Due in large part to their lack of weekend service, I've never ridden a MARC train. I'd like to change that in the relatively near future. I'm thinking about using the MARC train from one of the stations south of Baltimore, probably Halethorpe, to take a day trip to DC and to go see a Washington Nationals game in the evening. That being the case, I have a couple questions:
1) How easy is it to get a parking spot at Halethorpe in the late morning (say 10:30 AM)? I just made a trip down to Washington this past Friday evening, and on the way down I scoped out the Halethorpe MARC station. (The station itself was disappointing, but I digress). It appeared there probably is plenty of parking available, but I drove by there probably around 5:45 PM when parking would be available. I also saw a lot of cars parked along US 1 next to the station, so that made me wonder about the parking situation. FWIW, the trip I have in mind would take place on a Friday.
2) Has anyone tried going to Washington Nationals games from the Baltimore area using MARC (and DC Metro)? Looking at the Penn Line schedule, the last train leaves Washington Union Station at 10:45 PM and gets to New Carrollton at 10:56 PM. The latest Metro Orange Line train I could take to New Carrollton leaves Stadium/Armory at 10:31 PM and gets to New Carrollton at 10:45 PM. Would that 11 minute layover give me enough time at New Carrollton? Based upon my knowledge of the New Carrollton Metro/MARC/Amtrak station, I'm guessing it would but I'm not sure. (I'm also not sure if the Metro often or periodically has delays on the Orange Line on Friday nights.) Realistically, if I started leaving RFK Stadium at 10:10 PM or earlier, I don't think I'd have a problem getting out to the Metro stop in time for that 10:31 PM eastbound Orange Line train.
Any information about either or both questions would be appreciated.
1) How easy is it to get a parking spot at Halethorpe in the late morning (say 10:30 AM)? I just made a trip down to Washington this past Friday evening, and on the way down I scoped out the Halethorpe MARC station. (The station itself was disappointing, but I digress). It appeared there probably is plenty of parking available, but I drove by there probably around 5:45 PM when parking would be available. I also saw a lot of cars parked along US 1 next to the station, so that made me wonder about the parking situation. FWIW, the trip I have in mind would take place on a Friday.
2) Has anyone tried going to Washington Nationals games from the Baltimore area using MARC (and DC Metro)? Looking at the Penn Line schedule, the last train leaves Washington Union Station at 10:45 PM and gets to New Carrollton at 10:56 PM. The latest Metro Orange Line train I could take to New Carrollton leaves Stadium/Armory at 10:31 PM and gets to New Carrollton at 10:45 PM. Would that 11 minute layover give me enough time at New Carrollton? Based upon my knowledge of the New Carrollton Metro/MARC/Amtrak station, I'm guessing it would but I'm not sure. (I'm also not sure if the Metro often or periodically has delays on the Orange Line on Friday nights.) Realistically, if I started leaving RFK Stadium at 10:10 PM or earlier, I don't think I'd have a problem getting out to the Metro stop in time for that 10:31 PM eastbound Orange Line train.
Any information about either or both questions would be appreciated.
Last edited by CHIP72 on Mon Jul 24, 2006 6:49 am, edited 1 time in total.