Union Station Parking: $24 Per Day - Lost Tickets are $24

[DonRocks]

This tweet pretty much says it all.

It's $24 to park at Union Station for 12-24 hours, and there's no validation for Amtrak. If you park for a partial day, there isn't much relief, as 2-12 hours will set you back $20.

The official web page with current rates is here.

If you take a weekend trip to New York or Philadelphia (or wherever), leaving Friday afternoon, and returning Sunday evening, you're going to be shelling out a whopping $68 for parking (*)

Depending on where you live, taking Uber or a taxi will be both cheaper and easier.

Remember this post is here - it could save you a lot of money in the future.

(*) Please note that the website says, "Lost Ticket (flat rate) $24.00," so if you're gone for longer than a day, make sure not to lose your ticket, or you'll be costing the parking garage a lot of money.

[bookluvingbabe]

I have started taking Amtrak out of BWI instead of Union Station because of the parking.  It isn't a solution for people in Virginia but if you live in Maryland, it may make sense for you.

[DonRocks]

I have started taking Amtrak out of BWI instead of Union Station because of the parking.  It isn't a solution for people in Virginia but if you live in Maryland, it may make sense for you.

Are you talking about *this* station?

When I lived in Maryland, it was New Carrollton 100% of the time, and even when I had easy access to the American Legion Bridge, it would often be New Carrollton.

[bookluvingbabe]

Yes. New Carrollton no longer has overnight parking otherwise I'd be all over it.

Are you talking about *this* station?
 
When I lived in Maryland, it was New Carrollton 100% of the time, and even when I had easy access to the American Legion Bridge, it would often be New Carrollton.

[DonRocks]

I have started taking Amtrak out of BWI instead of Union Station because of the parking.  It isn't a solution for people in Virginia but if you live in Maryland, it may make sense for you.

You know what? After making a subtle (perhaps too subtle) joke about losing your parking tickets at Union Station, I honestly, truly *did* lose mine when coming back after a three-day trip to NYC - later that night, I found the ticket clinging to the passenger's side of that little "hump" in the middle of the car.

Anyway, the upshot is that I paid $24 - one full day - even though I was gone for 3 days. There were no questions asked; I simply said "I've had a lousy afternoon (which was true - I left my iPhone in a taxi), and losing my parking ticket is the least of my problems right now." The gentleman didn't ask me how long I was gone; he merely billed me $24.

I'm not advocating dishonesty; merely saying that if you're gone for a week, you can avoid a $168 parking charge by losing your ticket. Do whatever makes you sleep at night.

[funkyfood]

I'm not advocating dishonesty; merely saying that if you're gone for a week, you can avoid a $168 parking charge by losing your ticket. Do whatever makes you sleep at night.

Shouldn't the message be: "Yes, you could save a lot of money by doing this, but doing so would be illegal and unethical."?

[DonRocks]

Shouldn't the message be: "Yes, you could save a lot of money by doing this, but doing so would be illegal and unethical."?

Absolutely not. People here are adults, and it's not for me to tell them what to do - I simply reported the facts as they happened, and I really *did* lose my ticket (which is not illegal or unethical).

I also don't see the parking garage losing any sleep by charging people $24 instead of $3 when they misplace a 30-minute validated ticket.

Valet parking, by the way, is $15 per *visit*, not per day, so I cost myself an extra $9 by not using it. Knowing this now, I advise all multi-day Amtrak travelers to valet park their cars - just be aware that they're closed from 1 AM until 5 AM. See the post directly below.

And to top off the story, a Good Samaritan found my iPhone and shipped it back to me.

NB - Ironically, I had forgotten that I'd started this thread earlier.

[DaRiv18]

Under "How to Pickup for Valet Parking" section, it says for you to "pay for the parking and valet fee", so I think it is a separate thing.  Glad to hear you got your iPhone back, that happened to me a couple months ago.