On my recent trip to Machu Picchu Peru, our longhaul flights to Lima both departed and returned from Washington DC (Dulles / IAD). On our way TO Peru, our connecting flight from Cleveland to Washington was on United and flew into Dulles as well, so there was no problem connecting to our LAN flight to Lima (other than the 5 hour delay!). On the way back from Peru, our connecting flight back to Cleveland was on American Airlines and departed from Washington National Airport (DCA), so we needed to know how to get from IAD to DCA.
How to get from IAD to DCA – car, taxi or Uber
You can get from IAD to DCA by taxi or Uber of course, but depending on traffic, you’re going to be either paying an arm and a leg… or TWO arms and TWO legs :-). How far is it from IAD to DCA? About 28 miles – see map below
Map copyright OpenStreetMap contributors
It will take you about 45-60 minutes if there’s no traffic (and there’s almost NEVER no traffic). How much will it cost to get from IAD to DCA? A taxi will run you $75-100, and Uber will cost anywhere from $50 to $75 (depending on traffic and surge pricing.
If you do want to take a taxi, you can generally get better rates if you book it through a service like Carmel Limo — plus you can save $4 off using this link.
There are a variety of airport shuttles as well which will cost about the same amount to get from Dulles to Washington DC. You can check out GO Airport Shuttle, and use coupon code GOWEB to save $5 off your ride anywhere between IAD, DCA, BWI and points downtown.
The cheapest and best way to get from IAD to DCA (or downtown Washington)
My preferred way to get from IAD to DCA and what I think is the best way to get from IAD to DCA is taking public transport. Washington DC has a fairly robust transit system (Metro) and both Dulles Airport and Washington National / DCA are directly accessible from the Metro on either the blue or yellow line (see map below)
When I first wrote this guide back in 2017 the Silver Line did not go all the way to Dulles but thankfully it now does. So going from IAD to DCA or from IAD to Washington DC can be done fairly easily and inexpensively using the Metro.
Using the Silver Line to get from Dulles to Washington DC
Up until a few years ago, the Silver Line ended at the Wiehle-Reston East stop. However now the Silver Line extends out to Dulles Airport (and a few stops further), which makes it super easy to use the Silver line to get from Dulles Airport to Washington DC, DCA or anywhere in the area.
After you head towards baggage claim, just follow the signs for the Metro station
It is about a 10 minute walk out to the Dulles Airport Metro station.
Cost varies on where and when you’re going, but should be between $2 and $6. My off-peak ticket to the Smithsonian station cost $3.85. When you get up to the train platform for the Silver Line from IAD to DCA or from Dulles Airport to Washington DC, you’ll want to get on the “Largo Town Center” side to head into Washington DC. Then at Rosslyn, you’ll transfer over to the Blue Line if you’re heading to DCA. If you’re just heading into Washington, you can take whichever stop is most convenient for you. For us, going to the Washington Monument, we stayed on the Silver Line and got off at the Smithsonian station.
The Bottom Line
The total trip from IAD to DCA should take you about 50 minutes. If you’re traveling off-peak with no traffic, a car ride will definitely take less time, but if you’re traveling during rush hour or peak travel times, taking the Silver Line is likely to be SIGNIFICANTLY faster (and cheaper!) to get from IAD to Washington DC
Readers – any other tips on how to get from IAD to DCA or Washington DC?
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You can also take bus 5A from Dulles curbside to Rosslyn and then transfer to the blue line.
5A one seat “express” bus with stops at Lenfant plaza, Rosslyn, Herdon Park and Ride, and IAD.
Just don’t see the Silver Line to Dulles completed too soon. WMATA is a fiscal joke and earlier in the year, there was news the Metro would curtail it late night hours. Numerous service workers would then need to find alternate transportation. Still Metro is probably the best American system that I have used.
Yeah I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one either 😉
Shouldn’t you go towards Largo? Ash burn is further away from DC
Correct. I live on the Silver Line and the concept of it taking 50 minutes from IAD – DCA via Metro is, unfortunately, laughable.
2 times I’ve made it Eastern Market to IAD and 2x back in about an hour and 10 minutes Totally safer than vechicles IMO
I love it!
Yes – you are right of course. I kept finding myself checking this while I was there and even thought I double checked this when writing the post, but obviously you are correct. I have updated the post. It’s funny because to a local, this is obvious whereas to an out-of-towner like me, both “Largo” and “Ashburn” are just 2 random names with no meaning 🙂
For IAD-DCA, you want to take the Silver Line (toward Largo Town Center) to Rosslyn. Then transfer to the Blue Line toward Franconia-Springfield. You should budget at least 1:15 for the trip. I recently made DCA-IAD in about an hour, but I was lucky. The train was pulling into the station right when I got to the platform, and I waited for 1 minute for the transfer in Rosslyn.
Sounds ok. easy to do. Sure wish NYC-LGA had the same.
Remove the reference to “Silver Line Express.”. (That was the Dulles airport bus to the end of the Silver Line before the extension opened to-and-beyond Dulles Airport in November 2022.)
Thanks – missed that one when I was rewriting / updating it in 2023 with the new train information
I just wanted so say thank you for the post! That helped us a lot!!
We came in at IAD, but the rental car was only available at DCA. So we took the Metro, $16 for both of us together 🙂
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I’m so glad this was able to help you! Safe travels.