When Charm City loses its charm or the prospect of one more Saturday in a sweaty, decrepit frat house fails to turn you on, students often turn to Washington, D.C., our more important neighbor to the South and the home of monuments, museums and all-ages clubs.
Depending on when and where you're planning to visit the District, you can get there by MARC, Metro, Amtrack, car or cab.
The MARC train: The Maryland Transit Authority's MARC train is the most inexpensive way to get from Baltimore to D.C. Take the free JHMI shuttle to Penn Station and buy your MARC ticket either from a teller or from a MARC machine. A ticket for Penn Station to Union Station on the Penn line costs only $7. Union Station is a stop on the D.C. Metro's Red Line.
The ride from Penn to Union takes about 50 minutes and the ride to New Carrolton (the last stop on the Orange Line) is even shorter.
Unfortunately, the MARC does not run on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. The last train from Union Station to Penn Station leaves at 10:40 p.m., so unless you go clubbing with Grandma and Grandpa, you'll have to find another way home. However, if you, like the girls in Dr. Dre's living room, ain't leavin' 'til 6 in the morning, you can ride the MARC back to campus on the first train, which leaves Union Station at 5:54 a.m.
"I know one kid I know went [clubbing] and left on the first train in the morning," said junior Kiran Sahni. Check out http://www.mtamaryland.com for train schedules.
Amtrak: To get into the city on a weekend or holiday, try the Amtrak trains which also run out of Penn Station. Though you'll shell out more cash for a ticket ($14 to $18 one way), you'll also enjoy the luxury of reclining seats, climate control and a dining car.
Amtrak is also a good choice if you want to buy your tickets in advance.
"I buy Amtrak tickets in advance because it's just so easy to buy them online," said freshman Ani Rajan. "It's just like two clicks. You just put in your credit card number."
You can reserve tickets at http://www.amtrak.com and print the paper copies out at the station. It is not necessary to reserve a ticket to secure a seat: "There is always room on the MARC and the Amtrak," said Rajan. although holidays are usually an exception to this rule.
Make sure when buying your ticket to ask for a coach seat on a regional service line. If you buy a ticket for the Acella train you'll pay more than $40 to shave a few minutes off of your 45-minute commute.
Metro: Both the MARC and Amtrak will bring you to Union Station on the Metro's Red Line. The Red Line goes to the yuppie Dupont Circle and funky Adams Morgan. If you want to change lines you"ll have to go a few stops to Gallery Place-Chinatown (Green and Yellow) or Metro Center (Orange and Blue).
Driving: Those lucky enough to have their own car on campus may visit Washington whenever they please, regardless of the tyranny of train schedules.
However, D.C. rush-hour congestion is second only to Los Angeles in terms of pure frustration. A trip to the city should take about an hour, but could easily last two or more in bad traffic. Anything and everything rain, snow, accidents, the phase of the moon, the price of potatoes in Idaho causes bad traffic on the Beltway, so factor delays into your travel time. Tune into 530 AM or 630 AM for traffic and weather updates.
"The traffic is always real bad there on Friday nights," said Sahni. "Parking is kind of [difficult]." D.C. may be safer than Baltimore in the more gentrified sections, such as Georgetown, but don't leave your precious Civic unlocked in Southwest D.C.. Most clubs have access to secure parking lots, but be prepared to pay at least $10. Some restaurants have valet parking.
Cabs: Taxis can be hired to drive from D.C. to Baltimore, but this is technically illegal, since D.C. cabs operate on the zone system while Maryland and Virginia cabs are metered. However, many cab drivers are willing to bargain and will take you from Baltimore to D.C. or vice versa for a flat rate.
"Sometimes you can find a cabbie to take you to D.C. for [approximately] $70," said junior Alka Gupta. "If he takes five people, the price isn't bad. And it's a lot more convenient since you can specify the location and don't have to go on a schedule."
