<p>My daughter, a high school senior, will be flying to BWI and needs to get to Hopkins. She will be by herself. What is the best way to get there?
Rapid transit to Baltimore and then Hopkins shuttle for $3?
Cab for probably $35?
Super Shuttle for $23?
She has about a two hour window to get from the airport to her destination on the Homewood campus.
She has taken the Metro in DC and the subway in NYC by herself, and the bus in Pittsburgh, but has not taken public transportation in Baltimore before.
If anyone has taken these methods of transportation and has a recommendation, please let me know! Thanks!</p>
<p>Options:</p>
<ol>
<li>Light rail: station is at the far end of the airport. Seems to come about ever 15-20 min. There is a schedule available on web. Took about 40 min into downtown. Have to switch to another train for getting to Penn Station. From Penn Station, can take cab for few dollars, or free Hopkins shuttle to campus. Depending on how things go, might take full 2 hrs.</li>
</ol>
<p>[Maryland</a> Transit Administration](<a href=“https://www.mta.maryland.gov/services/lightrail/schedule/June_14th_2009_schedule_changes.cfm?printer=1%5DMaryland | Maryland Transit Administration”>https://www.mta.maryland.gov/services/lightrail/schedule/June_14th_2009_schedule_changes.cfm?printer=1 | Maryland Transit Administration)</p>
<ol>
<li> Could take MARC but have to take the shuttle from airport to station. Trains only seem to run once/hr or so, so depending on timing, could take quite a while. Does go to Penn Station from whence she could cab/shuttle. Again, time might be tight.</li>
</ol>
<p>With your time frame, and no need to add extra stress to the situation, would recommend cab or super shuttle. I think, but don’t know, that the cab costs more than $35.</p>
<p>If you do want the cheapest, take the light rail to Penn station and then cab ($7).</p>
<p>Last time I did it (2 yrs ago) it was a $45 cab ride and 25 minutes but WAY more convenient than the light rail. It may be nice the first time. [33rd and North Charles] is the main intersection on campus for Taxi’s.</p>
<p>Sorry, but if I am paying for a plane ride to baltimore, the $50 cab fee to get my daughter to Homewood Campus seems pretty light. Second option would be super shuttle, but that might burn up her time.</p>
<p>Baltimore can be sketchy, sorry it is true. Getting MY daughter to campus safe and sound and quick would be my priority, and for that a cab or Super Shuttle is the only way to go.</p>
<p>What do you mean by “sketchy”?</p>
<p>Thanks for the information, everyone! It looks like her time frame is rather tight for public transportation options. We were fortunate to find a Southwest flight that was less expensive than the bus or train, and, it seems, less expensive than this cab fare, but it puts her at the airport instead of in town. Next time we will have to consider the entire cost of transportation!</p>
<p>This isn’t really relevant for the OP because of timing issues but…
I agree that taking light rail can seem “sketchy”, especially late at night, but both light rail and the MARC train and safe and effective options. Often, depending on schedule, the MARC train can get you to campus faster than a supershuttle can (even counting the shuttle bus time). I’ve taken both the MARC and the light rail many times and don’t think either is really unsafe. Of the two, I would always prefer the MARC (assuming it’s a weekday) since it’s a more comfortable ride and it’s much easier to carry luggage on board. Whenever I flew into and out of BWI (which was many, many times during my senior year due to med school interviews), I generally took the MARC or light rail to the airport, and took either the MARC or supershuttle back, depending on the MARC schedule</p>
<p>Thanks, tanman. It’s good to know of all of these options for, we hope, future reference!</p>
<p>Best of luck to your daughter! Hope she enjoys the trip!</p>
<p>Light rail ($1.60) to Penn Station (or Mt. Royal and cross the street to Penn Station, instead of waiting for the connection shuttle), followed by the JHMI - JHU shuttle ($0) to homewood. Picks up on the Charles St. side of Penn Station by the Man/Woman statue.</p>
<p>Tanman:
Sorry but I have to say that I would not want a 16-20 year old female traveling alone to take the light rail and then catch a bus. Esp if she is not familiar with the area. Yes the light rail might be safe but safety requires some diligence on your own part and the circumstances listed make me say "take a cab’.
If it were me going; I would feel different. :)</p>
<p>My daughter is a sophmore at Hopkins, I will have to agree with dadwonders. For all the times that my daughter had to go to the airport from Hopkins or back to Hopkins from the airport last year, I would either make a Super Shuttle reservation ($26 including tips) or give her money ($40) for taxi. For a young woman traveling alone, I would rather her be safe.</p>
<p>I simply think it’s WAY more efficient to take a taxi too!</p>
<p>For you to shelter your adult child to the point that taking public transit, where they are constantly in the presence of others, is forbidden shocks me.</p>
<p>If they don’t possess that level of competence by their senior year, you might reexamine how you’ve brought them up.</p>
<p>“Adult Child”- No such thing.
“Shelter”-Taking precautions against unsafe situations and unfamiliar surroundings is not sheltering.
“public transit where they are constantly in the presence of others”-does not make it safe. You also make assumptions which are not true.
“shocks me” What shocks you I find entertaining. Surprise might be better stated.
“If they dont possess that level of competence”. Maybe they do. But the student competence is not at issue. Common sense is.</p>
<p>“You might reexamine how you’ve brought them up.” and pretty much everything else youve written here…
Be a parent and you might understand.<br>
But thanks for playing: you fail.</p>