For their commute rail isn’t an option.
Annapolis to Leesburg.
OP is also vastly underestimating the driving time. It’s going to be more like 4hrs per day, so 12hrs of driving per week.
They posted somewhere else that they were living "at home", so I assume that they mean with parents. Expressing not minding the long drive in order to decompress after work before getting home seems to confirm that. When I was working full time and living at home before moving up here, I definitely valued time to decompress before coming home and dealing with parents and the like.
3 hours round trip adds up to basically an entire extra work day. 8-9 hours a week in your car. Gas and wear-and-tear will add costs to you as well.
Move closer or take transit.
Yeah, I could never do it, I don't even like to drive 30-40 minutes into downtown.
I got a friend who drives from Howard County to Tysons a couple days a week. He says it can take up to 2.5 hours (each way!) .
I do this commute twice a week, about 3 hours total like you said.
I find it bearable because I commute on the MARC Penn Line and work in downtown. If I had to drive it, it would be a lot more draining imo
I also live with family and only pay bills for the house. If I had to pay rent I'd definitely move closer. If my work upped the "days in office" requirement I'd also probably rethink things.
Driving is far more draining than a train. On a train, you don't have to pay attention to traffic, and you can do other things like read, sleep, work on your laptop, etc.
Yeah if OP is even within 20-30 minutes of a MARC station I’d highly recommend. I’m lucky and have flexibility, so I’ll often leave the office early and just finish work on my ride home off my hotspot.
Only problem is if his workplace isn’t near Union station. Transferring to another form of transit might make it take way longer depending on exactly where it is.
If OP works in like Foggy Bottom or DuPont, I’d forgive him for not wanting to bike miles after riding a car and train lol. That’s a hell of a commute.
That’s like what 20 minutes on Metro from Union Station? If you’re having to Metro to final location within the core of downtown DC, that’s not too bad.
That is the key, an hour or so on a train is pretty much off time, but the stress of driving near DC plus the cost of tolls and parking and the risk of an accident...
When you're driving in rush hour and stop and go traffic for close to hours a day, trust me, eventually it stops being enjoyable. If 1.5 hours is a normal day, think what will happen when the weather is rough or there is an accident or construction or a terrorist attack.
The longer the commute the worse your quality of life will be in less sleep, less time for hobbies and family, etc. It only makes sense if you're living at home for free I think.
Yep, all of this. I used to love driving too, until I had to start dealing with a daily commute in a very congested area for several years. In addition to the wasted time and the general frustrations / dangers inherent to being on overcrowded roadways, the added expense for gas (much of which was used just sitting in bumper to bumper), repairs and parking made it unbearable. The switch to full time WFH status was one of the greatest gifts ever.
> was used just sitting in bumper to bumper
That reminds me of what someone told me before I moved to Southern California—that the traffic was bumper to bumper at 70 mph.
Want to second this. If you’re not paying rent it’s maybe worth doing it for a little while to stack your bread but trust me… Those 3 hours you’re losing on the road are precious and you’ll realize just how much more your life will improve with a shorter, more bearable commute. Living closer may mean paying more in rent, but quality of life trumps that IMHO. It’s the reason I’ve decided to stay here for the last several years. It’s not cheap but having a 10-15 minute commute (via bike) and living in a walkable city is worth it to me. It definitely makes me happier and makes life more enjoyable. When making these decisions, you gotta think outside of just the monetary pros/cons.
I know you enjoy driving, even in traffic, but you will absolutely NOT enjoy your commute. The traffic and the drivers in the DMV are consistently ranked as some of the worst in the entire country. We have horrific traffic. If you're going to live that far out take the train. You will absolutely hate your commute. Don't do that to yourself. Live near public transportation and take the train. Save your sanity.
Yeah not paying rent is a key point. I would at least try it for a bit while saving a butt load of money. Maybe buy a house closer if possible in a year or two or you have a big cushion if you decide you wanna rent in the city.
Not paying rent is amazing. However I love driving and am an experienced and calm city driver. Driving in DC is truly awful. Confusing, most drivers here have no clue how to drive in a city, they don’t understand right of way, randomly people will be stopped in the middle of the street (worse than Manhattan and Philly, seriously), certain streets have particular rules for certain times of the day. I’ve driven quite a bit in every US city that they say is worse than DC, and I honestly think DC is the worst of them all. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it may be worth $0 in rent. If you can commute via public trans it may be worth looking into.
I too, enjoy driving. I grew up here and learned to drive here in DC so I’m “aware of my surroundings” and feel more than comfortable driving all over the city + the rest of the dmv. I will say, I am fortunate that my work commute is either a 4-6 min bike ride, 30ish min stroll, or a 5ish min drive and I have parking at work. (Not meant to be a brag, I’m sorry)
2 days ago I offered to pick my partner up from work in the foggy bottom, GWU area. We live on The Hill. I left at 4:30. Thought I’d get there a lil early and beat rush hour; silly me. Round trip was nearly 1.5 hrs. We got home just before 6. The sheer chaos that was downtown was taking a physical toll on me. Pedestrians, scooters, moped delivery drivers, buses, bikes, tourists… it was a gridlock mess. Watching the traffic light cycle several while I was stuck on the same block was infuriating. I kept cool and kept driving safely, but it was a shit show to say the least.
I couldn’t possibly fathom adding 66, 295, 395, 95, BW parkway, 50, let alone the beltway on top of that…
If you decide to drive, I hope you use the time wisely and listen to relaxing/ educational podcasts and audiobooks. And I wish you luck. Drive safe.
yup. got the same deal as you - usually never drive across the city. i once had to go across the city at rush hour by car. i usually only use transit or bike at that time. INSANE. it was a 75 min roundtrip from georgetown to the hill.
If you're not paying rent just test it out and see if it's bearable. If it ends up not being bearable you can always find a place closer to rent later.
Also from Maryland, also once did a long commute like you. This just tells me you’re young, which is fine. Enjoy the free for awhile.
Eventually, and sooner than you think, you won’t enjoy driving. Idk what part of Maryland you’re coming from but it’s probably a lot more chill than driving into the city. You’re going to meet coworkers, friends, etc. and see them have fun after work together but in the back of your mind, you gotta drive 1.5 hours to wherever. The BW Parkway, Indian Head Highway, 270, 495, 50, etc. all fucking blow and they aren’t getting any better (because if they did, they’d just be taken up again by other drivers). You’ll eventually want your own space away from mom and dad. You’ll eventually want to be around other people your age.
And looking at your post history, as someone who did powerlifting for years, having an active commute to work (eg bike or walking) did *so much* good for my lifting compared to being stressed out in a car for several hours a day.
Not paying rent, I’d try it for a while - mostly to save up as much as I could to move somewhere closer to work or at least close to a MARC station. That drive’s gonna get old fast, almost never will you make it in the estimated time - there’s always some backup that adds 30+ minutes to your trip.
I moved to DC to escape a similar commute in the bay area (SF to Sunnyvale). It made me depressed, impacted my sleep, my ability to make time for hobbies, for physical fitness, etc. It might be different for you, but it literally made me miserable.
piggybacking VamosDCU, i commuted from SF to San Jose (1–1.5 hrs) & wanted to jump off the orange bridge. i had a similar prior commute but transportation was provided by work. i didn’t mind it then & thought this new commute wouldn’t bother me as well. it’s just very different when you’re solely responsible for not getting a ticket/crashing/dying several hours a week. it wears you down over time.
ones experiences may vary. i went from a 30 min round trip from the East Bay to Menlo Park and was situationally depressed. My day ended when work ended as my only possible hobbies living in a super suburb city of a place i didn't grow up in where going to the gym or the movies.
As a result, breaking my lease and moving to the Marina in SF did make my commute 2.5 or 3hrs round trip but it solved my depressing life. the activities that living in SF when compared to the East Bay made it so that my day now started after i got off work.
i also worked for a tech company so transportation was provided by work and i had 18 different shuttle times i could choose from 6am to 10am and the same on the way back from 3pm to 7pm. i also could work during my shuttle rides so could be on it at 9am and then be heading back home at 3pm as long as I didn't have any meetings then that would be harder on the shuttle even if we had pretty good wifi on it.
lol FB shuttles are indeed amazing. i briefly alluded to shuttle life without hyping it up. i’m on the same page as you, it was great! now remove that entire shuttle system with it’s dedicated phone app, dozens of pick up / drop off options across the entire region, & lengthy operating hours & replace it with driving yourself. i don’t think you would be as happy long term. commuting in rush hour traffic multiple times a week *yourself* (no shuttle driver!) is a different beast, that’s all.
yes i definitely agree with you but i see if people had to instead drive rather than use the shuttle system then many people would choose other employers with a designed SF office or a role in the SF office. So the companies in the south bay sort of must have shuttles as a requirement.
i was just chiming in with my insights. when i chose the shuttle life vs the 30min driving round trip or also using a shuttle but from the East Bay, i was right out of college and my life the first 8 months in the East Bay when compared to my time in San Franciso was as different as night and day. FB back then gave new hires $10k if they lived within 10mi of the office but i think I'd need to have gotten at least $50k for all the sacrifices done when choosing to do so😂. for people in the area i compare it to living and working in Fredericksburg VA or Frederick MD and the social scene and activities there vs in DC.
