Avoid rush hour, especially later in the evenings whenever primary/secondary school is in session.
Worst times coming through the beltway — between 5:30/6am-7:30am and 4:30/5pm-7pm during the week.
Same with riding the subway. Crowd-wise, mornings would save you from harassment and screaming from the kids.
The drive is an easy 45 minutes without traffic. On the train, the trip feels about the same if there aren’t any single trackings due to repairs or any closures. Depending on where you are you might have to switch lines. Otherwise the metro system is pretty straightforward.
I have had the best of luck using Dayuse and Hotelsbyday in Reston for making convenient metro-friendly check ins as early as 6am. They are first come, first serve and most can be paid with by cash.
Tyson’s hotels are fairly metro friendly, but for providers they can be difficult to access with such high room rates. Going for $400 a night or more.
McLean is only a few blocks away and their hotels are quite nice without the exorbitant prices. You might have to walk a bit and navigate any walkway blockages/construction.
-- Modified on 4/17/2025 1:10:17 AM