Need Washington DC help

[mr. mick]

My daughter is returning to Virginia on the Northeast regional on Monday; I need to give her instructions on how to get off at Union Station, get on a Metro car /cars that get her to Fairfax/Vienna station so she can wait for her sister to pick her up later in the day. It's been years since I have used the Washington Metro, and I need detailed help on:
what does a metro ticket/token cost and how is it purchased?
What are the specific steps to accomplish this trip, with sufficient detail so she wont get on the wrong train(s)?

Based on Internet search, in general , it looks like she needs to detrain @ Union Station, get on the Red line to Metro Center (will the car have a destination on the front?), and switch to the Orange line to Vienna.
Any additional, fill-in details would be greatly appreciated.

She is leaving on Train 95 out of South Station at 6:00 AM Monday/

[jackintosh11]

There will be signs in the stations to show her where to go. She can ask someone if she needs help. The fare is $4.60 during off peak and $6.80 during peak unless she has a smartrip card, where the fares are $1 cheaper. She can buy her ticket from a vending machine in the station. Tell her that she needs to take a shady grove or grosvenor bound red line train to Metro Center, then take a vienna bound orange line train. There will be signs telling her which platforms to use, and signs on the front of the cars.

[Greg Moore]

Did close to that trip almost weekly.

The costs sound right DC Metro planner has all the details.

When she gets off the train, basically she'll turn RIGHT and head towards the west end of the station and look for Metro signs. It's downstairs.

She''ll want Red Line to Shady Grove and go just a 3 stops.

Go downstairs and get on the ORANGE line to Vienna. Do not get on the Blue line or the Silver Line.
(Silver will go as far as East Falls Church before splitting off for Tyson's Corner and points beyond.)

Another option though longer, a bit easier at times, is if Train 95 stops at New Carrollton, simply get off there and get on the Orange line and ride all the way to the other end.
Really only useful if one wants to rack up mileage or see different stuff.

Now, depending on how long she has to wait for her sister, perhaps taking Silver Line to Tyson's Corner (also caught at Metro Center) and going shopping while she waits may work.

[John_Perkowski]

Moved by an Admin

[Jehochman]

Remind her to hang on to the metro ticket. She needs to put it in the gate to enter and then a second time to get out at the destination. There are machines on both sides of the gates to add money to the ticket should that be necessary.

[mtuandrew]

Remind her to hang on to the metro ticket. She needs to put it in the gate to enter and then a second time to get out at the destination. There are machines on both sides of the gates to add money to the ticket should that be necessary.

Also, remind her to bring some cash in case she needs to add money. The Exit Fare machines don't take cards.

[mr. mick]

Thanks to all who replied, This info and the tips should be enough to get to where she is going.
I really appreciate the responses.

[JDC]

Did close to that trip almost weekly.

The costs sound right DC Metro planner has all the details.

When she gets off the train, basically she'll turn RIGHT and head towards the west end of the station and look for Metro signs. It's downstairs.

She''ll want Red Line to Shady Grove and go just a 3 stops.

Go downstairs and get on the ORANGE line to Vienna. Do not get on the Blue line or the Silver Line.
(Silver will go as far as East Falls Church before splitting off for Tyson's Corner and points beyond.)

Another option though longer, a bit easier at times, is if Train 95 stops at New Carrollton, simply get off there and get on the Orange line and ride all the way to the other end.
Really only useful if one wants to rack up mileage or see different stuff.

Now, depending on how long she has to wait for her sister, perhaps taking Silver Line to Tyson's Corner (also caught at Metro Center) and going shopping while she waits may work.

The getting off at New Carrollton is good advice. It's a long trip, but she cannot go wrong!

[Literalman]

95 does stop in New Carrollton, and I would choose to transfer there. The Metro is easy to see once you get off Amtrak, and the longer rapid transit ride is offset by not having to transfer on Metro with luggage. Also, as noted, Vienna and New Carrollton are the ends of the orange line, so you can't get on a train going the wrong direction or ride past your stop.

[tommyboy6181]

I agree with those who are mentioning to ride the train to New Carrollton. The Amtrak tracks are next to the Metro tracks and all that's needed is to take 1 escalator/elevator down 1 level from the Amtrak platform. Then take a 2nd elevator/escalator up 1 level to the Orange line Metro platform and all trains go to Vienna. It beats Union Station where you transfer into the Metro, ride 3 stops to Metro Center, and then transfer to the Orange line towards Vienna. Plus, depending on the time of day, if it's rush hour, she would not want to be carrying luggage on the Metro Center station platforms.

[mr. mick]

Two questions: Should I be concerned as to how safe she will be getting on at New Carrolton and riding to Vienna? (She would much rather not change trains, so this suggestion seems to fit.) Train 95 is sked to arrive there @ 1:44 (1344); at what point does she need to get a Peak fare car ( i.e., if she gets on the Orange line @ 1415 with an off-Peak farecard ( $4/60), and gets off at Vienna at 1515, will she be charged more to exit the station?

[jackintosh11]

She might. Tell her to buy the off peak but give her enough to upgrade it to the peak fare at the exit fare machine

[MACTRAXX]

She might. Tell her to buy the off peak but give her enough to upgrade it to the peak fare at the exit fare machine

JT,Mick and Everyone:

Metro fares are determined upon entry to the system - in this case from 2:59 pm or before the cash fare would be $4.60 and from 3:00 pm afterward (PM Peak) it will cost $6.90 using a farecard...

This New Carollton-Vienna Orange Line ride's cost looks to depend on when Amtrak 95 gets to NCR. - This is definitely a better option then having to transfer at Metro Center at a busy time
on a weekday...

MACTRAXX

[mr. mick]

We took the advice provided in this thread:my daughter detrained at New Carrollton, (Northeast regional 95 was a few minutes early, to boot) and took the Metro to Vienna, where she was picked up by her sister. The only difficulty was that she needed the ( very helpful) station attendants' assistance in buying her farecard; Thanks to all who gave us feedback, it is very much appreciated, especially the aspect of not having to take her three pieces of luggage through Union Station and then the Metro Center.