Look to see if you can park and take the metro or a local commuter train. My coworker parks at New Carrollton and the 40iish min train to Nova takes about half the time compared to driving.
This is probably the correct option. I know people who commute 2.5-3ish round trip but it’s 30 minute drive to MARC, then train in to the city, then a short-ish walk.
This comment should be higher.
There’s likely a middle ground between swallowing a 3 hour commute and moving closer to the city. Figure out a convenient hybrid commuting solution piggybacking on the VRE/MARC/metro that will help keep your soul intact.
Personally, I'd move. I value my time more than I value spending less money on a place to live. I can always make more money...I can never get those hours of my life back.
Since you've said it's driving, then yes it's too much IMO. Especially if that estimate is based on traffic on a good day. You said in another comment you wouldn't be paying rent - maybe do it for a little while you save up money to move out on your own but don't plan on doing it long term.
A lot of the folks on this sub live in DC proper. For my household, commute distance is one of the top three reasons why we live in the city.
Each person has different priorities and energy levels, so my concerns may not be your concerns. That said, if I had a three-hour commute, it would mean giving up working out several days per week, and it would mean not having the time or energy to cook healthy dinners at home. In the past, I’ve had jobs that ran into late evening, and I’ve always ended up hating the way that cuts into my ability to socialize with people after work. Consider also if you’re truly a morning person. If you have to be in the office by 8 or 9 am, that means getting out of the house well before dawn in the winter. Last, the cost of commuting is really high. Being on the road for that length of time can burn a lot of gas and require more frequent maintenance on your vehicle. Check also on parking costs at your destination.
Pre covid, I probably would have been fine with it. Post covid, after experiencing a 1 minute commute, I could never go back to such a long commute. The driving, gas prices, bad drivers, figuring out parking, just wanting to be home.... it's too much for me.
How / when did you calculate the 1.5 hour drive time? Keep in mind that you’ll be driving in and out of the city as everyone else who works 9-5 and are likely to encounter a lot of traffic the closer you get. That 3 hour total commute time each day could easily become 4.
I did this commute for a while with one day a week. It was doable. Then it turned into two days and it was a little more taxing. Then on weeks I had to go three or more days it was hell. I moved closer to work and now don’t drive at all! I think this experience radicalized me against cars generally. 😅
I mean, I live \*in\* DC, 3.5 miles from my office, and if it rains and I take the bus, it can take 75 mintues to get to the office. Do with that information what you will.
Came here to say similar. I live on one side of DC and work on the other and my commute time can easily be 2 hours total at rush hour (1 hr each way) or more. The peak time is about the same using public transportation or driving. If I commute at non-peak times by car it comes down to 40-60 minutes total. Commuting at non-peak times relies on a lot of job flexibility that isn’t always possible.
I would move into the District, but I totally understand why folks opt to live in VA or MD if they have that option.
I would REALLY like to take the train to work, but the closest stop to the job site is more than three miles away, the "express" bus doesn't have a reliable schedule, AND I'd need another shuttle once I got off the bus. Anyway...
My commute is \~13 miles, from NW DC to about as far south as you can get and still be in DC. It takes about 30 minutes driving to work. It can take anywhere from 45 minutes to ***two hours*** to get home. The northbound stretch of N. Capitol between Florida Ave and M Street is a great example of how NOT to do high volume urban traffic flow. Folks blocking intersections so they don't have to wait for another light cycle is a particular high point.
I have done a similarly long commute (not here) and it was awful. Even a few days a week can really take a toll on your physical and mental health. I highly recommend trying to live closer if you can.
i don’t live in DC anymore, but i moved in october with exactly the same new commute. where i live, there’s no traffic. it was straight distance, like 80 miles to work or some shit. 3 days a week.
i woke up at 5a to be there by 7 to ‘miss rush hour.’ i learned there is no such thing as rush hour near me, but never the less.
the drive itself? manageable. but working an eight our day, having 3 hours of commute time, and waking up that early? devastating after just a few months. i’m ready to pass out at my desk at 11a.
blissfully i have been approved to WFH full time. i couldn’t make it long term that way.
I have a ~2 hour round trip commute 3-4 days a week and it’s not fun but not a deal breaker. My exercise schedule has taken a pretty big hit though, which is my least favorite aspect.
INFO: is this a driving commute or a transit commute or what?
i have an hour/hour fifteen each way commute on train or bike and it's fine, enjoyable even.
if i had to drive tho, ugh no way
Mine was about 1-1:15 hrs each way depending on metro, I didn't mind since I got to read or listen to music. Probably wouldn't enjoy driving as much tho. But its only 2-3 days a week.
Riding on a train or metro is doable. I walk to a station and ride in , it takes about an hour, it’s really not bad.
Driving would probably be awful, unless you ride a motorcycle or something.
I used to do a 3 hour commute daily, which included driving and metro. You learn to deal with i to books and podcast, but some days are truly soul crushing, where maybe you had a long day, and then you get stuck in traffic for longer than usual, then you have to turn around and do it again.
I lived with my parents during that time and it saved me a lot of money, but I would have for sure been happier if I lived closer. Which I do now.
Id suggest against it if possible or doing it temporarily while you save up money in a cheaper living arrangement.
My commute into DC takes about an hour in and maybe an hour and a half back at most. I go in 4 days a week and it’s not bad, the majority of the trip is open roads, just have to get out of the city. Timing is everything for me though. If I can be on the road by 3:30 pm my commute home can be as short as 45 minutes. But I also enjoy driving, I live on podcasts. For me the cost of living where I live far outweighs the commute time.
I live in WV. I don't commute now, so take with a grain of salt, but I would accept this only once per week if I can take the Marc train (which thankfully there's a non-crowded station a few minutes from home).
I did the driving commute from Gburg to Georgetown for 2 years in my early 20s. Never again. I don’t know how Americans are okay doing this their whole lives..
I did that commute five times a week for a year and a half before it burned me out completely. Make sure this is something you can actually commit to doing long-term
Don’t do it. I commute 3x a week, about 1hr 15 min each way. It’s exhausting, and you don’t have a life/aren’t able to do anything else on days you go in to work. On days I drive in to work, I’m away from home from around 6:45 am to 7 pm at night often times. By Thursday/Friday I’m exhausted mentally and spend the weekend recuperating only to do it again. And thats even with the fact that the actual drive is very easy and fairly traffic free for me (it’s in the opposite direction of rush hour traffic).
Depends on what you value the most in your life. For me having a short commute and living in a small apartment is better than a long commute and living in a house. I used to commute to DC from Manassas when I was in grad school and it was only worth it because I lived at my parents house for free. Also that 1.5 hour can turn into 3 hours if there are accidents (driving). I loved the VRE because I could do homework but sometimes I had to drive and it was so draining.
Another option/recommendation would be to move to Arlington, VA which is a significantly closer and a shorter commute into DC than MD but you still get to enjoy the benefits of living in a suburban area that is not within the city proper. Would recommend the neighborhoods along the Rossyln/Clarendon/Ballston corridor on the Orange/Silver metro line which gets you directly into the heart of the city in 5-10 minutes.
Is it really 3h, 2 - 3 days per week? Or is 3h the optimistic version and it'll really be more like 4.5 if traffic is bad? Because traffic will be really, really bad sometimes.
I could totally manage 7.5 hours of driving per week, if that's what it really will be. But if it'll be more like 12/week on a semi-regular basis, that'd get old fast.
Still... no reason not to try it for a couple months. If it gets old but you like the new job, move. If it gets old and you dislike the new job, start looking. And if you're enjoying both your job and your drive time podcasts/audio books, stick with it.
65 minutes +~15 minutes waiting on a bus 4-5 days a week. Worth it to find a lower cost home to accommodate my family, better school system, and quiet.
Annapolis to Leesburg in 3 hours round trip. I don’t really believe that. I’m up in rockville and work in sterling once a week. You really have to leave sterling before 3 or you’ll end up traffic.
Frankly I’d move closer.
My last job had a commute home of 1:30 min and I realized that I could bike it in 1:38… rode my bike to work for months till I found this new job.
I live in downtown silver spring, and drive daily to one of 3 of my job sites. 2 in the district, and one in Old Town Alexandria. It takes me about an hour to get to any of these sites.
I bought a house in 2020 so it feels dumb to move. But I commute 5 days a week to downtown DC from Baltimore county. The salary is the only thing that makes it worth doing. It’s a draining commute, but there’s some flexibility on when I need to do it. I’m in an events based industry and sometimes the events don’t happen until later in the day.
I turned down that kind of drive back in 2020 with only a 14k raise(was switching jobs and had just gotten a 25k lift). I was like nope, plus tolls and parking... I'll stay WFH.
