D.C. is served by three airports. Reagan National (DCA) is steps from Metro and closest to downtown — worth paying a premium. Dulles (IAD) and BWI are often cheaper but add 45–90 min of ground transport.
- Fastest from anywhere
- DCA has direct Metro
- Lots of flight options
- Costly with fees & bags
- TSA time adds up
- IAD/BWI need transfers
Amtrak drops you at Union Station — a 10-min Metro ride to the Mall. From NYC it’s 2.5–3 hrs on Acela. Relaxed, no TSA, bags included, and you arrive downtown. Best option for the Northeast corridor.
- Arrives city center
- No bag or security stress
- Work or relax en route
- Not great from South/West
- Acela fares spike fast
- Delays aren’t rare
Driving gives you flexibility, especially with kids or a packed itinerary. But parking in D.C. is expensive and I-95/I-66 traffic is notoriously brutal. Pro move: park at a Metro lot in Virginia and ride in.
- Full timing flexibility
- Great for large groups
- Stop-and-explore route
- Downtown parking is pricey
- Brutal rush-hour traffic
- City driving is tricky
FlixBus and Greyhound serve D.C. from most major Eastern cities, often arriving near Union Station. The cheapest door-to-destination option if you’re flexible on time. Book early for the best fares.
- Lowest cost option
- No car or airport stress
- Wi-Fi on most routes
- Slowest option
- Less timing flexibility
- Comfort varies widely
Stuff worth knowing before you commit to anything.
DCA is almost always worth it. The Metro’s Blue/Yellow lines land you on the National Mall in 20 minutes — no traffic, no surge pricing.
Avoid driving in on a Friday afternoon. I-95 toward D.C. becomes a parking lot from Richmond north. Add 1–2 hours to your estimate.
Amtrak fares spike fast. Book 3–4 weeks out — same-day Acela from NYC can hit $200+ each way.
Bus is underrated for NYC travelers. FlixBus NYC → D.C. often runs $20–35, drops near Union Station, and Wi-Fi is solid.
BWI is a sneaky-good option. Southwest flies there heavily — fares often $40–70 cheaper than DCA, and the MARC train gets you downtown in 35 min.
Park-and-ride saves money and sanity. Metro lots at Franconia, Shady Grove, or Wiehle cost $5–7/day vs. $40+ downtown.
We’ve been hosting guests in D.C. since 2009, and the question we hear most is: how should I get there? The honest answer depends entirely on where you’re coming from — and we’re happy to give you a straight answer when you book.
Ready to plan the rest of your trip?
Once you’ve sorted how you’re getting there, explore what to see and do once you arrive in D.C.