Auto Train/I-95 Question

[NJBILL]

I am not familiar with the DC/VA area. I thought I would be traveling straight down I-95 to get to Lorton, but Yahoo,Google & AAA all plot a course using I-495 & I-395 (below sample). Can I just "Stay" on I-95 or do I have to take these prescribed routes? Any advice and clarification are welcomed.
Thanks.


New Jersey Avenue, Runnemede 08078, New Jersey to
8006 Lorton Road, Lorton 22079, Virginia
Distance: 163.7 miles (263.4km)

1. Start out heading EAST on CONSTITUTION DRIVE towards N
BLACK HORSE PIKE. Drive for a short distance.
2. Turn LEFT onto N BLACK HORSE PIKE. Drive for 0.2 miles.
3. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto ramp towards NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE.
Drive for 0.3 miles.
4. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT to get on NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE S towards
NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE SOUTH / DELAWARE. Drive for 25.7 miles.
5. Go STRAIGHT on I295
S. Drive for 5.5 miles.
6. Take exit towards I95
S / SR141
/ I95
N / NEWARK / BALTIMORE
/ WILMINGTON. Drive for 0.3 miles.
7. Turn SLIGHT LEFT to get on I95
S towards NEWARK / BALTIMORE.
Drive for 92.6 miles.
8. Take exit number 27 towards I495
W / SILVER SPRING /
BETHESDA / COLLEGE PARK / US1.
Drive for 0.7 miles.
9. Go STRAIGHT to get on I495
W towards SILVER SPRING. Drive for
29 miles.
10. Take exit number 57A to get on I395
S towards I95
S /RICHMOND. Drive for 1.5 miles.
11. Go STRAIGHT on I95
S. Drive for 5.6 miles.
12. Take exit number 163 towards VA642
/ LORTON. Drive for 0.4
miles.
13. Turn LEFT onto VA642.
Drive for 0.2 miles.

 

[musical2]

You can stay on I-95. The Washington Beltway is I-495 going one way (toward Silver Spring) and I-95 going the other way (toward Richmond). Personally, I would stay on I-95 going around the east side of the beltway around DC than go I-495 going around the northern and western side of beltway.

 

[Onceler]

I agree with musical2's choice of direction. You can go in either direction--there isn't much difference in distance. But the east side of the DC beltway tends to have less traffic.

When you see this sign, head to the left:

A few other tips: First, when you get close to the Wilson Bridge over the Potomac River, the highway splits into express (left) and local (right) lanes. Try to take the express lanes on the left. But don't worry if you get caught in the local lanes. You should still have plenty of time to get over once the lanes merge again.

Also, be ready for a fair amount of construction once you get into Virginia.

In Virginia, the exit for I95 south is a left-hand exit. So once you cross the bridge into Virginia, you will eventually want to favor the left lanes.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

We are heading back for our 5th trip on the autotrain.

We avoid the 495/95 area by taking 295s

We use the Harbour tunnel. Once out of the tunnel we take exit 4 which puts us on I295S. It is the Baltimore/washington Parkway. If you check out a map it runs alongside the other route but it keeps you out of the loop. we find it is a much more relaxing ride. Parkway has no tractor trailers. We travel thru that area at approx 9-10 am. We haven't encountered much traffic other than construction. You can follow all the way to the end when you meet back up w/ 95. There is a new bridge that they recently built that you go over.

I did the loop 6 years ago w/ my mom and swore I would never do it again. too much traffic

If you would like more help with these directions - I'd be happy to help

Have fun on your trip

 

[musical2]

We are heading back for our 5th trip on the autotrain.

We avoid the 495/95 area by taking 295s

We use the Harbour tunnel. Once out of the tunnel we take exit 4 which puts us on I295S. It is the Baltimore/washington Parkway. If you check out a map it runs alongside the other route but it keeps you out of the loop. we find it is a much more relaxing ride. Parkway has no tractor trailers. We travel thru that area at approx 9-10 am. We haven't encountered much traffic other than construction. You can follow all the way to the end when you meet back up w/ 95. There is a new bridge that they recently built that you go over.

I did the loop 6 years ago w/ my mom and swore I would never do it again. too much traffic

If you would like more help with these directions - I'd be happy to help

Have fun on your trip

To be honest I was actually going to say they might want to consider going down 295 out of Baltimore to shave a few miles. However, they are doing overpass construction on 295 as it goes through the District of Columbia. Depending on the time of day you might actually get caught in a backup as you approach the construction zone. So if you take 295 south out of Baltimore you still will want to hook up with I-95 when you first hit the beltway northeast of DC.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I agree with the others--do NOT take that exit 27 toward Silver Spring. Head left toward the Washington/Richmond exit.
And to add that no matter which route you take, traffic will be horrendous. Try to avoid going anywhere near rush hours.

 

[NJBILL]

I agree with the others--do NOT take that exit 27 toward Silver Spring. Head left toward the Washington/Richmond exit.
And to add that no matter which route you take, traffic will be horrendous. Try to avoid going anywhere near rush hours.

Thanks for the advice. We are heading down a day early, so we will be traveling on a Sunday Evening leaving NJ around 6pm. My main concern is not getting "lost",which is Why I wanted to "stay" on I-95. As long as there are plenty of I-95 signs to keep me on track, I should be good.

 

[Korea Ears]

How would these directions be different coming from Dover, DE. What time would be a good time to leave Dover on a Wed. morning to take the Autotrain?

 

[Tomh]

The others have covered it pretty well. I95 becomes the Belt Parkway around D.C. The name changes (I95, I495), but the road stays the same. The traffic there sucks, really, and stays that way well into the Northern part of VA. I'm going to give US 13 / Chesapeake Bay Bridge a try this year. It might not be any faster, I might not even avoid much traffic, but at least it will be something different to look at on the way.

 

[mykidslovesdisney]

I would believe they would be the same if your coming from DE. We stop for Breaksfast in MD at exit 109a usually by 7 am. We eat for aleast 1 hr. We then do the Harbour tunnell and 295S to 95 S. Once you get back onto 95s at the new bridge it is approx 30 mins to the Autotrain exit. We usually arrive there at 11 am. We usually don't stop btwn Cracker Barrell and the Autotrain station.

Check in for the autotrain starts at 1130 am. The latest to be is 3pm BUT I don't recommend being that late. Once we are at the station there is a small plaza up the road that we go to (using the car- before check in ). We usually go to the post office, $ store and McD's for lunch. Then we head back to the station for check in. The earlier you check in the sooner you get your diner assignment too. Make sure you bring some stuff to amuse yourself at the station. There are plugs in the floor for laptops and DVD players. The train has been known to leave early if all cars are loaded. We have left before by 3 pm instead of the usual 4 pm departure.

If u have any more ?'s on the autotrain I'd abe happy to answer them. DH works for amtrak too.