Travel Info
There are many travel options for getting to the DC metro area but limited public transit options that'll get you the last 60 to 90 miles to Claymont. Having a ride is your best bet, and the organizers and jammers try to help coordinate shared rides if you can't arrange one. Here is info about routes to get there and leads on public transit.
It's terrific to concentrate on dancing and relaxing at a remote retreat but getting there can be a trick. Below is info about DC-area transportation that'll get you closer to the jam.
Public ground transportation from the DC metro area to nearby Claymont is limited. For those needing rides, we do what we can to spread the word among registered jammers, to help find opportunities - contact the jam organizers for coordination help.
Claymont Addresses
There are two main addresses:
Claymont Court Mansion:
A Georgian-style mansion where we reside during the jam. It's the place to arrive, and where we eat and sleep.
Claymont Mansion Rd,
Charles Town, WV 25414
Claymont Society School and Dance Barn:
The main dance space - a little more than 1/2 mile from the mansion, through Claymont fields and farmland via dirt and gravel roads.
667 Huyett Rd
Charles Town, WV 25414
(When on the estate, here's how to get from the mansion to the dance barn: Mansion to Dance Barn Walking Map.)
DC Metro Area Airports
Of the three DC metropolitan-area airports, Dulles (IAD) and Reagan National (DCA) are preferable option. They're nearer to the jam and along the travel routes of more driving jammers. Please aim for one of those two and aim to be at the airport between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm on the first day of the jam, if possible. We will try to coordinate car-pools from the airport but depend on jammers who are travelling around the right time, so finding suitable flights is crucial.
If you are attempting to get closer to Claymont by public transportation, you will need to travel to Washington DC Union Station, where you can catch a regional train to Harpers Ferry, WV (see below).
Reagan National Airport (DCA)
National is near DC center, and around 1.5 hours from Claymont Court by car. It's connected via a local Metro train ride to DC Union Station.Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Dulles is around an hour to an hour and a half from Claymont Court, quite convenient for pickup by jammers driving from northern Virginia. However, there is no direct public transportation to Claymont from there.Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI)
BWI is around two hours from Claymont Court. The airport is connected by rail (Amtrak and MARC Penn Line) to Union Station. As mentioned above, the other two airports are better choices for coordinating rides from the airport to the jam (and back).
Train from DC to near Claymont – Harpers Ferry, W VA
Confirm this info ahead of time! It may have changed since we last checked.
Two agencies run inexpensive (< $15 one-way) train service from DC Union Station to Harpers Ferry, WV, which is around 12 miles from Claymont. We may be able to arrange for pick-ups from the station, though we'd prefer to have jammers arrange ride-shares.
MTA Maryland MARC Train, Brunswick Line
The Brunswick Line of the MARC Train service runs weekdays only. Three departures in the late afternoon and early evening, starting around 4:25 pm, serve Harpers Ferry. The trip takes about 1 hour 40 minutes.Amtrak Capitol Limited
This long-distance train between DC and Chicago also stops at Harpers Ferry. The train leaving DC (in the ticket finder, From=WAS) daily at 4:05pm arrives in Harpers Ferry (To=HFY) at 5:16pm - run the finder on the Amtrak Capitol Limited page to make sure the schedule hasn't changed.
Arranging return-to-DC rides for after the jam is generally easy during the group gatherings in the last few days of the jam, when people are immediately present and plans are clear. As far as public transit, the only return trip from Harpers Ferry to DC on Sunday, last day of the jam, is the Amtrak train around 11:30am. (The schedule is not the most reliable because the train is at the end of a long overnight run).
MARC and Amtrak tickets must be purchased from a vending machine in Union Station. A penalty fare is charged if you board the train without a ticket.
Travel from Harpers Ferry to Claymont - the last stage
Jammers have used Uber or Lyft to get from the train station in Harpers Ferry to Claymont, but with mixed results. That may be improving over time.
There's local transit between Harpers Ferry and Charles Town provided by the Eastern Panhandle Transit Authority. The Orange Line bus serves Harpers Ferry at infrequent intervals. The 7:30pm departure is the only convenient connection with a train.
Here's a google map of the route from the Harpers Ferry Amtrak stop to the Claymont mansion.
Please let us know well in advance if you plan to travel to Harpers Ferry via train; it may be possible for us to help coordinate a ride.
Traveling from DC by Bicycle
An attractive bicycle path along the Potomac River covers most of the journey between DC and Claymont. Use Google Maps for directions. Warning: the ride is 75 miles long and takes at least a full day for a well-conditioned rider! Make sure you set out early in the morning and arrive by nightfall. It's not easy to find Claymont in the dark if you are not familiar with the area.
Overnight Accommodations in DC
If you're seeking overnight accommodations in DC for a day or two before or after the jam, contact the organizers for leads and also consider arranging inexpensive accommodations for yourself at places like Hostelling International, and of course AirBNB and the like.