Monday, November 12, 2018

New Adventures in Travel in My Front Yard


When I bought the condo near Washington DC, one of the requirements was that it had to be near a subway station.  And it is, about a 10 minute walk. And the association runs a rush hour shuttle bus that picks me up and drops me off at the front door of the building.  I ride the subway to and from work.  The last time I drove to the office was May 4, 2015.  

Last Friday the subway lines from this end of town were closed for four days for major repairs.  I knew it was coming.  Ideally I would have worked from home, but there were meetings I needed to be at.  I thought for a moment and decided to try the VRE, Virginia Railway Express.  These are commuter trains that run to and from the far distant burbs into the city.  There is a stop at King Street in Alexandria.  A little over a mile from home, and metro was running one station beyond that on this end of the system.  

I downloaded the VRE app, bought a one day pass on my phone.  The trains were ontime, comfortable, very smooth, quiet and really a very easy way to travel.  The subway is easier for me, but I have a bypass option.  

Have you ridden commuter rail? 

3 comments:

  1. Here is Philly commuter rail IS the way to travel...our subway is mostly within the city only. And crumby.

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  2. I love our commuter rail, Cercanías, run by RENFE, the national rail system.exceptional. And I love RENFE. Prefer that over a plane any day.

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  3. I second maddie. I live 1.5 miles from a commuter rail station (not walkable). free parking on the weekends make for easy travel into philly.

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