Virginia Railway Express:
A Reasonable Alternative to I-95
With commutes in Northern Virginia growing longer by the day, commuters are turning to Virginia Railway Express (VRE) as a reasonable alternative to sitting in traffic on I-95 for hours on end.
Within eastern Prince William County, there are three (3) VRE train stations to choose from depending on your location or whichever happens to be the easiest to access.
From south to north on the Fredericksburg Line, there are the Quantico, Rippon and Woodbridge stations. For those traveling into Washington, D.C. from the western part of the county, you also have three options on the Manassas Line, Broad Run, Manassas and Manassas Park.
Since our focus is on Woodbridge, we're going to focus on eastern PWC, but we can tell you that the Manassas station is in the heart of Old Town Manassas and has a multi-level parking garage to accommodate lots of commuters. Parking is free, but you must apply for a parking permit beforehand.
So, let's talk about the Quantico station first.
It's located at 550 Railroad Avenue, Quantico, Virginia and is a great little train station and even better for those that live on base.
It's a good option too for those in the Dumfries, Montclair and eastern Manassas area, but as the Virginia Railway Express site states...."due to heightened security, a picture ID must be presented to enter the base".
Allow extra time as there have been delays at the gate. From our experience, delays can add anywhere from 15-30 minutes to your travel time.
If you can get to the station in time, two parking lots are available with ample space for the typical number of people at the station.
And....as an added bonus, there's a coffee shop inside the station, so you can enjoy your java (or tea) while you wait for the train.
Heading north to Rippon, this is the next best option if the line to get into Quantico is just too long.
It's located at 15511 Farm Creek Drive, Woodbridge, Virginia and is a "minimalist" train station.
There is plenty of parking, but there are no cash sales for train tickets. And...while the platform is covered, there is no building, like at Quantico or Woodbridge, to protect you from the elements.
As of late January 2011, there are talks in progress to build a parking garage, similar to the one at the Woodbridge station, in conjunction with the potential mixed use development of the "Rippon Center".
Last, but not least, is the Woodbridge station....last stop in Prince William County as you head north. It's located at 1040 Express Way
Woodbridge, Virginia 22191.
This is a great option for commuters in Occoquan, Lake Ridge and southern Fairfax County.
There is plenty of parking available for commuters with a multi-level parking garage (no parking permit required) and a coffee shop.
Travel time from this station to Crystal City is approximately 40 minutes and less than an hour to Union Station.
For a complete list of Virginia Railway Express times, review the latest VRE schedule.
You can also see the progress of your train with the Rail Time Map. This will track, in near real-time, the VRE trains that are currently running, their location and whether they are on-time or delayed.
Happy Commuting!
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