Public transportation can be freeing, allowing one to go to places they don’t want to drive to. When we lived in Washington State, we used the transit buses, light rail, and ferries – often.
I had been waiting for the boys’ school year to end, and they got out the last week of May. It was time, finally, for the new to us adventures. First, mastering the MARC train out of the Eastern Panhandle is key to seeing so much on the East Coast. Get to Washington, D.C., and the world is open to you – just seeing DC in full is multiple trips. Union Station is the door to trains across the US.
The Brunswick Line is the section that goes from Martinsburg, WV, to Union Station in D.C. Duffields Station is the second stop on the line. It is located in Shenandoah Junction, WV. The MARC train passes by my house faithfully six times a day, five days a week.
Now, there’s a small thing to consider: you have to be up early. There are only three trains to the city, and the last one departs at 6:42 am. Choo-choo indeed.
I managed to get all three of my offspring dressed and out the door to the train.
From Duffields, it is $13 a person. The most efficient way to buy tickets heading in is via the CharmPass app. After using it, I found it to be straightforward. You will need to set up a profile, and then you can buy your tickets, which are good for a couple of years. Be sure to purchase separate tickets for heading in and also heading back. I was half asleep and almost bought eight tickets going one way. Oops.
Once you have your tickets on your phone, go in and select the number of tickets you want to use, then click to use them. Getting on the train, the conductor will see you do this, and you are good to go.
On the way home, the conductor comes through, and you hold your phone up to show that you redeemed the tickets.
Crossing the Potomac River at Harper’s Ferry (the 3rd stop). The bridge is the one the AT uses. Most of the route is through Maryland and often follows the C&O Canal Trail along the river.
While the trip takes 1½ hours, it passes quickly, as the train stops at each station. There is a lot to look at out the window in the early morning. It’s primarily rural until you cross through the towns and small cities, and then, as you approach Union Station, it transitions into a concrete world.
If you haven’t traveled by train (I have – I went across most of the US in my early adulthood years on a whim), the train arrives at the station, and you disembark onto the platform, walking between the trains. The MARC trains have their area, as they stay there till the evening. You will come out of Gate A and into Union Station.
The station has three levels: the main floor, where all the gates are located, and the lower floor, which features a food court. There is also an upper level with more shops. One can easily waste time at this station. The bathrooms are kept clean.
The thing is, we found that the most affordable eating in D.C. was at the station. The prices were normal, so not inflated like those at airports. And there were a lot of choices. Even a full-size Walgreens in the basement if needed.
Coming back, read the electronic billboards to find which gate you are at (A most likely) and find the crowd of commuters. Once called, you find the track and head down it, repeating the morning.
Although the pigeons in Union Station are interesting, this lil’ dude has one functional foot, and the other foot was a stump. But it knew how to activate the bottle filler. It’d get a shower, then drink the water.
Coming out of the front into Columbus Circle.
Our middle son is good at recognizing Greek and Roman statues, and I heard that they were all over DC. My children are not necessarily typical in their educational approach, which is a good thing.
Who knew Columbus was so ripped with his sweet 1960s rock ‘n’ roll pageboy hairstyle?
The world awaits. It’s out there. And once you make the trip, it’s easy to do. Pack light, and get moving.
~Sarah