Transportation in the D.C. area ?

MsFancyPlants · #1 05-12-2008, 01:05 PM

My husband and I will be traveling to D.C. soon and want to visit the National Air and Space Museum at the Udvar-Hazy Center. From what I've been able to find, there is no Metro-rail or Metro-bus service to the Center and we will need to use the Virginia Rail Transit bus service from the Dulles Town Center to get to the museum. Is there another way to get to the museum? At one time I thought there was a bus from the Air and Space Museum on the Mall to the Udvar-Hazy Center. If there is no such service, can anyone tell me the best way to get to Dulles Town Center via the Metro rail and/or bus service? In D.C., we will be staying closest to the Foggy Bottom metro stop and plan to visit the museum on a weekend.

Hypno-Toad · #2 05-12-2008, 01:28 PM

Here is the site with the directions. You're right about no direct metro rail access. But head west from DC on US 50 until you get to Route 28 and go north on that. The center is right there.

And Udvar-Hazy is seriously COOL. It's worth it.

MsFancyPlants · #3 05-12-2008, 01:35 PM

We will not have a car so are limited to what public transportation is available. I found the Metro on-line trip planner but it returns nothing for rail/bus service to the Dulles Town Center. Are you telling me we will need to rent a car to get to the Museum?

Mr. Moto · #4 05-12-2008, 01:44 PM

No. Go to either Rosslyn or L'Enfant Plaza via metrorail and take the 5A bus to Dulles Airport. At Dulles Airport, look for the aforementioned Air and Space Museum shuttle.

ultrafilter · #5 05-12-2008, 01:46 PM

There's probably a bus of some kind you can get, but that area is very much the suburbs, with exactly the sort of public transportation that you expect in the suburbs.

MsFancyPlants · #6 05-12-2008, 01:52 PM

Thanks so much, Mr. Moto!

Mr. Moto · #7 05-12-2008, 01:54 PM

DC suburban public transportation is generally quite good.

The issue with the museum is that it is in an isolated area - adjacent to the airport and other parkland. The center has its own exit off of 28. That presents a great opportunity for the Smithsonian. There is no admission for any Smithsonian museum or the National Zoo, but they can charge for parking - and they do. You can park there for just $12 per car.

So the fact that there is a shuttle there at all is a good thing. If you can get to Dulles Airport, you can get to the museum for just fifty cents.

Kalhoun · #8 05-12-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsFancyPlants

We will not have a car so are limited to what public transportation is available. I found the Metro on-line trip planner but it returns nothing for rail/bus service to the Dulles Town Center. Are you telling me we will need to rent a car to get to the Museum?

If this is the same place that houses the early space capsules and has an IMAX movie and stuff like that, we stayed at Foggy Bottom and used only the metro transportation; no car. And I know we didnt' walk far to see it. There must be a shuttle or something that you can take. We would not have walked more than a mile, I can guarantee it.

Hypno-Toad · #9 05-12-2008, 02:05 PM

In case you're wondering, Here's Some Imagery of the stuff you'll see there.

Kalhoun, you're describing the original downtown facility on the mall. The Udvar-Hazy center is out at Dulles Airport in Virginia.

Jamaika a jamaikaiaké · #10 05-12-2008, 02:13 PM

When I was at the regular Nat'l Air/Space Museum 2 years ago, there were signs for a shuttle to Udvár-Házy. (I actually didn't know what it was at the time, but I kept seeing signs talking about a shuttle which would take me to some Hungarian museum...)

Mr. Moto · #11 05-12-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalhoun

If this is the same place that houses the early space capsules and has an IMAX movie and stuff like that, we stayed at Foggy Bottom and used only the metro transportation; no car. And I know we didnt' walk far to see it. There must be a shuttle or something that you can take. We would not have walked more than a mile, I can guarantee it.

Different place. You're thinking of the Air and Space Museum on the National Mall. There is a newer and much larger facility out near Dulles Airport that includes exhibits like the space shuttle Enterprise, the SR-71 Blackbird, and the Enola Gay.

It is worthwhile to see both.

MsFancyPlants · #12 05-12-2008, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamaika a jamaikaiaké

When I was at the regular Nat'l Air/Space Museum 2 years ago, there were signs for a shuttle to Udvár-Házy. (I actually didn't know what it was at the time, but I kept seeing signs talking about a shuttle which would take me to some Hungarian museum...)

That shuttle service was discontinued in September 2006, I'm told.