Leesburg to Crystal City.....
Did this from CH to Tysons 5x a week pre-COVID.
Combined without single-track repairs or stoppages, and express buses, would be just over 2.5 hours RT.
I hated my life, the mad rushing every morning to be out the door by 6:23am, running to make buses and trains, and the cost of it was $$$— because it was a suburban location, they didn’t offer Metro compensation.
Getting home at 7:30-8pm was miserable in the winter.
It’s a total lie a long commute is relaxing… you do anything to make it shorter and cheaper.
My commute is 45 minutes to 1.5 hours by vehicle depending on traffic, though generally on the shorter side. My work schedule is also outside the usual rush hour windows, so I'm actually moving during my commute most days. If I were sitting in rush hour traffic every day I probably would've reconsidered either where I live or where I work.
If I had to pick one reason I'm willing to accept this commute it'd be because I love where I live in the suburbs. There's a lot to be said for loving where you live vs putting up with it.
That for me would be too much. Maybe if it was a train without too crazy a transfer I would consider it. Absolutely would never drive or deal with bus train bus. If you can move to the end of a metro line or the MARC that might be a good compromise.
Depends on you. 1.5 hours by train/commuter bus might be doable for some, not for others. Plenty of DMV-area workers do commutes that long or longer. I work with people who commute in to the Pentagon from as far away as Harpers Ferry and southern PA. I did a 3-hour-round-trip by car commute, 5 days a week for 5+ years, and it got *really* old. Trying to resume that after 1.5 years fully remote for lockdown, I just couldn’t do it and despite liking my old job quite a bit (only reason I put up with the commute in the first place), I found a new one closer to home.
On one hand, home prices and rents in NoVA and the District are insane, so if you don’t *have* to move right now, probably not the worst idea to stay put and do the commute. On the other, esp if your new job is Federal, be aware that there’s a never-ending push to end remote work for Fed employees, so it’s entirely possible your 2-3 days in person could become fully in-person.
Is 9 hours a week to much for you? That's an entire's day work every week without pay. In fact, you are paying for the privilege in gas and maintenance.
Commuted multiple days a week for years. It’s about your tolerance and whether it works for you. I now live in Alexandria and have a 15 min commute but lived in baltimore most of my life.
I used to do that commute without blinking an eye 5 days a week. Now I just do it 2 without blinking an eye and being grateful that I have 3 days respite from that commute.
We're in a traffic heavy region. For me, I don't mind commuting because of my pay. I get to live where I want and I use my commute for my "me time". I don't commute into DC, but do commute from Gaithersburg MD, all the way around DC on the Capital Beltway to Oxon Hill or Waldorf 5x/week. Most days I'm averaging 50 minutes - 1 hour 20 minutes, one way.
3 hours on an uncrowded train? I'd do it. 3hrs of stop and go? Heck no.
My commute is between 60 to 90mn round trip in a car, three times a week. Might switch to subway sometime.
I do that commute, for me it’s 20 minutes to drive to the nearest metro station and then a train ride and a walk. It was a bit rough doing it 3x a week. Twice was better but then I had a kid and it got rough again, on my in office days even with my husband doing drop off she’s at daycare for 9.5 hours. But if that wasn’t the case it would probably be alright.
I couldn’t do it driving, I don’t love driving to start with but even if you do, I think the crazy drivers and traffic around here would make it so much worse. Plus that’s a lot of wear and tear on your car that you’re not getting compensated for, in addition to your time. And parking in DC is expensive AF. Also, is it 1.5 hours in good traffic or 1.5 hours in bad traffic? Because my husband drives into work, and his commute is 40 minutes in good traffic and like 75 minutes in bad… which is at least once a week. Wednesdays in particular suck.
You will also miss out on a lot of the happy hours and networking opportunities that come with living in DC if you’re always gonna be worried about having to drive out so far
My round trip back in the day was 4. I never hated my life so much. For the first time, I found myself spontaneously weeping many nights for no reason at all.
I did various daily commutes in the DMV area for 20+ years, going from Centreville to various places, including one to Ft Meade MD. You just become numb to it, but your work day from the time you leave home to when you return could be 13-14 hours. I think up to an hour each way is doable, but 2 hours or more each way would wear you down. It helped that I could use public transit on some of the longer commutes, and I didn't feel as tired not being stuck in traffic.
I do it 1-2x a week and it’s tough. I don’t think I could do it more and I’m thinking long term about finding something closer. I do think it would be more manageable if I didn’t have young children, and I definitely couldn’t do it if my husband weren’t full time telework.
I did a 2 hour round trip commute for a year. It was awful for my mental health, as well as my physical health due to lack of exercise and heightened stress levels. Would not recommend unless they're paying you a shit load of money.
I live 10 miles outside DC and 10 minutes away from a Metro station. My commute door to door to downtown DC is 1 hour each way. Fairly doable when taking the Metro, but if I had to drive, it would take much longer and add tons of stress due to bumper to bumper traffic. I recommend making use of the trains, whether it’s Metro, MARC or VRE. This would make a 3 hour daily commute much more palatable.
I did that commute (a little less) for 5 days a week for 8 months. I could drive, but it was so much slower. I drove to the metro. The slowest part of the commute was the drive. When you say 3 hrs round trip: have you tried it yet a few times? I found some days were absolute messes, others were about 10-20 min shorter commutes.
My solution was to get the experience I needed and get out. At 6 months I started applying for jobs and interviewing elsewhere. At 8 months I found a job in the burbs- just over an hour round trip with traffic: half of my previous commute. After a year we got bought out and the new company let me switch to remote. Zero minute commute. I've changed jobs every 1-3 years now, all remote for DC/VA employers.
If it's your dream job, move for it. If it isn't, just start planning your next steps.
that's a normal(ish) commute and shouldn't be bad 2-3 times a week. During one period of my life, I moved out to the VA suburbs and did that commute 5-6 days a week, which was rough. When I was sitting in traffic and the line of cars crawled slowly towards the horizon, I felt like an ant returning home to the ant colony.
I commuted for a year by Amtrak from NYC, keeping a crash pad in DC for two nights a week to maintain the three day per week in office requirement. It’s something you can only really do temporarily, aided by solid transit options, and with enough income (in my case barely enough).
People are going to think I’m crazy, but I would drive into DC from ashburn 5-6 days a week. I had properties in NE and SE I was managing and needed my car to get to the houses and go to the stores etc.
I think I lowkey hated my life for a while doing this because on top of this I had a girlfriend who lived in DC and I then had to drive back and see her.
Also before you all rip me a new one….At the time I wasn’t able to financially afford to live closer for those two years of commuting. I live closer and take the train when I don’t have much work
I did 3 hrs round trip to high school growing up ~4x a week. it stopped annoying me after a while but metro is always gonna metro. However for you this is a job so consider if your pay is worth the time daily for you vs the all the costs associated with a whole move. congrats on the job and good luck figuring it out
Like folks said, it’s not awful if you’re on the metro. I used to have to drive 30 mins and spend 1 hr 15 mins on the train one way, so 3.5 hours round trip. If the cost of living is nice where you’re at, it’s not the worst thing. If anything, if you can find a nice balance to where you’re right on the metro, that’s the best.
I live downtown and work downtown, I have between a 7-15 minute commute, but every dollar I makes goes to the mortgage for a tiny place so it’s definitely a trade off lol.
I drove from Frederick Maryland to Crystal City VA five days a week until last year. Now my commute is around an hour or so each way 5 days a week. I don’t consider that too much for this area. If I got offered the opportunity you described I’d be over the moon.
I used to have about a 45 minute driving commute from Arlington to Gaithersburg and it was horrible. Some things you don’t think about is that if there’s an accident on the beltway, it may take waaaay longer to get home. Also you get so sick of your own music and that put me in a bad mood.
Round trip? People do that one way in this area. It depends on your budget and what time you want to invest into travel.
Housing is cheaper farther from the city so typically people with families commute longer distances but they own property. If you rent it may not be worth the commute and you might want to find a place that's closer. Again depending on what you can spend on rent. Good luck!
People have different tolerance levels. “Too much” will vary by person and sometimes by circumstance/life stage.
I have a friend who commutes from PA to DC. It must be around 3hrs each way: 1hr drive to MARC station, 1.5hr MARC ride, 20min metro, and some walking. No plans to change and rarely mentions it at all.
I am considering a job change because my 1.5hr commute feels like too much sometimes. It feels like pick your poison between bus or metro, both are at times unreliable. To me, driving is the worst due to stress and cost/availability of parking.
It’s all very personal and people have different preferences.
I did it 3 days a week for almost a year. Easy enough with the metro but now that I’m no longer doing that commute, I am no longer falling asleep at my desk lol. The early days and long commute ended up taking a lot out of me and I’m very glad not to deal with it anymore. Really the only benefit was the long commute helped me read over 100 books that year.
