Washington through the side door

Baltimore, trains and D.C.’s rent-a-bikes

by Bill Edmonds

Mission: Conduct seminar on how to write effective op-ed articles for writers, editors and others with the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council, in Washington.

Transportation issues: Flying into Washington is easy. National Airport is just across the river. But National is crowded, the security lines are excessively long, and the accessibility comes at a cost — flights are often full and seldom discounted.

The subversive choice: Fly to Baltimore instead flights are easier to book and usually cheaper. But don’t take a taxi from Baltimore/Washington International to D.C. It is long, boring and expensive. Instead, take the train. Here’s how. But please note: The cheap train heralded here, the MARC, runs only on weekdays.

BWI’s bus to the trains: Once your flight touches down, dash through the BWI terminal for the doors that offer taxis, hotel vans and other transportation. Look for the sign to pick up the shuttle bus to the Amtrak/MARC station. The bus is free, and the ride is short — 15 minutes or so. MARC — the local commuter train service — promises a bus will show up every 12 minutes (there are fewer buses in the wee hours, so expect one every 25 minutes from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Get your ticket: The bus drops you off at a slightly baffling, but fortunately small, rail terminal. Go in, get your ticket to D.C.’s Union Station. Do not go Amtrak unless you must. MARC tickets are cheap — $6 one way for this trip ($5 for students, $3 for seniors and those with disabilities). Amtrak charges much more.

Get on your train: You have to cross the tracks, via steps and an elevated walkway, to get to the far side, where you will pick up your train. A number of trains may come by. Make sure you get the right one. The loudspeaker announcing trains is, alas, hard to understand, so ask questions. Most of the travelers are local folks — few tourists use the MARC — and they can help you get on the right ride. Like commuters everywhere, they are in a zone of their own, but they don’t mind helping with a quick answer. Don’t be shy.

Enjoy the ride: I’ve ridden the MARC trains a few times, all in the afternoon, and the cars were all but empty (I’m sure they fill up with the morning and afternoon hordes of workers). Sit back and enjoy the views, the roomy seats and the time to catch up on e-mail. Don’t expect amenities. This is low-budget, get-the-job-done travel. There is no bar service. I couldn’t even find a soda machine.

How long did it take? My time on the MARC train was about 45 minutes. The shuttle ride was another 15 minutes, and I was in the ticket office and standing by the tracks for 20 minutes or so, so budget two hours or so from when you land to when you arrive at Washington’s Union Station. You might beat this in a cab, if you have the dollars and the tolerance for many miles in a smelly Crown Vic.

Union Station — rent a bike: Once you are at Union Station, you can catch the local subway to your destination, catch a cab, of course, or … walk. Washington is a great walking town. If your meeting is a long walk away — as was the case when I arrived last August and needed to get to the Dupont Circle hotel — ride a bike.

The District of Columbia’s Capital Bikeshare offers easy rental of sturdy, three-speed bicycles. You can pick up one of the 1,200 big, red bicycles outside Union Station or at 140 other locations throughout the city. You rent a bike any location, and leave it at another of your choice. Nice system.

The weather was nice on my August trip — surprisingly comfortable for deep summer in the swamp that is D.C. — so I started my trip on foot.  But the late afternoon sun was in my face, I got a bit steamed and stopped to rest ... right in front of one of the city's bike-share racks.

What the heck ... Quick swipe with the Visa ... off I go. 

My ride to my hotel was short — about a mile and a half in city traffic during the afternoon commute — but a blast.

Using Capital Bikeshare is a great way to see the city. There are lots of folks on bikes and on foot. I started my ride in seedy territory and witnessed the status of the homes and businesses slowly changing with each turn of the wheel.

Find a nearby Capital Bikeshare rack: The hotel doorman didn’t know what to make of the guy on the bicycle, had no clue of what bike-share was about and could offer no guidance about where to deposit my ride.

After some uncertain negotiation, followed by a firm, "I am a guest," he escorted me and the bike were into the lobby, where the concierge advised me that there was a Capital Bikeshare rack a half block away.  Excellent!

But … I didn't want to turn it loose.

So after checking in and dropping off my bag (which had been riding on the rack on the front, later joined by my sport coat, both held in place by a bungee cord bolted to the bike), I took off for some exploring.

I didn't go all that far, maybe four or five miles, but saw embassies, impressive homes, that park where the poor congressional aide was found strangled a few years ago, more impressive homes, a street for hipsters, a ton of bars and restaurants and, after a quick stop for directions, the Dupont Circle bike drop.

The natives: Drivers were great. They know what to do around cyclists, and, boy, does that make a difference. I’m an experienced bicycle commuter, and I found Washington’s drivers to be more aware of cyclists than are drivers in my Southern city.

The bikes: The Capital Bikeshare bicycle is nothing you would buy. It is a heavy piece of work. But it has a step-through frame, which is most convenient, big, thick, flat-me-not tires, a Shimano Nexus hub with three speeds —though it needed more when I got into some hills in my explorations — and a Shimano generator hub, lights and reflectors. Kickstand, too, but no bike lock.

Cost is $7 for 24 hours of use on any bicycle. First 30 minutes is free; a fee per hour after that. I think all of my riding cost me another $5 (way cheaper than a cab).

Next morning, I grabbed one of the few remaining Capital Bikeshare rigs around the corner — the bikes are popular — and headed across town for my seminar with the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council. Another great ride. I left the bike at Union Station’s Capital Bikeshare rack, which was nearby.

Find the bikes — get the app: Making use of Capital Bikeshare depends, of course, on finding the racks that hold the bikes (and hold them hard — they don’t budge until you pay). So, where are the racks? Hey, there's an app for that.

The return trip: You catch the MARC trains to BWI airport at D.C.’s Union Station. I was baffled by the ticket system. After too much puzzlement, I discovered I could buy a ticket from a machine and didn’t have to stand in the long Amtrak lines (the Amtrak counters will sell you a MARC ticket). As always, figure out in advance your train number and where to catch it. That can be tricky business in Union Station for those new to the place. New trains are announced by — per usual — a hard-to-understand loudspeaker, so head’s up. Once on the train, kick back for the ride to the station near BWI, clamber out and wait for the bus (the bus stop is poorly marked — just hang around and pay attention if you can’t find it). The shuttle drops you right where you began, at the doors of the Baltimore airport.

Get local knowledge: I discovered this alternative — the MARC trains — through a friend of a friend who lives in Baltimore. The local source knew all about it, told me where to catch the shuttle and explained the Amtrak vs. MARC fares. As travelers know well, local knowledge can’t be beat. Take advantage, when you can.