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Meet Frank. Better known by his full name of Francis Scott Key, he is a long time resident of Maryland. A lawyer by trade, Frank considers himself to be a fair poet and a patriot. When not working pro bono cases for prisoner releases he can be found eating Bertha's Mussels, enjoying a dark -n- stormy, or rooting for his beloved Ravens in section 115.

Frank generously volunteers his time on discover Baltimore to answer people's questions about all things Baltimore. He answers all appropriate questions via email and our editors select certain ones to be featured in this column. If you have a question you'd like frank to answer drop him a line!

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How far is Baltimore from Washington, DC?

-Susan M.

Hello Susan. Baltimore and Washington DC are very close to each other. So close that they are often reported as being the same metropolitan area in various census and demographic reports. It is not uncommon for people to work in DC where salaries are higher and live in Baltimore where housing is more affordable. From downtown Baltimore to The National Mall in DC it is about 38 miles. Popular routes are I -95 and MD-295, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.

But traveler beware! The Baltimore Washington DC corridor is one of the most congested auto routes in the nation. What normally should be less than an hour drive can take up to three hours or more during peak rush hour times. Peak times are from 6:00am to 10:00am and from 3:00pm to 6:30pm Monday through Friday. It is highly recommended to avoid traveling by car between the two cities during rush hours. However, sometimes you have no choice but to join in the melee. For those unfortunate road warriors the State of Maryland provides some handy online tools to keep you up to date with the latest traffic conditions. The CHART traffic cameras provide real time video of key sections of Maryland highways, including the DC corridor and the Capital Beltway. Other vital travel information is also available on the state's web site including accident reports, weather conditions, and lane closures. Before making the trip be sure to check out the CHART system.

An alternative form of travel called the MARC train is available for transportation between DC and Baltimore. It is the recommended way to get from one city to the other during the weekdays. The Maryland Department of Transportation subsidizes this low cost train service between Union Station near the Mall in Washington DC and Penn Station in Baltimore's Mount Vernon neighborhood (Penn Line) or Camden Yards in downtown Baltimore (Camden Line). A regular one way fare is only $7.00 and will get you from one city to the other in under an hour. For regular commuters monthly and weekly passes are available. There are additional stops along the way and other MARC train lines that the state operates. Please see the MARC train website for more information on fares, schedules, and station maps.

Ah the wonders of the modern world. In my day the trip between DC and Baltimore would take an entire day using a good team of horses. With just an hour of time separating the two it must be wonderful to experience the best of both cities on a regular basis. Thanks for your question Susan.

Best Regards,
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