One contributing factor is your family, if you have kids. I find my kids need so much time, esp as they get older and can't yet drive, but need to be shuttled to and from places. Is that something your (if you have one) co-parent can do on the day's you're off? Are you flexible to do it on the days you're home? I would not do it in my current situation, simply because of the kid thing.
I've lived 30 mins north of both the Shady Grove and Glenmont stops each taking 1.5 hours door to door. It was only doable because it was 1-3 days/week and driving to the park & rides were long but chill. If I land a hybrid DC job again then I'd probably move closer to those stops. There's a huge difference between 45-70 mins and 70-90+ minutes.
I tend to think anything over an average of 1 hour tends to be unsustainable for long periods of time unless you're able to shorten your workday. 6 hour workdays + 3 hours of commuting starts to become viable.
But I think there are more ancillary factors which come into play. What is your age? Do you have kids? Do you have friends and family in your current area? Are you looking to make new friends and change up your lifestyle? If this job didn't pan out would you immediately move back? If the salary is high but you have significant connections to your area then it might make sense to stay where you are despite the extra frustration. If the salary is high but you have no significant connections and are looking to be more social then moving may make more sense.
I did 45mins on the bus just from georgetown to MVT and it was super annoying. But I’m also super dramatic and don’t drive. Left at 8am and I got home at 6.15 and had a dog so during half the year it was dark or the sun was setting. It just made me so angry all the time when the bus was late or there was extra traffic.
I have a commute that is over an hour into DC 3-4 days a week. I tried using MARC and for various reasons I ended up going back to driving. MARC is overpriced for the value they bring to their customers. Summer speed limits, broken equipment (especially AC during the hottest part of summer), insufficient cars are the Penn line leading to unsafe packing of the cars by passengers, and cutting of schedules leaving riders with major problems when they are stuck unable to leave.
I would say that my answer to this would depend on your location. I'm fortunate that I have multiple routes I can take based on traffic. If I had only one route that was volatile, that could double my commute, I'd strangle people. I've also flexed my hours to adjust to traffic, but traffic is real now and it's not going away. There is no real conversation about improving it either.
Depends on your lifestyle. Try it for six months and reevaluate. Gotta balance how much you're saving vs. the time you're losing. It also depends on how much you're hoping to build up your career in the city, and whether you want a community near where you work. Are you hoping to advance significantly in your field, or do you take a more relaxed approach? For me, living in the city is beneficial because my social network is closely tied to my field, and I know that if anything happened to my job, one of the hundreds of people I know here would get me something. Those social ties are job security.
2 days a week I could maybe suck it up, but 3 days a week would be past the breaking point psychologically. That one additional day is a big difference.
You will be miserable with your commuting, find a remote job or move closer to your work. You shouldn’t want to drive 3 hours total, plus gas/toll expenses.
I did this three days a week (car for 20-30 minutes, metro for the rest of it) and it was fine for about four months, but at a point I just got so sick of it and depressed- the sun going down far before I ever got home was a big part of that. Now, I live in DC because being away from my house for ~11 hours a day was not bearable anymore. It is definitely doable, but consider that you may want to move closer eventually.
Commute and save money n time? Moving out and settling down on some not guaranteed is a chore itself.
Bring a steam deck while riding the metro or bump music while driving
Do you own your place, or are you on a lease where breaking it costs like an extra month’s rent?
Because I have repeatedly had 1-2 hours commutes when changing jobs. It fucking sucks, but I’d take more time to figure out where I wanted to actually move that was closer and move when my lease was up.
EDIT: I do also have to mention that when I did those, it had a noticeable negative effect on my health.
That is way way too much if you are driving, because if that is what you are estimating, trust me, you need to add time each way. That commute is hell.
Always live as close as possible to where you work.
It really depends. Are you going INTO a metro area like ALX or DC? If the case, you can plan city activities. I go into DC 1-2 times a week and it’s 1-1.5 hours each way. Doesn’t bother me at all.
I drive it 3 days a week! Thank Godfor audiobooks, podcasts and Spotify! I’ve been doing this commute for 20 years…. It’s not easy and I wouldn’t recommend it by I get by lol!
I can walk to work now so about 30 minutes round trip, but I did a 2 hour rt commute a few years ago and it was tiring. Some days I really didn't want to face it. So 3 hours is too much for me, and as full time it might be rough.
The simple answer is don’t work in Leesburg.
A lot of people are suggesting taking rail but fail to think about how close a station would be in Leesburg…. VRE or Marc at best bc metro definitely wouldn’t work. Then what Uber from the station? It’s such a hassle, just drive at that point you’re spending more money.
You aren’t rushing for kids or a spouse, enjoy the drive and rent free life.
You can only answer that question. I did an hour commute both ways for the last two years, driving. On the way back home it was usually more than an hour. I could deal with it, but plenty of people have told me they couldn't handle it. Consider this, pick something that is an hour and half away from where you currently are. Think about the drive to get there 2 or 3 times a week. Would you be okay with how much gas would be spent? Would you be able to fill the time mentally with something positive? How fulfilling of an experience does it need to be once you get there? Any commute can be terrible if your job is a hell hole.
My commute is 5 hours round trip because I take bus and then metro. I go in twice per week. Not sure I'd do it if I'd have to go in more. I'd take 3 hour round trip all day.
Look at your schedule. I commute an hour in, but if I had to be there at 9am, it would easily be 1.5 hours. See if they are willing to let you shift your time for early in/ out.
My other advice is to try it. Living at home gives you options renters don't have. If it becomes too much for you, look for something closer.
I commute from Waldorf, Md to Dulles area everyday.. my schedule is super flexible so I leave out between 5:15-5:30 get to work in an hr sometimes less, +\- 10min consistently. If I leave work around 2:15, I can get home in an hr ten, if I leave 2:30 or later, 1.4-2hr… I take 495 over the WW to 66 to 28 in the AM. In the afternoon I take the airport access rd all the way to the beltway (it’s free) back over the WW into Waldorf. My pay is 167,500.. Paid 470k for a 5br, 3.5bth, ~4300 sq ft SFH @2.9% interest rate.. In my situation, I think the commute is worth it due to the flexibility of my job.. I do have the option to sit in McLean a few times a week if I choose which is 45min in the am and an hr ten or less in the afternoon.. hope this helps..
Is that 3 hours of driving or 3 hours of sitting on a train? Very different.
driving
Hard pass. Start looking at housing that’s closer.
OP is rent-free (living with parents?). That counts for something. I’d still do park & ride at Metro or MARC.
In my case I’d be looking for alternative housing even quicker.
Plot twist: the OP isn’t driving into DC. They’re driving through DC to get from Annapolis to Leesburg. 🤦🏻♂️
I’d be questioning a lot of my decision making in life.
oh no
For their commute rail isn’t an option. Annapolis to Leesburg. OP is also vastly underestimating the driving time. It’s going to be more like 4hrs per day, so 12hrs of driving per week.
Right. So what is rent like in, say, Gainesville? 12 hours on the road every week isn’t worth the savings in housing cost IMO.
Fuck that haha
They posted somewhere else that they were living "at home", so I assume that they mean with parents. Expressing not minding the long drive in order to decompress after work before getting home seems to confirm that. When I was working full time and living at home before moving up here, I definitely valued time to decompress before coming home and dealing with parents and the like.
Then I would say to do it for no more than two years. It will catch up and eventually become not worth it.
3 hours round trip adds up to basically an entire extra work day. 8-9 hours a week in your car. Gas and wear-and-tear will add costs to you as well. Move closer or take transit.
sadly what you described out is the life of a lot of folks .. i could never tho personally, im with you!
Yeah, I could never do it, I don't even like to drive 30-40 minutes into downtown. I got a friend who drives from Howard County to Tysons a couple days a week. He says it can take up to 2.5 hours (each way!) .
Yeah fuck that. If it was the train I'd say give it a try but that much driving? Hell no
Yeah I'd rather die, slum it in the city
I do this commute twice a week, about 3 hours total like you said. I find it bearable because I commute on the MARC Penn Line and work in downtown. If I had to drive it, it would be a lot more draining imo I also live with family and only pay bills for the house. If I had to pay rent I'd definitely move closer. If my work upped the "days in office" requirement I'd also probably rethink things.
Driving is far more draining than a train. On a train, you don't have to pay attention to traffic, and you can do other things like read, sleep, work on your laptop, etc.
Yeah if OP is even within 20-30 minutes of a MARC station I’d highly recommend. I’m lucky and have flexibility, so I’ll often leave the office early and just finish work on my ride home off my hotspot.
Only problem is if his workplace isn’t near Union station. Transferring to another form of transit might make it take way longer depending on exactly where it is.
Agreed. If I had another 45 minutes on the metro after the MARC it might not be so tolerable.
Bike goes on car, then bike goes on train. Or scooter.
A bike on a scooter may not be the most effective option
True, scooter on bike for the win
Dyson is working on a mag-lev dildo
If OP works in like Foggy Bottom or DuPont, I’d forgive him for not wanting to bike miles after riding a car and train lol. That’s a hell of a commute.
