I apologize for that post title. That's a joke only my father would laugh at.
I also apologize for my prolonged absence. I spent the last couple of days on Cape Cod and decided to avoid the Internet.
Whenever I have to make a trip of this magnitude, I fly into Logan Airport. Because I'm cheap, I swallow the inconvenience of getting to BWI instead of Dulles or National. There's a bus, the B30, that takes passengers from Greenbelt to the airport for only three dollars. Three dollars! What a steal! Eat that MARC, what with your pricey five dollar train rides just to catch a fucking shuttle!
And I can use my SmarTrip card too!? This is going to be fucking awesome!
My error was as clear as day. I have no idea why I assumed the Metro buses in PG County would be any more dependable than the Metro buses within the District. What a stupid decision.
I had to take the 9:20am B30 to get to my 11:00am flight. I get to the bus stop at around nine just in case. I waited for a fucking hour. An hour!! The bus was 40 minutes late with no sign of its arrival.
At this point I'm panicking and I have to take a cab to BWI. That set me back an extra $20. So, basically, I could have just taken a flight out of Dulles or National and have broken even with more piece of mind.
The best part of this was when my companion called Metro to see what was up. They reported extreme traffic difficulties.
There was no traffic in either direction.
10.29.2007
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It's important to note that the $20 was for 1/4 of a cab. If you try and take the B30 and it's super late, talk the people you're waiting with into sharing a cab with you.
ReplyDeleteI've got to say, I've taken the B30 probably a dozen times with no problems. In comparison to waiting around for the next MARC or Amtrak, it's much faster and cheaper.
ReplyDeleteYou know "beer before liquor, never been sicker?"
ReplyDeleteBus before plane, you are insane.
The Amtrak is ok Friday nights to BWI but unreliable coming back.
ReplyDeleteThe Plymouth & Brockton bus to Cape Cod however is AMAZING. The bus drivers are the nicest people in the world. They wake me up for my stop.
The lesson of the day is: once you factor in transportation to the airport, you're always better off flying out of National. That, and if you call it "Reagan National" or worse yet "Ronald Reagan," you are lame.
ReplyDeleteyes. that is rule - if you are democrat you call it "national," and if you are republican you call it "reagan." at least that is what i was told when i first moved here. i don't know if that is a real rule or not. i just call it national. i'm sure you are glad you know that.
ReplyDeleteYesterday some dude on the Metro (a passenger, not a conductor) called it George Washington National Airport. I swear to god. Idiot.
ReplyDeleteI hate, hate, hate the B30 bus. I hate trying to get to BWI on public transportation. That fucking bus only comes once every 40 minutes and if you miss it you are screwed.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly I always end up having to arrive either 2 1/2 hours before my flight or hope to god the B30 isn't late and I'm not going to miss it.
That's why I almost always refuse to fly out of BWI even though it's always a $100 cheaper.
What?! When I had to take a cab to BWI instead of the B30, it cost me $50+. That was thanks to a "fire" somewhere on the Red Line, which made me miss the Green Line, which made me miss the B30, since it had decided to come on time that day.
ReplyDeleteI would've been better off taking the Super Shuttle...
I agree wtih il ratto, I have taken that bus half a dozen times back and forth and even explained to my parents how to take it. They had no problems either.
ReplyDeleteI would give it another shot. When things do run smoothly, it is great.
One thing to complain about though is the folks who take the B30 and aren't even going to the airport. They are using it as cheap transportation to somewhere else. I am all about saving money, but having to stand on the bus for 45 minutes because people who are getting a cheap ride are taking up the seats isn't cool.
Why is it bad for other people to get a cheap ride, but not bad for you to do it? It's a public bus.
ReplyDelete