There are 9 ways to get from Chicago to Washington by plane, bus (Greyhound), train (Amtrak), car, subway, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
best- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)plane MDW - DCA
3h 16m$162–955Bus (Greyhound)
cheapest- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to Washington Union Stationbus Greyhound US0164
16h 30m$70–170Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Washington Union Stationtrain Floridian / ...
17h 25m$95–360Drive 687.4 mi
- Drive from Chicago to Washingtoncar 687.4 mi
11h 57m$126–182Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)plane ORD - DCA
3h 37m$122–755Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport, subway
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)plane ORD - IAD
- Take the subway from Washington Dulles International Airport, Silver Line Center Platform to Farragut West, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 1 Platformsubway
4h 36m$154–763Fly Chicago Midway International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, train
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)plane MDW - BWI
- Take the train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to Washington Union Stationtrain
4h 12m$84–1,017Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, train
- Fly from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)plane ORD - BWI
- Take the train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to Washington Union Stationtrain
4h 41m$84–897Train to General Mitchell International Airport, fly to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Milwaukeetrain
- Fly from General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)plane MKE - DCA
4h 53m$254–1,418
Chicago to Washington by bus (Greyhound)
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Chicago to Washington is to bus which costs $70 - $170 and takes 16h 30m.
The fastest way to get from Chicago to Washington is to fly which takes 3h 16m and costs $160 - $1,000.
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Chicago Bus Station station and arriving at Washington Union Station station. Services depart twice daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 16h 30m.
Yes, there is a direct train departing from Chicago Union Station station and arriving at Washington Union Station station. Services depart once daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 17h 25m.
The distance between Chicago and Washington is 612 miles. The road distance is 691.5 miles.
The best way to get from Chicago to Washington without a car is to bus which takes 16h 30m and costs $70 - $170.
It takes approximately 3h 16m to get from Chicago to Washington, including transfers.
Chicago to Washington bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from Chicago Bus Station.
Chicago to Washington train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Chicago Union Station.
The best way to get from Chicago to Washington is to fly which takes 3h 16m and costs $160 - $1,000. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $70 - $170 and takes 16h 30m, you could also train, which costs $95 - $360 and takes 17h 25m.
What companies run services between Chicago, IL, USA and Washington, DC, USA?
Southwest Airlines and Delta fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) every 3 hours. Alternatively, Greyhound USA operates a bus from Chicago Bus Station to Washington Union Station twice daily. Tickets cost $70–170 and the journey takes 16h 30m.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–750
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 58m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–380
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via State College
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $70–390
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via Cleveland
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–380
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via Morgantown
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–380
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via Columbus
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 29m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–380
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via Pittsburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–380
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 6m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $60–340
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,400
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 49m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–950
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Columbus
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 35m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–950
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $80–460
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–1,300
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Nashville
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 23m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,600
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 57m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–750
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Columbus
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $120–750
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 58m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $60–340
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 13m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–1,300
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,400
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 59m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–1,000
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport via Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 51m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $80–460
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 23m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–1,300
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $60–340
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Chicago Union Station to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 25m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $95–360
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $5–60
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Chicago Union Station to Milwaukee
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 29m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $22–40
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 202 466 3876
- Website
- wmata.com
Subway from Washington Dulles International Airport, Silver Line Center Platform to Farragut West, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 1 Platform
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–8
- Website
- https://www.wmata.com
- standard fare after 9:30 p.m
- $2–3
- standard fare 5 a.m - 9:30 p.m.
- $5–8
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak Northeast Regional
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 31 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $4–200
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home
- Schedules at
- https://www.amtrak.com/northeast-regional-train
- Coach
- $4–200
- Business Class
- $45–230
- Phone
- 1-866-743-3682
- Website
- mta.maryland.gov
Train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $2–9
- Website
- https://www.mta.maryland.gov
- Standard Fare
- $2–9
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak Acela
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 24 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $6–550
- Schedules at
- https://www.amtrak.com/acela-train
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Business Class
- $6–440
- First Class
- $100–550
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Chicago Bus Station to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $70–170
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
Want to know more about travelling around United States
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More Questions & Answers
Chicago to Washington bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Washington Union Station.
Washington is 1h ahead of Chicago. It is currently 2:32 AM in Chicago and 3:32 AM in Washington.
Chicago to Washington train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Washington Union Station.
Yes, the driving distance between Chicago to Washington is 691 miles. It takes approximately 11h 57m to drive from Chicago to Washington.
Book your Chicago to Washington train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Chicago to Washington bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
There are 1255+ hotels available in Washington.