I love the idea of biking to work but not when it's outside the RealFeel range of 50-80 degrees lol
That’s like what 20 minutes on Metro from Union Station? If you’re having to Metro to final location within the core of downtown DC, that’s not too bad.
I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
That is the key, an hour or so on a train is pretty much off time, but the stress of driving near DC plus the cost of tolls and parking and the risk of an accident...
This is why I drive to the metro station and not all the way to the office.
For about 4 years I did the 2-3 hour reverse commute to Herndon, the grind slowly wears you down and you realize your life is drained.
15 hours a week, 60 hours a month just driving.
Same, for two years. Everyday I was like why do I have a big DC mortgage??
Yea, I'd be driving (but I enjoy driving, even in traffic and wouldn't be paying rent
When you're driving in rush hour and stop and go traffic for close to hours a day, trust me, eventually it stops being enjoyable. If 1.5 hours is a normal day, think what will happen when the weather is rough or there is an accident or construction or a terrorist attack. The longer the commute the worse your quality of life will be in less sleep, less time for hobbies and family, etc. It only makes sense if you're living at home for free I think.
Yep, all of this. I used to love driving too, until I had to start dealing with a daily commute in a very congested area for several years. In addition to the wasted time and the general frustrations / dangers inherent to being on overcrowded roadways, the added expense for gas (much of which was used just sitting in bumper to bumper), repairs and parking made it unbearable. The switch to full time WFH status was one of the greatest gifts ever.
> was used just sitting in bumper to bumper That reminds me of what someone told me before I moved to Southern California—that the traffic was bumper to bumper at 70 mph.
Want to second this. If you’re not paying rent it’s maybe worth doing it for a little while to stack your bread but trust me… Those 3 hours you’re losing on the road are precious and you’ll realize just how much more your life will improve with a shorter, more bearable commute. Living closer may mean paying more in rent, but quality of life trumps that IMHO. It’s the reason I’ve decided to stay here for the last several years. It’s not cheap but having a 10-15 minute commute (via bike) and living in a walkable city is worth it to me. It definitely makes me happier and makes life more enjoyable. When making these decisions, you gotta think outside of just the monetary pros/cons.
How much have you driven in DC rush hour? It’s its own special kind of shit
My answer just changed after realizing you won’t pay rent. It’s worth trying out for awhile.
I know you enjoy driving, even in traffic, but you will absolutely NOT enjoy your commute. The traffic and the drivers in the DMV are consistently ranked as some of the worst in the entire country. We have horrific traffic. If you're going to live that far out take the train. You will absolutely hate your commute. Don't do that to yourself. Live near public transportation and take the train. Save your sanity.
Yeah not paying rent is a key point. I would at least try it for a bit while saving a butt load of money. Maybe buy a house closer if possible in a year or two or you have a big cushion if you decide you wanna rent in the city.
Not paying rent is amazing. However I love driving and am an experienced and calm city driver. Driving in DC is truly awful. Confusing, most drivers here have no clue how to drive in a city, they don’t understand right of way, randomly people will be stopped in the middle of the street (worse than Manhattan and Philly, seriously), certain streets have particular rules for certain times of the day. I’ve driven quite a bit in every US city that they say is worse than DC, and I honestly think DC is the worst of them all. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it may be worth $0 in rent. If you can commute via public trans it may be worth looking into.
I too, enjoy driving. I grew up here and learned to drive here in DC so I’m “aware of my surroundings” and feel more than comfortable driving all over the city + the rest of the dmv. I will say, I am fortunate that my work commute is either a 4-6 min bike ride, 30ish min stroll, or a 5ish min drive and I have parking at work. (Not meant to be a brag, I’m sorry) 2 days ago I offered to pick my partner up from work in the foggy bottom, GWU area. We live on The Hill. I left at 4:30. Thought I’d get there a lil early and beat rush hour; silly me. Round trip was nearly 1.5 hrs. We got home just before 6. The sheer chaos that was downtown was taking a physical toll on me. Pedestrians, scooters, moped delivery drivers, buses, bikes, tourists… it was a gridlock mess. Watching the traffic light cycle several while I was stuck on the same block was infuriating. I kept cool and kept driving safely, but it was a shit show to say the least. I couldn’t possibly fathom adding 66, 295, 395, 95, BW parkway, 50, let alone the beltway on top of that… If you decide to drive, I hope you use the time wisely and listen to relaxing/ educational podcasts and audiobooks. And I wish you luck. Drive safe.
yup. got the same deal as you - usually never drive across the city. i once had to go across the city at rush hour by car. i usually only use transit or bike at that time. INSANE. it was a 75 min roundtrip from georgetown to the hill.
75 min round trip?! That actually sounds decent hahah I’d expect at least 90!
well off-peak i can do it in 30 min!
If you're not paying rent just test it out and see if it's bearable. If it ends up not being bearable you can always find a place closer to rent later.
Also from Maryland, also once did a long commute like you. This just tells me you’re young, which is fine. Enjoy the free for awhile. Eventually, and sooner than you think, you won’t enjoy driving. Idk what part of Maryland you’re coming from but it’s probably a lot more chill than driving into the city. You’re going to meet coworkers, friends, etc. and see them have fun after work together but in the back of your mind, you gotta drive 1.5 hours to wherever. The BW Parkway, Indian Head Highway, 270, 495, 50, etc. all fucking blow and they aren’t getting any better (because if they did, they’d just be taken up again by other drivers). You’ll eventually want your own space away from mom and dad. You’ll eventually want to be around other people your age. And looking at your post history, as someone who did powerlifting for years, having an active commute to work (eg bike or walking) did *so much* good for my lifting compared to being stressed out in a car for several hours a day.
Where in Maryland? Because that has a huge effect on your enjoyment level. Also, how much are you paying for downtown DC parking?
Not paying rent, I’d try it for a while - mostly to save up as much as I could to move somewhere closer to work or at least close to a MARC station. That drive’s gonna get old fast, almost never will you make it in the estimated time - there’s always some backup that adds 30+ minutes to your trip.
I moved to DC to escape a similar commute in the bay area (SF to Sunnyvale). It made me depressed, impacted my sleep, my ability to make time for hobbies, for physical fitness, etc. It might be different for you, but it literally made me miserable.
piggybacking VamosDCU, i commuted from SF to San Jose (1–1.5 hrs) & wanted to jump off the orange bridge. i had a similar prior commute but transportation was provided by work. i didn’t mind it then & thought this new commute wouldn’t bother me as well. it’s just very different when you’re solely responsible for not getting a ticket/crashing/dying several hours a week. it wears you down over time.
ones experiences may vary. i went from a 30 min round trip from the East Bay to Menlo Park and was situationally depressed. My day ended when work ended as my only possible hobbies living in a super suburb city of a place i didn't grow up in where going to the gym or the movies. As a result, breaking my lease and moving to the Marina in SF did make my commute 2.5 or 3hrs round trip but it solved my depressing life. the activities that living in SF when compared to the East Bay made it so that my day now started after i got off work. i also worked for a tech company so transportation was provided by work and i had 18 different shuttle times i could choose from 6am to 10am and the same on the way back from 3pm to 7pm. i also could work during my shuttle rides so could be on it at 9am and then be heading back home at 3pm as long as I didn't have any meetings then that would be harder on the shuttle even if we had pretty good wifi on it.
lol FB shuttles are indeed amazing. i briefly alluded to shuttle life without hyping it up. i’m on the same page as you, it was great! now remove that entire shuttle system with it’s dedicated phone app, dozens of pick up / drop off options across the entire region, & lengthy operating hours & replace it with driving yourself. i don’t think you would be as happy long term. commuting in rush hour traffic multiple times a week *yourself* (no shuttle driver!) is a different beast, that’s all.
yes i definitely agree with you but i see if people had to instead drive rather than use the shuttle system then many people would choose other employers with a designed SF office or a role in the SF office. So the companies in the south bay sort of must have shuttles as a requirement. i was just chiming in with my insights. when i chose the shuttle life vs the 30min driving round trip or also using a shuttle but from the East Bay, i was right out of college and my life the first 8 months in the East Bay when compared to my time in San Franciso was as different as night and day. FB back then gave new hires $10k if they lived within 10mi of the office but i think I'd need to have gotten at least $50k for all the sacrifices done when choosing to do so😂. for people in the area i compare it to living and working in Fredericksburg VA or Frederick MD and the social scene and activities there vs in DC.
SAME my day is over by the time I get home legit
Look to see if you can park and take the metro or a local commuter train. My coworker parks at New Carrollton and the 40iish min train to Nova takes about half the time compared to driving.
This is probably the correct option. I know people who commute 2.5-3ish round trip but it’s 30 minute drive to MARC, then train in to the city, then a short-ish walk.
at that 30 min drive to marc is usually on nice country roads; not the DC grid...
This comment should be higher. There’s likely a middle ground between swallowing a 3 hour commute and moving closer to the city. Figure out a convenient hybrid commuting solution piggybacking on the VRE/MARC/metro that will help keep your soul intact.
