Union Station

Going from New York to RcckvilleI have a close connection to the Metro Red Line. Arriving fro New York can I make it to the Metro in less than 4 minutes?

Union Station

The walk from the train to the Metro will probably take longer than 4 minutes. And if you have to buy a farecard, absolutely impossible. Not to mention the distinct possibility of Amtrak not being exactly on-time.

Union Station

Unless you are the first paasenger to get off that train, chances are other passengers will slow you down on the escalators up from the platform. You will then run into other leisure paced foot traffic in Union Station. As the earlier poster pointed out, Amtrak does not always arrive on time. So 4 minutes is not realistic.

What do you mean by close connection to Metro Red Line? Doesn%26#39;t it run all day?

On most trains that you will get from NYC to DC, you will not have an escalator up from the platform. That applies to trains that are continuing south, and most of the trains end in DC.

You will have escalators in the Metro station. And if you are relying on a Metro train being on a schedule, forget it. Only the last train of the day is likely to leave on a strict schedule. But maybe that is the train you hope to get on.

If you mean you%26#39;re catching the very last Metro train of the day from Union Station to Rockville (train labeled Shady Grove), that Metro train leaves Union Station at 11:59 pm during the week and 2:59 am Friday and Saturday. If these are the specific Metro trains you%26#39;re thinking of, you%26#39;ve got a $40 taxi fare to look forward to from Union-Rockville when (not if) you miss the connection.

But from what I can see, there are no Amtrak trains scheduled to arrive in DC from the northeast on any day within just a few minutes of either of these times. So if you don%26#39;t make the Metro train that%26#39;s leaving four minutes after your actual arrival to Union, there will be others following, most likely running 5-10 minutes apart.

Also note that there is inexpensive bus service from different carriers direct from New York to the Rockville area which would eliminate the need for the transfer at Union Station. Depending on where in Rockville you need to be, the bus running direct to Bethesda may work just as well for you.

I am hereby reporting my plans as ';inappropriate';. Thanks for all your input. FYI I was hoping to leave EWR at 3:25 and get to Fitzgerald Theater, Rockville by 7:25 pm. Thankfully a kind soul will drive me there from Union Station.

Thanks for all your input! I will investigate the direct bus for the future.

Whether you%26#39;re using public transportation or having someone pick you up, the challenge with using Union Station to get to Rockville is its latitude--you need to first take the train 15 miles further south then you need to be, then you need to go 20 miles doubling back northwest to Rockville.

Here%26#39;s the better solution, assuming you have a friend who%26#39;s willing to drive 40 minutes to a train station to pick you up--sounds like you do:

Take the same 3:35 train and get off at BWI Airport Station at 6:15 (vs. Union at 6:46). Your friend will probably have a similar drive to BWI as he will to Union.

If your train is on time, you%26#39;ll be at Fitzgerald comfortably by 7:00 with a BWI pickup vs. scrambling like mad to make a 7:35 curtain with Union.

If you%26#39;re thinking about doing this on a weekday, I%26#39;d say it%26#39;s a slim chance you%26#39;ll make the opening curtain if you try to do this from Union.

Oh, and you%26#39;ll save a few dollars on the trainfare as well.

I may have the wrong specific train you%26#39;re thinking of, but you should get the general idea. Look at a map and it will all make sense. Enjoy the show!

Until the state completes the Intercounty Connector, there%26#39;s no fast and easy way to get to Rockville from BWI except taking local roads. Otherwise, to stay on the freeway, you%26#39;ll have to go all the way down to the Beltway (I-495) and then head back north on I-270.

I would probably cut across on SR-198 and then take Norbeck Road into downtown Rockville and the F Scott Fitzgerald Theatre.