Northeast - Baltimore to Washington DC/Arlington

Hey guys, not sure if I'll get more hits here or commuting, but here we go.

My wife just got in to JHU in Baltimore, and I've been offered a job in Falls Church Virginia. I've been told this would be a @#$%^&&* of a commute to do regularly, going through/around DC in my personal car. I've also been told I don't want to park at the Baltimore park and rides as I'll eventually come home to an empty spot or no windows.

So I'm currently thinking about riding a bike to the train station, train to where ever, and bike to work. Anyone here doing anything like that?

I assume you'll be living in Baltimore from your post. That's a hellish commute no matter if it's in a car, on a bike, or by train. Are you sure you want to take this on? Alot of people do it, but you'll be spending about two hours each way on your commute, maybe more.

If so, yes you can ride your bike to the train station and lock it up and take the train. Hopefully your stop has bike lockers, but you have to rent them and there's a waiting list so you should find out about that. You could get a beater bike and lock it up at the train station and if it gets stolen, it's not big loss. If your work at the Falls Church end is not right at the Metro, you could get a second beater bike to keep there. Or you could get a folding bike with a bag and take it on the train with you. The Metro (and probably MARC) do not allow full-sized bikes on the trains at rush hours.

There's no direct train from Baltimore to Falls Church. You take the MARC, change to the Metro at Union Station, and then change to the Orange Line to get to Falls Church. I've found that the changes are what slows down the commute--all that time waiting! Argh!

but I'd do it by train over car any day, unless my work schedule allowed me to work at non-rush hours. Best of luck, and congrats about your wife going to Hopkins.

I'd ask on the BikewashingtonDC Yahoo group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BikeWashingtonDC). I think (but do not know) MARC (commuter rail between Baltimore and DC) prohibits full size bikes on the trains and possibly folders as well. (some people are working on it but no progress I am aware of). Folders are OK on Washington Metro, may have to be in a bag. You cannot bring a full size bike on DC Metro during rush hour periods (although I have seen it done, I'd not take the chance). It will be a LONG commute regardless. You DO NOT want to have the DC Beltway in your commute (and you would be going with the greater traffic flow) if you can help it.

If you can live someplace accessible by bike or bus to the northern end of the DC Metro Red Line, it may be a mite easier. Will the employer in Falls Church allow flexible hours, 4-day workweek, or some work from home? Most people I know with extreme commutes come in really early - a coworker comes in from Columbia MD to Reston VA; I believe they are on the road by 5 AM or so to be here by 6:30 and generally leave before 3PM. You might be able to find a van pool that would accept a folder or full size bike.

Actually the only part of the commute that's bad is Va and the Va backup into Md. I would drive at least into the metro DC area and ride my bike the rest of the way.