or make sure you have a nice stereo and an understanding boss or spouse. having said all that, depending on where you need to go, your commute should be no more than 30 minutes.

I commuted from downtown Baltimore to DC for 8 years! (But, my work was 2 blocks from the metro stop!)

It's just me, but there is NO WAY that I would do the drive. But, are you certain that the closest metro stop is 1.7 mile away...in NW?? Doesn't sound right!

Arrgh...I'm having horrible flashbacks of too much time spent on the MARC train! ;-) And, I agree, no one has an easy commute working in thenationscapital!

BTW, email me if you need any help prior to your move to Baltimore!

I currently commute from Baltimore (pikesville) to Bethesda. I drive and it takes me 1.5 hrs coming and about 1 hr and 10 mins coming home. The traffic is horrendous ALL the time. From downtown, I'd take the MARC train Camden Line (Leaves next to the Camden Yards/Light Street Light rail stop next to Camden Yards.) but ur problem will be how to get to NW...Metro to the bus probably. This commute is NOT for anyone with children that they WANT to see and peak time appears to be 7:30AM to 10:00AM and 4:00PM tp 7:00PM. Good luck. It took 4 months of this commute to find a position in Baltimore.
Also, getting out of downtown Baltimore (inner Harbor?) isn't that bad but once u merge onto I-95 South PRAY that there aren't any accidents or rain.

30 MINUTES? You must drive a jet?

I would highly advise AGAINST the Camden Line. Even people I know who live walking distance from it, often use the Penn Line. The Camden line makes about 15 stops, and is on the CSX tracks, so the train is often slowed by waiting for sloooooow trains carrying loads of coal, etc.

Anyway you slice it, though, communiting from Balto to DC is a pretty unpleasant way to spend a bulk of your waking time!

27 minutes is my record for that trip. It usually takes me about 45 minutes to an hour; especially between 5pm and 7pm. Do I drive jet?..no. I just drive smoothly and quickly. You see I used to be an amateur race driver, and I have learned that once in the car, driving is my job and my enjoyment while behind the wheel; not just another means to an end. I don't talk on the cell phone, I use my mirrors and turn signals and tend to drive about 7 to 8 mph over the limit. If traffic is moving faster, I drive faster. I also listen to traffic reports and no alternate routes to get around tie ups before I get to them (the absolute best thing to know). I have never had a ticket or an accident even driving in Korea or Japan which makes our traffic here look like driving across Nebraska or Kansas. Main causes of traffic problems around here is inattentive drivers, people knowing only one way from home to work and bad lane etiquette.