Traveling to Washington D.C.

If you’ve never traveled to Washington DC before, then you may have some questions about the best way to get there, and how to get around the city while you’re there (including how to get to and from the ballpark). Lucky for you we’ve got a ton of great answers. This chapter will cover advice on how to get to and from DC, and how to get from the airports to the hotels. The ensuing chapter on “Local Transit” will cover how to get to/from the stadium. 

In this chapter we’ll cover the following:

• Flying to DC
• Transportation from airports to hotels
• Renting a car
• Driving to DC
• Train to DC

Flying to DC: Which airport to choose to visit Nats Park

DC is accessible by three airports (though none are actually located within the city limits): 

1. Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is located in Virginia right across the Potomac River from downtown Washington, just five miles from Nationals Park, and easily accessible via the subway or taxi/rideshare.
2. Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) is located just past Herndon, VA, approximately 28 miles west of Nationals Park.
3. Baltimore Washington Airport (BWI) is located 12 miles south of downtown Baltimore and approximately 33 miles northeast of Nationals Park.

The easiest airport for going to Nats Park is Reagan Airport (DCA)

There’s no question that Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is the closest and most convenient airport to downtown DC and to Nationals Park. Once you leave the airport, you’re only five miles from the stadium, and you can easily get to both the ballpark and most downtown DC hotels in 15-20 minutes by car, and, depending on where you stay, in relatively short order via the metro (subway) system, which runs directly from the airport. 

If you have the option to choose your airport, DCA is unquestionably the way to go. Plus, it will give you far easier options if you’re attempting to fly out following an afternoon game. If you leave Nats Park at 4:30pm after a 1:35pm game, you can very likely make a 6:45pm flight from Reagan Airport, even if you have to check a bag.

The best second choice for going to Nats Park: BWI or Dulles Airport?

If DCA is not a viable option for you, then you’re left to choose between Dulles and BWI.

Both airports are about equidistant from the park and downtown, and in terms of traffic, depending on when you are traveling, it’s possible that you could experience traffic from both places (or you could zip right through without incident). In terms of cost, a taxi from BWI will cost about $90 and an Uber will cost about $60-80, depending on the time of day and demand. The estimated taxi fare for a ride from IAD into the city is about $70, with an Uber costing about $50-60.

The main difference between the two airports is if you will use public transportation. If you’re going to jump in a taxi/rideshare or rent a car, then the two airports are fairly similar in terms of distance from Nationals Park and downtown DC, and are also similar in terms of traffic issues. But if you’re going to use mass transit, then the differences are much more noticeable. 

If you do want to stick to public transit, we believe that Dulles Airport will be the easier of the two options. DC’s subway system runs directly to/from Dulles Airport via the Silver Line, and will stop at most relevant downtown hotel zones along the way. To get to/from the ballpark you will still need to make an easy transfer between the Silver and Green subway lines (at L’Enfant Plaza, just two stops away from the ballpark station), but in terms of being a direct route, it’s pretty good, and we’re big fans of DC’s subway system: it’s clean, safe, efficient, and a good value versus hiring or renting a car.

On the other hand, BWI will be noticeably less convenient. From the BWI terminal you can take a shuttle bus to the train station, where you can either take Amtrak or a MARC train from BWI to DC’s Union Station. Once at Union Station, you’ll need to transfer to the DC metro system to get to your hotel or the stadium, or exit the station and take a taxi/ride share. Is it doable? Yes. Is it the most convenient experience? No. It’s a bit of a planes, trains, and automobiles thing.

Of course, both airports will take time to get back to from downtown DC, so be careful with booking a return flight following an afternoon game. If you leave Nats Park at 4:30pm, you probably wouldn’t want to book a flight earlier than 7:30pm from either BWI or IAD. Between transit and airport security, you’ll want to be careful to give yourself enough time, especially since you may be taking the last flight of the day to your destination.

So the bottom line is that if you’re going to take a taxi, rideshare, or rent a car from either airport, then the experience will be quite similar for both, so just pick whichever airport better matches your scheduling/fare options. But if you’re going to use mass transit, we’d suggest Dulles over BWI.

Getting from the airport to your hotel: Should you rent a car or stick to public transportation?

Well, you certainly could rent a car if you wanted to, but you’d probably need to have a good reason. First of all, parking at a downtown hotel in DC will be very expensive – potentially as much as $80/night. Second, parking at Nationals Park won’t be cheap either: it’s likely to cost between $25 (if you get there early or reserve ahead of time) and $50. But beyond the cost, it’s just not very convenient. You won’t want a car to explore the sights around DC, unless you’re planning on going somewhere beyond the downtown area, such as Great Falls National Park. You’ll be far better served just taking the metro or using taxis/rideshares. Not to mention traffic in DC is annoying as well: getting from the downtown area to the ballpark may take you just as long in a car as it would going via Metro. 

If you do rent a car, you should factor in how much time it will take you to return that car to the airport before your flight. At Reagan National Airport, the car rental center is right across from the main terminal, which is just a quick walk. But at Dulles and BWI, you’ll need to take a shuttle bus from the car rental center to the terminal, adding time to your journey. And that time could make the difference between making — or not making — a Sunday night flight after a baseball game.

On the other hand, sticking to public transportation, being a combination of the Metro, buses, and taxis/rideshares, will make your trip less expensive and, likely, a lot easier. We are big fans of the metro system in DC: it’s clean, safe, and if you’re staying downtown or in the areas surrounding the District (Arlington or Alexandria, VA), it is incredibly convenient. On those rare occasions when the subway isn’t convenient, you’ve always got Uber/Lyft/taxis, which will help you avoid parking costs and worrying about the logistics of a rental car.

So, in general, unless you have a very specific need for a car, skip it: take the subway, take taxis/ride-shares, or get out there and walk!

Getting to DC by car

If you’re planning on driving to DC, Google Maps has all you need to help you navigate to your hotel or the ballpark. Just keep in mind: DC traffic can be horrible, and rush hour in DC often starts before 3pm. So do yourself a favor and plan accordingly: if you’re going to drive into DC, target getting into town two to three hours before the game to make sure you don’t have any problems.

Getting to DC by train

If you’re traveling to DC by train, you will likely arrive at Union Station, which is in the same part of town as the US Capitol, about three miles from the ballpark. From Union Station, you can either walk outside to get a taxi or rideshare, or you can transfer from the trains to the Metro system and continue using public transportation. From Union Station to the Navy Yard/Ballpark station is six stops, including a transfer from the red line to the green line at Gallery Place. It’s pretty straightforward, and if you have any issues, there are agents in the booths at the stations who can answer questions.

There’s no question that if you are choosing between flying and taking the train, we would put arriving into DCA and taking the train to be equal options, and both are better than flying into IAD or BWI.

Bottom Line

All in all, DC is a pretty easy place to get to. If you can fly into Reagan Airport or take the train to Union Station, do it – it will make your life much easier. If not, that’s ok – just follow our advice and make the plans that best suit your needs.