Taking the train from Washington DC’s Union Station to Charlottesville Virginia is the most pleasant way of getting there, given the alternative of traveling along Northern Virginia’s traffic-clogged roads. The train leaves Union Station and plunges into darkness to go beneath the city, to emerge into the sunlight a few minutes later with (in spring) a wonderful view of the cherry trees making a pink circle around the tidal basin by the Jefferson Memorial. Around three hours later the train rolls to a stop in Charlottesville.
The Amtrak Station in Charlottesville VA
The train station is well situated in Charlottesville, being between the University of Virginia (to the west) and the old downtown of Charlottesville (to the east). The train station doubles as a Greyhound bus station, so waiting for a bus is no hardship: It is clean and well kept, and there are flowers in pots on the windowsills.
Traveling by Greyhound Bus
Many people take Greyhound buses to cut costs, and first-timers often do so with a certain amount of trepidation. But Greyhound does try to provide clean buses that arrive on time. In the event that a bus is not stopping at a Greyhound station, the driver gets off the bus to announce the destination to the waiting passengers. Some of the routes the Greyhound bus travels along bring unexpected pleasures. For example, the trip between Charlottesville VA and Fredericksburg VA passes along charming country roads that show off the beautiful Virginia countryside to perfection.
The People Who Take a Greyhound Bus
Is traveling by Greyhound bus a dubious form of travel? It depends. On any given day, a wide variety of people from all walks of life can be found riding the bus. A traveler may find his or herself seated beside a teacher preparing a lesson on her laptop, a university-aged tourist eager to see the sights of Washington, or a woman and child. In other words, it is safe, clean, and full of interesting people living their lives.
