Amtrak Richmond to DC Hacks

I’ve been hitting Amtrak a lot recently. I’ve come to the conclusion that nothing is more pleasant AND productive as a two hour train ride (I despise with all my heart NOVA traffic. I get the heebie jeebies just thinking about the Beltway. Aquia to DC, I hate every inch of you). With all the recent rain, the views were particularly nice as the wetlands along the track were bursting with wet. My favorite stretch is the water view of Quantico to Occoquan.

On a train, you can pack in a ton of work, especially if you have a laptop (something you could never do on a drive…unless you’re good, real good). Trains get me extra focused because there’s simply no distractions (the steady rhythmic cadence of the tracks and moving imagery add to a clear, working head).

As a grizzled veteran of this mode of transportation, here are my Richmond to DC Train Hacks:

• Ashland. If you live North of Richmond, skip the $5/day parking of the Staples Mill station (Carolinian / Piedmont, Northeast Regional, Silver Service /Palmetto) and pick it up in Ashland (Northeast Regional only), if you can (as you can see not all trains that go through Richmond stop in Hanover). There’s plenty of free street parking in Ashland, and the fare is a tinge lower to cover your gas. In addition if you get there early, you can get some Joe at Ashland Coffee and Tea, my favorite coffee shop in the whole universe (ironically, at its center). Lastly, the small town charms of Ashland just mentally start your trip the right way.
• Skip Business Class. The trip to DC is pretty short, so I don’t see the value proposition of the extra $12. Plus, sometimes the business seats don’t have a power outlet for laptops/charging phones. ALL the coach seats have 120 volt outlets (grab a window seat if you can).
• If available, I like chilling in the Cafe train booths. There are outlets and lots of table square footage for a mouse and papers/books. It’s like having your own mobile office. Prices are neither WalMart nor movie theatre gouging (baseline = $2 Pepsi can | $1.80 coffee | The microwave cheeseburger isn’t half bad…seriously). Try to pre-load up on goodies from home, especially, some water.
• Internet connection. No train wifi. For those with network cards, lots of dead spots even with Verizon. Make use of your time with “offline” types of work. Signal gets much better/consistent after Quantico.
• Union Station. Cleanest bathroom (Pizzeria Uno’s 2nd floor). Best fast food (Au Bon Pain). Marvel at the architecture (Daniel Burnham) and the Italian marble work (my good friend’s forefathers). Cheapest sodas: $1.75 vending machines along the Gate area.
• Alternatives. On weekdays, the most cost effective choice might be to catch the VRE commuter rail in Fredericksburg (not open on weekends). You can get to Fredericksburg via GRTC if you like.
• Negatives. The trains don’t always run on time. You’ll occasionally get delayed and that’s just a fact of life (the same can be said of driving I-95, of course).

Please feel free to add your own train tips.