Every weekday 47% of the Fredericksburg Area’s population leave the cozy community and head out to work. Chances are good that you’re one of them, or at least know someone who is.
Fortunately, there are options for your commute. Many area residents are able to commute practically door-to-door, while others use a combination of transportation options to get where you need to go.
Driving
Many area commuters drive; Fredericksburg is centrally located to everything from Northern Virginia to Richmond. Get E-ZPass to use the HOV Lanes.
Washington, DC 60 miles, 1½-2½ hours
Richmond 60 miles, 1-1½ hours
Fort Belvoir 40 miles, 1-1¾ hour
Quantico 25 miles, ½-¾ hour
Dahlgren 30 miles, ½-1 hour
Carpools, Vanpools, and Buss
For organized ride-sharing (carpools and vanpools) in the area check out GWRideConnect. Additionally several private passenger vans and charter buses that run from nearby commuter lots. GWRideConnect keeps a database of people seeking rides from the Fredericksburg area as well as vanpool and bus line information. They’ll match you up with an existing pool or help you put together a new one. You’ll need to sign up.
Slug Lines
More than 6,500 people use the Slug Lines (DC’s informal carpooling system) on a daily basis. Passengers (slugs) form lines at designated places. When a driver stop at the line and shout the destination, the first people in line headed to the driver’s destination hop in the car. There’s no fee or signup required to participate, for drivers or passengers; drivers don’t have to pay tolls for the HOV lanes and slugs get a free ride—everyone benefits. Just get in line at the Gordon Road Commuter Lot. Slug-lines.com has a complete list of meeting places, times and social norms for the slug lines. You may also want to download the SmartSlug app.
Trains
Virginia Railway Express (VRE) provides commuter rail service from the Fredericksubrg Station on Lafayette Blvd. The VRE trains run Monday through Friday into Northern Virginia and Washington, terminating at Union Station. If you commute to Maryland, MARC is Maryland’s equivalent to the VRE. You can catch a MARC train at Union Station. MARC lines terminate at Frederick, Baltimore, Aberdeen, Perryville in Maryland and even go to Martinsburg, WV.
For extended trips, Amtrak’s Carolinian Line, Northeast Regional Line, and the Silver Meteor also stop at the Fredericksburg Station.
DC Metro
DC Metro is the light-rail train system that connects most major points in the Washington DC area. There are five lines: Blue, Green, Orange, Red and Yellow. The closest station to the Fredericksburg area is about 40 minutes north, at Franconia/Springfield, on the Blue line. For maps, schedules and fares, go to wmata.com.
Air Ports
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Richmond International Airport (RIC)
Shannon Airport (KEZF)
Local Transit
Fredericksburg Regional Transit (FRED) is the bus network with 20 local routes serving the Fredericksburg area (including Caroline, Spotsylvania and Stafford). FRED buses operate Monday through Friday, mostly from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
FRED offers morning and evening bus shuttle service for VRE train commuters from the Gordon Road commuter lot, and accommodates VRE schedules.
The FRED fare is $1. The VRE shuttle fare fee is $1.50. A monthly pass for regular service costs $40, and $50 for VRE riders. Children 3 and younger ride for free.