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Original poster

A day trip to Washington DC during a week in NYC?

22 replies

NewYorkFirstTimer · 07/08/2023 21:19

Costs around £50 via train and takes three and a half hours each way... So I'd get around 6 hours in DC. I know it will be a long day. Is it worth it would you say? Is the journey nice? Never been to NYC... will hopefully be spending one week there next February 🥶

OP posts:

cruffinsmuffin · 07/08/2023 21:26

Honestly we've not bothered and we've been the NYC several times - 7 hours on a train (without delays!) is a long long time for us, we'd rather spend that in NYC. There's enough to keep occupied there!

Hels20 · 07/08/2023 21:28

Love DC - but only ever been there when I have had to fly direct. So it would be a yes from me. Think 6 hours is plenty.

parietal · 07/08/2023 21:39

what do you want to see in DC? the big political buildings on the Mall are all quite spread apart and you'd need to taxi around. the nice bits like strolling around Georgetown take time too.

can you do an overnight in DC to make the trip worth it?

Lwg87 · 07/08/2023 21:40

I think it’s worth it. Totally different to NYC

TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams · 07/08/2023 21:55

DC is wall to wall museums so that won't be enough time to do more than a couple of hours in one? For just wandering around the main sights it should be fine.
15 Years since I did it but I recall the train as quite slow. USA doesn't really invest in the inter city train services which is a shame. It was nice until Baltimore and then mostly graffiti as far as I remember but that was v close to DC

bobbitybobbitybob · 07/08/2023 22:11

Personally liked DC much better than NY - loads of great free museums, we only had time for the holocaust, space and natural history ones - day out at Washington Zoo, and we did a Segway tour as well - can you do an overnight instead, or build an extra day in to your itinerary - and we caught a very far away glimpse of Trump leaving the White House in his copter!

EnjoyingTheSilence · 07/08/2023 22:21

No where near enough time to spend in DC. Lovely city, you need more time

user1471521072 · 07/08/2023 22:29

Is the entire train trip 50 pounds or is it 50 pounds each way (so a total of 100 pounds)?
I've taken Amtrak from New York to DC and back to New York once, about 15 years ago so I don't remember the exact cost but it was more than 50 pounds to get there and back.

Anyway, it's not a really scenic trip. You're passing through a lot of areas where the towns are a bit dreary (cheaper, tired-looking houses and businesses), and you'll be passing through some industrial areas. It's interesting but not pretty and picturesque.

I've done the New York to Philadelphia portion many times and you'll go past some of the most crumbling, deprived neighborhoods (North Philly) before you pass through the central Philadelphia station.

You'll spend more time traveling to and from Washington than you'll actually spend looking at things in Washington. Better to just stay in New York for the week; there's more than enough to see.

bestbefore · 07/08/2023 22:31

Can you tag it on the start/ end? Fly into nyc and out from Washington ?

Cornishtoddy · 07/08/2023 22:32

We flew into NYC and out of DC. 5 nights in both and train between - it was a perfect autumn trip. DC is too good to go to just for the day.

merrymelodies · 07/08/2023 22:32

Love DC. Especially Georgetown.

Vitriolinsanity · 07/08/2023 22:35

DC is miles more interesting than NYC.

Trains in the US are super-reliable; they run in blizzard conditions.

I'd do an overnight stay. If you take the open top tour buses they go all over the city and right out to Arlington so you just hop on and off.

SwedishEdith · 07/08/2023 22:39

I wouldn't make the trip, especially not overnight, if you're only going to be in NYC for a week and it's your first time there. Maybe fly into one and out the other and do 5 nights in one and 2 nights in the other? I went for the day but from Philadelphia over 30 years ago. It was really impressive and could see quite a bit in probably about 6-8 hours that time but more time would be better - there's a lot of walking.

HundredMilesAnHour · 07/08/2023 22:39

We did a day trip to Washington from NYC once by car. We left at 5am and got back at 2am so definitely a long day. We enjoyed it but having been back to Washington for longer visits several times since then, we really did miss out on so much on that day trip. Note that I'd been to NYC at least 10 times before anyway so wasn't losing out by taking a day off and actually enjoyed the very bonkers Americana drive experience instead.

Since it's your first time in NYC and you only have a week, I'd make the most of NYC instead rather than losing a day to spend mostly on the train.

BarelyLiterate · 07/08/2023 22:39

DC is a fantastic place to visit. Six hours isn’t long, but it’s enough to see the Capitol, the White House & do one of the museums. If you’re in NYC for a week you will have plenty of time to do loads of stuff there, so I would definitely include a day out in Washington. It’s a good plan.

xyz111 · 07/08/2023 22:43

I'm would plan on going to DC separately. So much to see!!

Vanillalime · 07/08/2023 22:51

Since you haven’t booked yet & were originally planning on going to NYC for 5 nights, why don’t you use the 2 extra nights for DC?

My friend done a day trip from NYC to DC via train last year during summer & had a ball - even thought it was a loooooong day!!! But I personally feel DC warrants some time on its own - there’s a ton of things to see & do and lots of it is free!!

Ive been in the past and stayed 4 nights iirc & I’m going back next month to see what I missed last time.

marthawashington · 07/08/2023 23:45

Amtrak Acela train from NYC to Washington DC takes around 3 hours and is around $100 one way

Spirallingdownwards · 07/08/2023 23:48

If you haven't been to NYC before I would do that properly and save DC until another time. Far more interesting stuff in DC than NYC imo.

sonjadog · 07/08/2023 23:51

There is more than enough to do in NYC and surrounding areas to fill your time. Six hours in DC is not enough to do more than skim the surface. I would focus on NYC for this trip and take a separate one to DC another time.

continentallentil · 07/08/2023 23:52

No - focus on NY - it’s a place you want to immerse yourself in.

DC has really interesting things in it, but it’s not such an all round experience and you can give it 2 or 3 days some other time.

bestbefore · 08/08/2023 08:12

I think it's often cheaper to fly into one place and out of another

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