What is the cheapest form of transportation from Richmond, VA to Washington, DC?
I have a client that will be in Richmond for the morning but needs to catch a flight from DCA at 11am. (If you think AMTRAK is best -- how's their on time preformance?)
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This is pretty much impossible. Richmond to DCA is at least an hour and a half - this person needs to leave Richmond by 8 AM to make the flight reliably. I cannot imagine a morning meeting that will end before 8 AM. To answer your question a little more directly, the cheapest form of transporation between Richmond and Washington is Greyhound Bus - my daughter went to college in Richmond and often came back that way. The cost is 21.75. There are two morning busses, one leaves at 5:15 AM and arrives at 7:30 AM, and one that leaves Richmond at 7:30 AM and arrives at 9:40 AM. The last one is possible and gets you there just in time for transfer to the flight. One would transfer to the Metro Blue Line at Franconia Springfield, to National Airport, which is a fairly short subway ride. The next option is, as you guessed, Amtrak. These tickets are $26 to 44 for a one way, depending on what trip. There is a 6 AM train arriving at 8:06 AM, and an 8AM train arriving at 10:06. Unfortunately the latter is pretty much impossible, as you then have to get on the subway to get to National Airport, so add an additional 20 to 30 minutes to the trip, and you have missed the flight. (They will close an 11:00 flight at 10:30). There are no more delay issues with Amtrak than with airplanes (less in fact) but it's always a possibility. Renting a car might be the only way to do this. With Avis this would cost about $47. It's not a very complex drive, but the traffic can be terrible. I've known it to take up to 3 hours to drive this way, but that was usually during the rush to the beach on Friday evening or Saturday morning. Coming toward DC later in the morning might be much easier. Still allow for 2 hours to drive - and remember to be at the airport by 10 AM to check the car in and get it done. So the client needs to leave at 8 AM. Richmond is not really near DC. Why does the client not change his/her reservations to fly out of Richmond's airport?