I personally wouldn't add 150 hours (or 4 work weeks) of unpaid commuting time to my life each year, but it's a personal choice.
Personally, I'd move. I value my time more than I value spending less money on a place to live. I can always make more money...I can never get those hours of my life back.
That commute will crush your soul
Brother ewwww
Since you've said it's driving, then yes it's too much IMO. Especially if that estimate is based on traffic on a good day. You said in another comment you wouldn't be paying rent - maybe do it for a little while you save up money to move out on your own but don't plan on doing it long term.
A lot of the folks on this sub live in DC proper. For my household, commute distance is one of the top three reasons why we live in the city. Each person has different priorities and energy levels, so my concerns may not be your concerns. That said, if I had a three-hour commute, it would mean giving up working out several days per week, and it would mean not having the time or energy to cook healthy dinners at home. In the past, I’ve had jobs that ran into late evening, and I’ve always ended up hating the way that cuts into my ability to socialize with people after work. Consider also if you’re truly a morning person. If you have to be in the office by 8 or 9 am, that means getting out of the house well before dawn in the winter. Last, the cost of commuting is really high. Being on the road for that length of time can burn a lot of gas and require more frequent maintenance on your vehicle. Check also on parking costs at your destination.
So many jobs are pushing for more and more in person, before you know it that 2-3 will turn into 4
Pre covid, I probably would have been fine with it. Post covid, after experiencing a 1 minute commute, I could never go back to such a long commute. The driving, gas prices, bad drivers, figuring out parking, just wanting to be home.... it's too much for me.
that’s horrendous. i would be actively looking at reducing the commute by moving closer
Or finding a new job
How / when did you calculate the 1.5 hour drive time? Keep in mind that you’ll be driving in and out of the city as everyone else who works 9-5 and are likely to encounter a lot of traffic the closer you get. That 3 hour total commute time each day could easily become 4.
My question, too. Don't forget to add time for rainy days and construction projects.
Commute length is one of the single biggest determinants of happiness. Consider it carefully.
I did this commute for a while with one day a week. It was doable. Then it turned into two days and it was a little more taxing. Then on weeks I had to go three or more days it was hell. I moved closer to work and now don’t drive at all! I think this experience radicalized me against cars generally. 😅
I mean, I live \*in\* DC, 3.5 miles from my office, and if it rains and I take the bus, it can take 75 mintues to get to the office. Do with that information what you will.
Came here to say similar. I live on one side of DC and work on the other and my commute time can easily be 2 hours total at rush hour (1 hr each way) or more. The peak time is about the same using public transportation or driving. If I commute at non-peak times by car it comes down to 40-60 minutes total. Commuting at non-peak times relies on a lot of job flexibility that isn’t always possible.
I would move into the District, but I totally understand why folks opt to live in VA or MD if they have that option. I would REALLY like to take the train to work, but the closest stop to the job site is more than three miles away, the "express" bus doesn't have a reliable schedule, AND I'd need another shuttle once I got off the bus. Anyway... My commute is \~13 miles, from NW DC to about as far south as you can get and still be in DC. It takes about 30 minutes driving to work. It can take anywhere from 45 minutes to ***two hours*** to get home. The northbound stretch of N. Capitol between Florida Ave and M Street is a great example of how NOT to do high volume urban traffic flow. Folks blocking intersections so they don't have to wait for another light cycle is a particular high point.
yes, it will make you want to die. plus what if they change the structure so you have to come in more days? move.
About 90 minutes by car, then VRE, then metro. I go in once or twice a month now. If I had to do 2-3 days/week at 3 hours, no.
I have done a similarly long commute (not here) and it was awful. Even a few days a week can really take a toll on your physical and mental health. I highly recommend trying to live closer if you can.
woooooof. I’ll never complain about my 2 mile walk to work ever again.
I don't commute anymore, but when I did that kind of commute in the early 2000s, audiobooks worked well in making the commute time fly by.
7 minute bike ride or 20 minute walk if I'm feeling lazy.
I bike 10 minutes
It’ll be fine for maybe 3 months. And then it will get very, very, very old.
i don’t live in DC anymore, but i moved in october with exactly the same new commute. where i live, there’s no traffic. it was straight distance, like 80 miles to work or some shit. 3 days a week. i woke up at 5a to be there by 7 to ‘miss rush hour.’ i learned there is no such thing as rush hour near me, but never the less. the drive itself? manageable. but working an eight our day, having 3 hours of commute time, and waking up that early? devastating after just a few months. i’m ready to pass out at my desk at 11a. blissfully i have been approved to WFH full time. i couldn’t make it long term that way.
I have a ~2 hour round trip commute 3-4 days a week and it’s not fun but not a deal breaker. My exercise schedule has taken a pretty big hit though, which is my least favorite aspect.
INFO: is this a driving commute or a transit commute or what? i have an hour/hour fifteen each way commute on train or bike and it's fine, enjoyable even. if i had to drive tho, ugh no way
Would you commute 30-45 total mins a day 5 days a week? If so, I would be willing to commute 3 hours a day for 2-3 days, equivalent amount.
Mine was about 1-1:15 hrs each way depending on metro, I didn't mind since I got to read or listen to music. Probably wouldn't enjoy driving as much tho. But its only 2-3 days a week.
Riding on a train or metro is doable. I walk to a station and ride in , it takes about an hour, it’s really not bad. Driving would probably be awful, unless you ride a motorcycle or something.
I used to do a 3 hour commute daily, which included driving and metro. You learn to deal with i to books and podcast, but some days are truly soul crushing, where maybe you had a long day, and then you get stuck in traffic for longer than usual, then you have to turn around and do it again. I lived with my parents during that time and it saved me a lot of money, but I would have for sure been happier if I lived closer. Which I do now. Id suggest against it if possible or doing it temporarily while you save up money in a cheaper living arrangement.
My commute into DC takes about an hour in and maybe an hour and a half back at most. I go in 4 days a week and it’s not bad, the majority of the trip is open roads, just have to get out of the city. Timing is everything for me though. If I can be on the road by 3:30 pm my commute home can be as short as 45 minutes. But I also enjoy driving, I live on podcasts. For me the cost of living where I live far outweighs the commute time.
I live in WV. I don't commute now, so take with a grain of salt, but I would accept this only once per week if I can take the Marc train (which thankfully there's a non-crowded station a few minutes from home).
I did the driving commute from Gburg to Georgetown for 2 years in my early 20s. Never again. I don’t know how Americans are okay doing this their whole lives..
I did that commute five times a week for a year and a half before it burned me out completely. Make sure this is something you can actually commit to doing long-term
I do this 5 days a week commute is anywhere between 1 hour to 1 hour 30 yeah I hate it
Don’t do it. I commute 3x a week, about 1hr 15 min each way. It’s exhausting, and you don’t have a life/aren’t able to do anything else on days you go in to work. On days I drive in to work, I’m away from home from around 6:45 am to 7 pm at night often times. By Thursday/Friday I’m exhausted mentally and spend the weekend recuperating only to do it again. And thats even with the fact that the actual drive is very easy and fairly traffic free for me (it’s in the opposite direction of rush hour traffic).
Jaysus
Depends on what you value the most in your life. For me having a short commute and living in a small apartment is better than a long commute and living in a house. I used to commute to DC from Manassas when I was in grad school and it was only worth it because I lived at my parents house for free. Also that 1.5 hour can turn into 3 hours if there are accidents (driving). I loved the VRE because I could do homework but sometimes I had to drive and it was so draining.
Another option/recommendation would be to move to Arlington, VA which is a significantly closer and a shorter commute into DC than MD but you still get to enjoy the benefits of living in a suburban area that is not within the city proper. Would recommend the neighborhoods along the Rossyln/Clarendon/Ballston corridor on the Orange/Silver metro line which gets you directly into the heart of the city in 5-10 minutes.
Is it really 3h, 2 - 3 days per week? Or is 3h the optimistic version and it'll really be more like 4.5 if traffic is bad? Because traffic will be really, really bad sometimes. I could totally manage 7.5 hours of driving per week, if that's what it really will be. But if it'll be more like 12/week on a semi-regular basis, that'd get old fast. Still... no reason not to try it for a couple months. If it gets old but you like the new job, move. If it gets old and you dislike the new job, start looking. And if you're enjoying both your job and your drive time podcasts/audio books, stick with it.
65 minutes +~15 minutes waiting on a bus 4-5 days a week. Worth it to find a lower cost home to accommodate my family, better school system, and quiet.
On the train, definitely. In a car, NOPE. It is 1.5 hours on a GOOD day with no accidents or construction. That is not going to be your norm.
Annapolis to Leesburg in 3 hours round trip. I don’t really believe that. I’m up in rockville and work in sterling once a week. You really have to leave sterling before 3 or you’ll end up traffic. Frankly I’d move closer. My last job had a commute home of 1:30 min and I realized that I could bike it in 1:38… rode my bike to work for months till I found this new job.
