Take the Metrorail (Orange Line) to West Falls Church Station. From there you can take the Washington Flyer Coach Service to Dulles. Virginia Regional Transit provides direct bus service between Dulles and the Udvar Hazy Center. Schedule shows that service at about every 45 minutes.
Looks to me like this will be an all day thing.
train lady Member # 3920
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If I may offer a few suggestions.... you could spend days covering each museum and place of interest. You only have 3 days so I would skip Udvar and go to Air and Space. Also spend one day, preferably the first, taking the tourmobile. that way you can cover the most in an easy way. Plan out your sightseeing in advance so you don't waste time when you get here and lastly try to stick to places that you don't have at home unless you have unlimited time. This area is so rich in things to do and see that you can spend many months sightseeing and never repeat or even see everything.
smitty195 Member # 5102
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I knew there was a way to take the Metro subway out to the Udvar museum---that's it! Thanks for refreshing my memory. I knew about taking Metro, but I forgot where to get off and how to get the rest of the way there.....I'll jot this down so I have it for my next DC trip.
As train lady says, there is one heckuva lot to do and see in DC. But since you've only got a few days to see and do things, for me, I could do the Tourmobile in just a few hours----or less. I definitely would not take an entire day. But this assumes not getting off and going into a museum for the day. I have used the Tourmobile to get a good feel for the area and where things are located, and then I plan things from there. Aircrest7---if your screen name indicates your interest in airplanes, then taking the time to get out to the Udvar Hazy museum is a MUST. I wouldn't worry how much time it takes out of the day...
Also, if you're at Union Station, you can grab a picture of the front door to Amtrak's headquarters office. Union Station's address is 60 Massachusettes Ave, and their offices are next door at 50 Mass. You could easily walk by it without knowing it's there. If you are standing in front of Union Station looking at the main entrance, then look to the right. It actually appears to be the same building, so you don't cross the street or anything. It's probably 50 feet (or less) to the right of the main entrance door to Union Station. You'll see a door, a phone and a camera, and that's about it. You can't get in unless you know someone. The door is locked, and the only way in is to talk to Amtrak Police through the intercom---but they won't let you in. I got to go in last time I was there since I know someone who works there, and it was a pretty nice place. Not at all what I expected.
Anyway, it sounds like you've got stuff figured out and where to go. Sounds like a fun trip!
aircrest7 Member # 5548
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Screen name has nothing to do with aviation, however aviation is a passion of mine and I think some rubbed off on my son who is now a pilot for Northwest Airlines.
Be sure and then go to the link for the Delta Air Transport Museum - very interesting - and I had no idea it existed until saw this blog reference in the in flight magazine on a recent trip (that passed over 4 National Parks in Utah and Colorado).
Not much to do with Amtrak, except Delta contributed to the demise of railroad passenger service that resulted in Amtrak.
I must admit I find old prop planes, like the DC-3, fascinating - guess because I got older along with them.
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