<p>Too late. The best play would have been fly into DCA and home from Philadelphia (Southwest).</p>
<p>It's difficult to give a time on drivng from DC to Princeton. If you don't hit traffic, it's not a bad drive at all. Couple hours, maybe 2.5 hours. But, it's nonstop choke points where rush hour or a wreck can bring you to a screeching halt. It's like asking how long it takes to go from Long Beach upt to Sherman Oaks on the 405. Depends.</p>
<p>The problem with DCA is that there's no flights out of LGB (Long Beach). I've flown through LAX & LGB many times and by far LGB is much easier to deal with (not to mention the airfare is cheaper)</p>
<p>Plus, it's even more so in this case because I'm not leaving from USC (where LAX would be closer) but from further south, meaning LGB is much closer.</p>
<p>I looked at google maps and our destination in Arlington was about 20 minutes from DCA and 30 minutes from Dulles, so I don't think there's a major difference there (I'd be willing to pay the extra mileage on a cab to not go through LAX)</p>
<p>On the return trip, I thought if I went by car Dulles would be better (since I could go around the beltway). By train DCA would be closer/cheaper, but I'm still figuring that one out.</p>
<p>Oh, I see...hmmm...well...the train is FUN. You'll enjoy it...</p>
<p>The train certainly sounds like fun :) </p>
<p>The only challenge (and maybe this is just the LA-car thing coming though) is that everyone else in my group (I'm not traveling alone) is thinking, why don't we just rent a car at Dulles and drive up to Princeton (and the same on the way back) even if it would take a bit longer.</p>
<p>The argument is that just hopping in a car and driving is easier & less complicated than continually hopping between transportation systems - airplane, car, airplane - vs - airplane, car, train, car, train, train, car, airplane. </p>
<p>Not to mention that, after I pointed out everyone's comments here, other people in my group have volunteered to drive, so it's not me fighting the traffic. And when you compare to cab+train, it's not that much more expensive. So unless it really is very unreasonable to go by car - that seems to be the choice.</p>
<p>Oh, and thanks a lot everyone :) I really appreciate the advice...</p>
<p>I think what we're saying is that the car thing can be really stressful <em>if</em> you run into traffic with a plane to catch, whereas the Amtrak is more reliable. And really not that hard to coordinate once you have the schedule in hand.</p>
<p>It should be an easy drive from Princeton to Dulles ... I've done it ... but the operative word is <em>should</em>!</p>
<p>Although I personally prefer the train for non-luggage trips on the route the OP describes, I think a group of people traveling with luggage would do well to consider renting a car. Obviously you should leave it at your hotel/motel when/if venturing into DC or NYC, but it gives you a lot more flexibility when you are not in the city--that is, the Princeton part of ht trip. </p>
<p>Traffic on I-95 and and the roads around Washington is unpredictable; traffic jams on the NJ Turnpike (which is what you probably would be on for part of the trip to and from Princeton) are also unpredictable. Given the particular logistics of your trip, I'd say it's worth the gamble on traffic for convenience and flexibility, not having to deal with taxis, not having to deal with luggage space and crowded train platforms, anf not having to meet a specific train schedule, especially given that many Amtrak trains through trains skip Princeton Junction and with luggage changing at Trenton may not be much fun.</p>
<p>Not that I disagree with everyone else, but I'll put a few cents in:</p>
<p>Driving is definitely an option, especially since you are starting and finishing at Dulles, and the Dulles-to-anywhere leg on public transportation is no fun. Without traffic, DC to Princeton should not take more than 2.5-3 hours. At the wrong times, however, it could take 5 hours or more. Leaving the DC area going northeast anytime in the late afternoon can be a nightmare, and I-95 around Baltimore and Philadelphia can be awful at rush-y times.</p>
<p>The drive itself isn't that awful, once you get on the highway. I-95 gets you to within about 5 miles of Princeton. Princeton to Dulles on Saturday evening or (especially) Sunday morning would be butter.</p>
<p>So . . . it sort of depends on when you want/need to leave Arlington on Friday. Anytime after 2 or so, and you're pretty much guaranteed an LA-type driving experience at one or more points along the way. If you don't mind that, or you're willing to invest an extra couple of hours and some frustration to make things more convenient at other times, go ahead and drive.</p>
<p>But, yes, the train is great, and fun. An exotic experience for someone from SoCal. If your kid goes to Princeton, he'll get to know it well.</p>
<p>And figuring out that Reagan-vs.-Dulles didn't make a difference if your actual destination is Arlington? . . . Well, that shows the limitations of book-learning.</p>
<p>I lived most of my life in NJ and H has family in the DC area, so we have done the drive many times. I would want the flexibility of a car. Try to avoid rush hour and first thing Sat. morning (many vacation rentals start on Saturdays) and you will be fine. The worst thing that happens is you sit in traffic, big deal. If it gets bad, stop and make that mealtime. Have a great trip.</p>
<p>
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Leaving the DC area going northeast anytime in the late afternoon can be a nightmare, and I-95 around Baltimore and Philadelphia can be awful at rush-y times.