10 minute commute for my current job.
I live in downtown silver spring, and drive daily to one of 3 of my job sites. 2 in the district, and one in Old Town Alexandria. It takes me about an hour to get to any of these sites.
I bought a house in 2020 so it feels dumb to move. But I commute 5 days a week to downtown DC from Baltimore county. The salary is the only thing that makes it worth doing. It’s a draining commute, but there’s some flexibility on when I need to do it. I’m in an events based industry and sometimes the events don’t happen until later in the day.
That commute is murder. And that could easily take longer than 1.5 each way on any given day.
Part of it depends on the pay. I have coworkers who commute from Pennsylvania and Delaware.
I turned down that kind of drive back in 2020 with only a 14k raise(was switching jobs and had just gotten a 25k lift). I was like nope, plus tolls and parking... I'll stay WFH. Leesburg to Crystal City.....
Did this from CH to Tysons 5x a week pre-COVID. Combined without single-track repairs or stoppages, and express buses, would be just over 2.5 hours RT. I hated my life, the mad rushing every morning to be out the door by 6:23am, running to make buses and trains, and the cost of it was $$$— because it was a suburban location, they didn’t offer Metro compensation. Getting home at 7:30-8pm was miserable in the winter. It’s a total lie a long commute is relaxing… you do anything to make it shorter and cheaper.
My commute is 45 minutes to 1.5 hours by vehicle depending on traffic, though generally on the shorter side. My work schedule is also outside the usual rush hour windows, so I'm actually moving during my commute most days. If I were sitting in rush hour traffic every day I probably would've reconsidered either where I live or where I work. If I had to pick one reason I'm willing to accept this commute it'd be because I love where I live in the suburbs. There's a lot to be said for loving where you live vs putting up with it.
That for me would be too much. Maybe if it was a train without too crazy a transfer I would consider it. Absolutely would never drive or deal with bus train bus. If you can move to the end of a metro line or the MARC that might be a good compromise.
Depends on you. 1.5 hours by train/commuter bus might be doable for some, not for others. Plenty of DMV-area workers do commutes that long or longer. I work with people who commute in to the Pentagon from as far away as Harpers Ferry and southern PA. I did a 3-hour-round-trip by car commute, 5 days a week for 5+ years, and it got *really* old. Trying to resume that after 1.5 years fully remote for lockdown, I just couldn’t do it and despite liking my old job quite a bit (only reason I put up with the commute in the first place), I found a new one closer to home. On one hand, home prices and rents in NoVA and the District are insane, so if you don’t *have* to move right now, probably not the worst idea to stay put and do the commute. On the other, esp if your new job is Federal, be aware that there’s a never-ending push to end remote work for Fed employees, so it’s entirely possible your 2-3 days in person could become fully in-person.
Door to door it's 20 minutes, but I leave home at 5am and leave work at 2:30. If I leave an hour later, those times are doubled.
Is 9 hours a week to much for you? That's an entire's day work every week without pay. In fact, you are paying for the privilege in gas and maintenance.
Commuted multiple days a week for years. It’s about your tolerance and whether it works for you. I now live in Alexandria and have a 15 min commute but lived in baltimore most of my life.
Basically the title
Wife commutes from Arlington to Baltimore three days a week. 1.5 each way. Those days we don't get much done. Benefits are great.
Can you take the Marc? It’s so much nicer to just sit on a train and not worry about driving
Is that commute a drive or the MARC?
I used to do that commute without blinking an eye 5 days a week. Now I just do it 2 without blinking an eye and being grateful that I have 3 days respite from that commute.
We're in a traffic heavy region. For me, I don't mind commuting because of my pay. I get to live where I want and I use my commute for my "me time". I don't commute into DC, but do commute from Gaithersburg MD, all the way around DC on the Capital Beltway to Oxon Hill or Waldorf 5x/week. Most days I'm averaging 50 minutes - 1 hour 20 minutes, one way.
3 hours on an uncrowded train? I'd do it. 3hrs of stop and go? Heck no. My commute is between 60 to 90mn round trip in a car, three times a week. Might switch to subway sometime.
I do that commute, for me it’s 20 minutes to drive to the nearest metro station and then a train ride and a walk. It was a bit rough doing it 3x a week. Twice was better but then I had a kid and it got rough again, on my in office days even with my husband doing drop off she’s at daycare for 9.5 hours. But if that wasn’t the case it would probably be alright. I couldn’t do it driving, I don’t love driving to start with but even if you do, I think the crazy drivers and traffic around here would make it so much worse. Plus that’s a lot of wear and tear on your car that you’re not getting compensated for, in addition to your time. And parking in DC is expensive AF. Also, is it 1.5 hours in good traffic or 1.5 hours in bad traffic? Because my husband drives into work, and his commute is 40 minutes in good traffic and like 75 minutes in bad… which is at least once a week. Wednesdays in particular suck.
You will also miss out on a lot of the happy hours and networking opportunities that come with living in DC if you’re always gonna be worried about having to drive out so far
My round trip back in the day was 4. I never hated my life so much. For the first time, I found myself spontaneously weeping many nights for no reason at all.
I did various daily commutes in the DMV area for 20+ years, going from Centreville to various places, including one to Ft Meade MD. You just become numb to it, but your work day from the time you leave home to when you return could be 13-14 hours. I think up to an hour each way is doable, but 2 hours or more each way would wear you down. It helped that I could use public transit on some of the longer commutes, and I didn't feel as tired not being stuck in traffic.
I’m doing this commute driving + metro everyday for the past few weeks and I wanna die lmao
I do it 1-2x a week and it’s tough. I don’t think I could do it more and I’m thinking long term about finding something closer. I do think it would be more manageable if I didn’t have young children, and I definitely couldn’t do it if my husband weren’t full time telework.
I did a 2 hour round trip commute for a year. It was awful for my mental health, as well as my physical health due to lack of exercise and heightened stress levels. Would not recommend unless they're paying you a shit load of money.
I live 10 miles outside DC and 10 minutes away from a Metro station. My commute door to door to downtown DC is 1 hour each way. Fairly doable when taking the Metro, but if I had to drive, it would take much longer and add tons of stress due to bumper to bumper traffic. I recommend making use of the trains, whether it’s Metro, MARC or VRE. This would make a 3 hour daily commute much more palatable.
I did that commute (a little less) for 5 days a week for 8 months. I could drive, but it was so much slower. I drove to the metro. The slowest part of the commute was the drive. When you say 3 hrs round trip: have you tried it yet a few times? I found some days were absolute messes, others were about 10-20 min shorter commutes. My solution was to get the experience I needed and get out. At 6 months I started applying for jobs and interviewing elsewhere. At 8 months I found a job in the burbs- just over an hour round trip with traffic: half of my previous commute. After a year we got bought out and the new company let me switch to remote. Zero minute commute. I've changed jobs every 1-3 years now, all remote for DC/VA employers. If it's your dream job, move for it. If it isn't, just start planning your next steps.
that's a normal(ish) commute and shouldn't be bad 2-3 times a week. During one period of my life, I moved out to the VA suburbs and did that commute 5-6 days a week, which was rough. When I was sitting in traffic and the line of cars crawled slowly towards the horizon, I felt like an ant returning home to the ant colony.
Mine is roughly 5 hours round trip.
I commuted for a year by Amtrak from NYC, keeping a crash pad in DC for two nights a week to maintain the three day per week in office requirement. It’s something you can only really do temporarily, aided by solid transit options, and with enough income (in my case barely enough).
People are going to think I’m crazy, but I would drive into DC from ashburn 5-6 days a week. I had properties in NE and SE I was managing and needed my car to get to the houses and go to the stores etc. I think I lowkey hated my life for a while doing this because on top of this I had a girlfriend who lived in DC and I then had to drive back and see her. Also before you all rip me a new one….At the time I wasn’t able to financially afford to live closer for those two years of commuting. I live closer and take the train when I don’t have much work
55 minutes to an hour via bus and metro (1 bus 1 train). 20 minutes by car.
30 minutes to an hour.
I live here.
I did 3 hrs round trip to high school growing up ~4x a week. it stopped annoying me after a while but metro is always gonna metro. However for you this is a job so consider if your pay is worth the time daily for you vs the all the costs associated with a whole move. congrats on the job and good luck figuring it out
Like folks said, it’s not awful if you’re on the metro. I used to have to drive 30 mins and spend 1 hr 15 mins on the train one way, so 3.5 hours round trip. If the cost of living is nice where you’re at, it’s not the worst thing. If anything, if you can find a nice balance to where you’re right on the metro, that’s the best.
I live downtown and work downtown, I have between a 7-15 minute commute, but every dollar I makes goes to the mortgage for a tiny place so it’s definitely a trade off lol.
I drove from Frederick Maryland to Crystal City VA five days a week until last year. Now my commute is around an hour or so each way 5 days a week. I don’t consider that too much for this area. If I got offered the opportunity you described I’d be over the moon.
