How to Get to Harpers Ferry: Day Trip from DC by Car, MARC or Amtrak

Harpers Ferry is an easy day trip from Washington, DC, and on weekdays you can even get there by train. Here is how far it is, what each way of getting there really involves as of November 2026, and two day-trip plans built around what is open right now.

Where is Harpers Ferry?

Harpers Ferry is in Jefferson County, West Virginia, at the spot where the Shenandoah River flows into the Potomac. It is not in Virginia or Maryland, though both are right there: from The Point in Lower Town you look out on Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia at once. The town sits on US 340, 20 miles from Frederick, Maryland, and 8 miles from Charles Town, West Virginia.

County, zip code, population, elevation and other quick facts are on our Harpers Ferry facts page.

How far is Harpers Ferry from DC, Baltimore and nearby cities?

Harpers Ferry is about 66 miles from Washington, DC, and about 82 miles from Baltimore. These are the NPS figures:

From	Distance	Drive time (NPS / ATC)	Route
Washington, DC (Reagan National)	About 66 mi	About 1 hr 30 min, non-rush	—
BWI Airport	—	About 1 hr 30 min, non-rush	I-70 W, then US 340 S
Dulles Airport	—	About 50 min	—
Baltimore	About 82 mi	About 1.5 hr (ATC)	I-70 W to Frederick, then US 340 S
Frederick, MD	20 mi	—	US 340 S
Charles Town, WV	8 mi	—	US 340 N

Coming from farther away, plan your route to US 340 and check a live traffic map for drive times.

How do you drive to Harpers Ferry?

Drive to US 340 and turn at the Harpers Ferry stoplight for the Visitor Center. From Frederick, take US 340 South and turn left at the light. From Charles Town, take US 340 North and turn right.

1. Enter the Visitor Center address: 171 Shoreline Drive, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425. The NPS warns that many navigation apps send drivers into town instead of to the park entrance.
2. Pay the entrance fee at the entrance station (card only) or buy ahead on Recreation.gov. As of November 2026 it is $20 per vehicle, good for three days.
3. Park in the Visitor Center lot (about 1,000 spaces) and ride the shuttle to Lower Town. Buses run every 10–15 minutes; the last bus is at 5:30pm in standard time.

Lot sizes, fees and shuttle details are on the parking, fees and shuttle guide.

Can you take the train to Harpers Ferry from DC?

Yes, on two services: MARC commuter trains on weekdays, and one Amtrak train a day in each direction. Harpers Ferry's station is in Lower Town, so you step off the train within walking distance of the main sights.

MARC Brunswick Line (weekdays only)

The MARC Brunswick Line runs between DC Union Station and Martinsburg, West Virginia, and stops at Harpers Ferry. As of November 2026, two things matter:

• It runs on weekdays only. There is no weekend service. Maryland's MARC growth plan puts Brunswick Line weekend service in a later phase, with no date.
• Only a few trains a day go through to Harpers Ferry. Most Brunswick Line trains end at Brunswick or Frederick, Maryland. Check that your train continues to Harpers Ferry and Martinsburg before you board.

Timetables change; check the MTA Brunswick Line timetable or call MARC at 1-866-743-3682.

Amtrak Floridian (once daily each way)

Harpers Ferry station (code HFY) is served once daily in each direction by Amtrak's Floridian, which runs Chicago–Washington–Miami. Amtrak "temporarily combined the Capitol Limited and Silver Star trains to create the Floridian." The Floridian began on November 10, 2024, because of tunnel work in New York, and as of November 2026 no end date has been announced.

Many websites, including the NPS directions page, still say the Capitol Limited stops here; that name is out of date. Reservations are required: book at amtrak.com or call 1-800-872-7245. With just one train each way per day, check the timetable before planning a same-day round trip.

Can you bike to Harpers Ferry on the C&O Canal towpath?

You can ride the towpath to the Maryland bank opposite town, but as of November 2026 you cannot cross into Lower Town by bike because the footbridge is closed. The C&O Canal towpath runs 184.5 miles from Georgetown in DC (mile 0) to Cumberland, Maryland. Harpers Ferry is at about mile 60.7, by Lock 33. Linked with the Great Allegheny Passage, the route from Pittsburgh to DC is 334.5 miles.

Inside Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, bikes are allowed only on roads open to cars, not on trails, and the downhill lane of Shoreline Drive is closed to bikes. The park shuttle from the Visitor Center carries bikes. C&O cyclists can get a permit to park overnight in the Visitor Center lot for up to 14 days.

Rentals, mileages to Brunswick, Shepherdstown and DC, and MARC bike rules are in our C&O Canal biking guide.

Is Harpers Ferry a good day trip from DC?

Yes. It is about an hour and a half away by car, Lower Town is compact and walkable, and you can see the main sights in half a day. The catch, as of November 2026, is the closed footbridge: Maryland Heights, the most famous hike, now takes extra planning via the Lock 34 shuttle. Four Lower Town museums are also temporarily closed. Check current conditions the week you go.

Once you're here, follow our one-day Harpers Ferry itinerary. Turning it into a two-day trip? Our day trips near Harpers Ferry page lists what's within about 20 miles.

Sample day trip by car

This plan uses only the current park schedule (standard time, as of November 2026). Swap stops to suit you.

1. Morning: drive out and park at the Visitor Center. The Visitor Center and Lower Town museums open at 9am, and so does the first shuttle.
2. Take the shuttle to Lower Town. Start at The Point to see the rivers meet and look out on three states.
3. John Brown's Fort and the open museums. John Brown's Fort, the John Brown Museum, Allies for Freedom, A Place in Time and the Boarding House are open as of November 2026. Pick up a map at A Place in Time, since the Lower Town Information Center is not staffed.
4. Lunch in town. Lower Town has cafés and pubs on High and Potomac streets; see where to eat.
5. Climb to Jefferson Rock. Take the stone steps on High Street past St. Peter's Church. You can look, but climbing on the rock is not allowed.
6. Afternoon option: Bolivar Heights or the ATC visitor center. Bolivar Heights is an easy-to-moderate overlook walk (lot on Whitman Avenue, 8 spaces). The Appalachian Trail Conservancy visitor center at 799 Washington Street is open Thursday to Monday, 9am–5pm, and Tuesday–Wednesday, 10am–4pm.
7. Catch the shuttle back by 5:30pm. That is the last bus in standard time. Trails and lots close 30 minutes after sunset.

Sample day trip without a car (weekdays only)

This only works Monday to Friday, on a MARC train that runs through to Harpers Ferry, or on the Amtrak Floridian if its timetable suits a round trip.

1. Check the timetable the night before. Confirm a morning MARC train that continues past Brunswick to Harpers Ferry, and an afternoon train back. Buy your $10 park pass on Recreation.gov.
2. Arrive in Lower Town. The station is in Lower Town, so you walk straight to The Point and John Brown's Fort.
3. Walk the historic streets. Follow steps 3–5 of the car plan: museums, lunch, Jefferson Rock.
4. Walk up to Washington Street for the ATC visitor center, or stay low and explore more of Lower Town.
5. Be back at the station early for your train home. With only a few trains a day, missing one can mean a long wait.

Should you make it a weekend instead?

If you want Maryland Heights, a river trip or the longer trails as well as Lower Town, a single day gets tight. Staying overnight lets you leave the car parked and start early. See where to stay in Harpers Ferry, and for the bigger picture, plan your visit.