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</p>
<p>The problem is that starting in DC, headed north, you are always going to be in somebody's rush hour.</p>
<p>Unless they've been flying all day, I would actually wait until 7:30 or 8:00 pm after dinner to leave DC, then slide over to 295 to the Baltimore/Wash Parkway and the Harbor Tunnel in Baltimore. That would still get into Princeton by 11 or 12 and miss rush hour. Odds are, at that time of night, the drive would be fairly smooth -- unless you hit a wreck.</p>
<p>My D and I traveled around the East Coast by train in March. Luggage isn't a problem on the train as there is plenty of room for it above your seat or on the seat next to you or in the front of the car. However, I don't think the Princeton admissions office will store luggage so you probably need to go to your hotel first to drop off the luggage. Most colleges we visited were actually very nice about storing luggage but you might want to check ahead of time if that is an issue. We took NJ Transit from New York City to Princeton and then from Princeton to Philadellphia the next day. We flew out of Philly on Southwest. We stayed in Philadelphia for a few days in between though to visit colleges there. </p>
<p>My only problem in Princeton was that we stayed at the Holiday Inn which was a long way from campus. They advertised a free shuttle van but it really only ran during certain hours and you had to reserve ahead of time. So we ended up taking a cab from the campus to the hotel to the train and that cost a lot. I don't remember the exact amount, about $75. So I would try to stay on or near the Princeton campus.</p>
<p>OK. If you do the train thing, then you are going to have to get from Union Station in downtown Washington out to Dulles Airport for your return flight. Here are three options:</p>
<p>a) Subway from Union Station to West Falls Church station (32 minutes - $3.50 each). Washington Flyer express bus (big coach bus) to Dulles (20 - 30 minutes - $10). This is a fairly predictable schedule because the bus part is all on the Dulles toll-road. Bus departs every half hour.</p>
<p>b) Subway from Union Station to Rosslyn Station (20 minutes $1.50). City express bus to Dulles (40 minutes $3). Bus departs every hour.</p>
<p>c) SuperShuttle Van. Pre-booked pickup at Union Station. Up to 7 people. $27 for the first person. $10 for each additional passenger. Time? Your guess is as good as mine.</p>
<p>d) Washington Flyer taxi. Pre book. (Or any taxi). Figure $60 or so from Union Station.</p>
<p>The other horrible traffic mess is beach traffic on weekends anywhere within a two hour drive of PA and Delaware beaches. Just the stretch from NJ bridges through northern Delaware/ SE Pennsylvania can back up and come to a stand still.</p>
<p>From Arlington to Princeton is about 200 miles, so "a couple of hours" is pushing it even in the best of circumstances. Give yourself at least 3.5.</p>
<p>I would consider driving - fly into BWI - it's smaller and a really nice airport.</p>
<p>I would say that its ~3.5 hours from arlington (south of DC) to princeton. But the drive isn't bad- just 495-95-295 right to the campus. The problem is that you really need a car once you are in princeton, as there is very very little public transportation around the area. Plus, trains, when I last looked, are much more than $87 between trenton and DC, as they averaged that when I used to take the train between trenton and baltimore a year ago. If you leave around 7 you should be fine, alternatively you could leave earlier and just get off the highway when it gets trafficy for dinner. I wouldn't stop in baltimore, though, as everywhere you would want to go there is sort of out of the way. Just don't leave too early on saturday morning or you will hit the shore traffic, but if you leave at 11-12 you should be fine.</p>
<p>One hint if you do drive, you want to stay on I-95 and go up through Philadelphia, do not go over the bridge and onto the NJ Turnpike no matter what google maps or mapquest says. The only caveat to that would be if you are trying to get through Philly at 5pm. I think you'll be fine if you leave Arlington at 7pm. The traffic on 95 usually moves, aside from accidents. What makes this drive stressful to me is that it is a lot of cars moving at a high rate of speed. It's white knuckle, defensive driving at its finest.</p>
<p>fyi, you do NOT NOT NOT NOT want to drive on the beltway (I-95) during the week. think of your typical traffic, and then multiply that horrible experience by 100. beltway+jersey turnpike on a weekday= torture on 4 wheels</p>
<p>All of a sudden traffic around here doesn't seem so bad.</p>
<p>Oh, for heaven's sake, the beltway's not that bad. It's a piece of cake for someone who drives in LA a lot.</p>
<p>We live in Richmond, S1 attends P'ton and all of our family is in NY. If there are a bunch of people involved, I would definitely rent a minivan and drive. As long as you leave the DC area by 3 or after 6:30-7 p.m., it's really not that bad and would probably wind up being alot cheaper and much less hassle than Amtrak. We used to take the Baltimore Washington Pkwy years ago, but now find it much quicker to just take 95 straight up (due to 65 vs 55mph speed limits on the two roads) to 295 which you get on just after the Delaware Memorial Bridge (keep to the posted speed limit on the bridge, they like to ticket as you come down the hill). Don't take the Jersey turnpike, there's no need to pay tolls when you can do that part for free. I95 can also get you to Rte 1 near Princeton, but it goes around Philly and can be a bit more crowded (but you get to see the Philly skyline).</p>
<p>Oh yes, be prepared to pay a few tolls, ie have cash or an EZ pass with you.</p>
<p>If you take the train, definitely take it to Trenton and then switch to NJ transit (New</a> Jersey Transit - Home) to Princeton Junction and then the dinky from there. During the day, the dinky runs about every 10 minutes, but at night only about every 30 minutes. Also, the only really close hotel to the dinky and campus is the Nassau Inn, but it's an uphill hike from the dinky station and would not be fun with luggage, so I'd get a cab.</p>
<p>As others have said, most of the hotels are north of the campus and you'd need a car or taxi. There is Hampton Inn, Marriott, Courtyard, Homewood Suites, etc and many give discounts if you're there to visit campus.</p>
<p>Another thought would be to stay in Arlington that night and leave at 5 a.m. the next morning. Traffic flies at that hour. I think if you drive you should plan on a minimum of four hours. The quickest we've ever made it was five hours from here, at five in the morning, with no stops and we're about 75 minutes from Arlington. Oh and gas is cheapest in Jersey and then next would be VA.</p>
<p>Feel free to pm me if you have more questions.</p>