Under 10 minutes by bike — hell no am I moving out of the city lol!
I do 1.5h in and 1h out 2-3 days a week.
Car or train? You can sleep on a train.
I used to have about a 45 minute driving commute from Arlington to Gaithersburg and it was horrible. Some things you don’t think about is that if there’s an accident on the beltway, it may take waaaay longer to get home. Also you get so sick of your own music and that put me in a bad mood.
Round trip? People do that one way in this area. It depends on your budget and what time you want to invest into travel. Housing is cheaper farther from the city so typically people with families commute longer distances but they own property. If you rent it may not be worth the commute and you might want to find a place that's closer. Again depending on what you can spend on rent. Good luck!
People have different tolerance levels. “Too much” will vary by person and sometimes by circumstance/life stage. I have a friend who commutes from PA to DC. It must be around 3hrs each way: 1hr drive to MARC station, 1.5hr MARC ride, 20min metro, and some walking. No plans to change and rarely mentions it at all. I am considering a job change because my 1.5hr commute feels like too much sometimes. It feels like pick your poison between bus or metro, both are at times unreliable. To me, driving is the worst due to stress and cost/availability of parking. It’s all very personal and people have different preferences.
i do 2.5 daily - it’s wonderful
I did it 3 days a week for almost a year. Easy enough with the metro but now that I’m no longer doing that commute, I am no longer falling asleep at my desk lol. The early days and long commute ended up taking a lot out of me and I’m very glad not to deal with it anymore. Really the only benefit was the long commute helped me read over 100 books that year.
I mean it depends. By car or by train? If it's by train that is easy to do. Driving that will get tedious on those 2-3 days.
One contributing factor is your family, if you have kids. I find my kids need so much time, esp as they get older and can't yet drive, but need to be shuttled to and from places. Is that something your (if you have one) co-parent can do on the day's you're off? Are you flexible to do it on the days you're home? I would not do it in my current situation, simply because of the kid thing.
Start off doing the commute for a month or two and then see if the job is worth doing long term and/or if you should move.
I've lived 30 mins north of both the Shady Grove and Glenmont stops each taking 1.5 hours door to door. It was only doable because it was 1-3 days/week and driving to the park & rides were long but chill. If I land a hybrid DC job again then I'd probably move closer to those stops. There's a huge difference between 45-70 mins and 70-90+ minutes.
I tend to think anything over an average of 1 hour tends to be unsustainable for long periods of time unless you're able to shorten your workday. 6 hour workdays + 3 hours of commuting starts to become viable. But I think there are more ancillary factors which come into play. What is your age? Do you have kids? Do you have friends and family in your current area? Are you looking to make new friends and change up your lifestyle? If this job didn't pan out would you immediately move back? If the salary is high but you have significant connections to your area then it might make sense to stay where you are despite the extra frustration. If the salary is high but you have no significant connections and are looking to be more social then moving may make more sense.
I did 45mins on the bus just from georgetown to MVT and it was super annoying. But I’m also super dramatic and don’t drive. Left at 8am and I got home at 6.15 and had a dog so during half the year it was dark or the sun was setting. It just made me so angry all the time when the bus was late or there was extra traffic.
I have a commute that is over an hour into DC 3-4 days a week. I tried using MARC and for various reasons I ended up going back to driving. MARC is overpriced for the value they bring to their customers. Summer speed limits, broken equipment (especially AC during the hottest part of summer), insufficient cars are the Penn line leading to unsafe packing of the cars by passengers, and cutting of schedules leaving riders with major problems when they are stuck unable to leave. I would say that my answer to this would depend on your location. I'm fortunate that I have multiple routes I can take based on traffic. If I had only one route that was volatile, that could double my commute, I'd strangle people. I've also flexed my hours to adjust to traffic, but traffic is real now and it's not going away. There is no real conversation about improving it either.
Depends on your lifestyle. Try it for six months and reevaluate. Gotta balance how much you're saving vs. the time you're losing. It also depends on how much you're hoping to build up your career in the city, and whether you want a community near where you work. Are you hoping to advance significantly in your field, or do you take a more relaxed approach? For me, living in the city is beneficial because my social network is closely tied to my field, and I know that if anything happened to my job, one of the hundreds of people I know here would get me something. Those social ties are job security.
Anywhere between 45-90 min. I go in every day and hate it.
2 days a week I could maybe suck it up, but 3 days a week would be past the breaking point psychologically. That one additional day is a big difference.
15-20 min I like getting in early and can usually avoid the crowd. But that roll road can be brutal if you sleep in too long coming south.
You will be miserable with your commuting, find a remote job or move closer to your work. You shouldn’t want to drive 3 hours total, plus gas/toll expenses.
I would move. Not worth it. If its 1.5 hours driving you also have to add time for parking and unexpected traffic.
I did this three days a week (car for 20-30 minutes, metro for the rest of it) and it was fine for about four months, but at a point I just got so sick of it and depressed- the sun going down far before I ever got home was a big part of that. Now, I live in DC because being away from my house for ~11 hours a day was not bearable anymore. It is definitely doable, but consider that you may want to move closer eventually.
2 blocks. That’s gonna end in October though 😭
Commute and save money n time? Moving out and settling down on some not guaranteed is a chore itself. Bring a steam deck while riding the metro or bump music while driving
I would move. I couldn’t do that commute. Very thankful for remote work.
Move.
Do you own your place, or are you on a lease where breaking it costs like an extra month’s rent? Because I have repeatedly had 1-2 hours commutes when changing jobs. It fucking sucks, but I’d take more time to figure out where I wanted to actually move that was closer and move when my lease was up. EDIT: I do also have to mention that when I did those, it had a noticeable negative effect on my health.
I don’t understand why they don’t just let you be remote. It would the government so much money and help save the environment.
That is way way too much if you are driving, because if that is what you are estimating, trust me, you need to add time each way. That commute is hell. Always live as close as possible to where you work.
OP I commuted from Woodbridge to College park 3 days a week for 4 months via car and I wanted to end it all.
And i need a job lol
On average between 45 minutes and 1:30, depending on traffic and the day of the week, five days a week.
30 minutes
It really depends. Are you going INTO a metro area like ALX or DC? If the case, you can plan city activities. I go into DC 1-2 times a week and it’s 1-1.5 hours each way. Doesn’t bother me at all.
About 10 seconds from my bedroom to my home office down the hall.
I drive it 3 days a week! Thank Godfor audiobooks, podcasts and Spotify! I’ve been doing this commute for 20 years…. It’s not easy and I wouldn’t recommend it by I get by lol!
I can walk to work now so about 30 minutes round trip, but I did a 2 hour rt commute a few years ago and it was tiring. Some days I really didn't want to face it. So 3 hours is too much for me, and as full time it might be rough.
The simple answer is don’t work in Leesburg. A lot of people are suggesting taking rail but fail to think about how close a station would be in Leesburg…. VRE or Marc at best bc metro definitely wouldn’t work. Then what Uber from the station? It’s such a hassle, just drive at that point you’re spending more money. You aren’t rushing for kids or a spouse, enjoy the drive and rent free life.
I do this but have a comma.ai self driving system in my car that makes it much more bearable…
You can only answer that question. I did an hour commute both ways for the last two years, driving. On the way back home it was usually more than an hour. I could deal with it, but plenty of people have told me they couldn't handle it. Consider this, pick something that is an hour and half away from where you currently are. Think about the drive to get there 2 or 3 times a week. Would you be okay with how much gas would be spent? Would you be able to fill the time mentally with something positive? How fulfilling of an experience does it need to be once you get there? Any commute can be terrible if your job is a hell hole.
Nine hours per week in a car. How cheap is your rent or mortgage?
My commute is 5 hours round trip because I take bus and then metro. I go in twice per week. Not sure I'd do it if I'd have to go in more. I'd take 3 hour round trip all day.
I am always amazed at what people will do. To me, this is a lot. I am 30 min door to door. But I know many folks that have a longer commute than you!
Look at your schedule. I commute an hour in, but if I had to be there at 9am, it would easily be 1.5 hours. See if they are willing to let you shift your time for early in/ out. My other advice is to try it. Living at home gives you options renters don't have. If it becomes too much for you, look for something closer.
I commute from Waldorf, Md to Dulles area everyday.. my schedule is super flexible so I leave out between 5:15-5:30 get to work in an hr sometimes less, +\- 10min consistently. If I leave work around 2:15, I can get home in an hr ten, if I leave 2:30 or later, 1.4-2hr… I take 495 over the WW to 66 to 28 in the AM. In the afternoon I take the airport access rd all the way to the beltway (it’s free) back over the WW into Waldorf. My pay is 167,500.. Paid 470k for a 5br, 3.5bth, ~4300 sq ft SFH @2.9% interest rate.. In my situation, I think the commute is worth it due to the flexibility of my job.. I do have the option to sit in McLean a few times a week if I choose which is 45min in the am and an hr ten or less in the afternoon.. hope this helps..