There are 9 ways to get from Chicago to Smithsonian Institution 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 41m$134–708Fly Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, train, subway
cheapest- 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 New Carrollton Amtrak Stationtrain
- Take the subway from New Carrollton, Orange Line Center Platform to Smithsonian, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platformsubway
5h 16m$92–468Bus (Greyhound)
- Take the bus from Chicago Bus Station to Washington Union Stationbus Greyhound US0164
17h 3m$110–220Train (Amtrak)
- Take the train from Chicago Union Station to Rockville Amtraktrain Floridian
17h 29m$249–497Drive 688.6 mi
- Drive from Chicago to Smithsonian Institutioncar 688.6 mi
11h 59m$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
4h 2m$124–858Fly 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 Smithsonian, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 1 Platformsubway
4h 46m$184–908Subway to Chicago Midway International Airport, fly to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, train, subway
- Take the subway from Adams/Wabash to Midwaysubway
- Fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI)plane MDW - BWI
- Take the train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to New Carrollton Amtrak Stationtrain
- Take the subway from New Carrollton, Orange Line Center Platform to Smithsonian, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platformsubway
4h 46m$126–318Train 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
5h 9m$462–1,173
Chicago to Smithsonian Institution by train, subway, and foot (Amtrak)
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Chicago to Smithsonian Institution is to bus which costs $110 - $220 and takes 17h 3m.
The fastest way to get from Chicago to Smithsonian Institution is to fly which takes 3h 41m and costs $130 - $750.
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 35m.
No, there is no direct train from Chicago station to Smithsonian Institution. However, there are services departing from Chicago Union Station and arriving at Metro Center, Red Line Track 1 Platform via Rockville, Red Line Center Platform. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 17h 29m.
The distance between Chicago and Smithsonian Institution is 618 miles. The road distance is 692.6 miles.
The best way to get from Chicago to Smithsonian Institution without a car is to bus which takes 17h 3m and costs $110 - $220.
It takes approximately 3h 41m to get from Chicago to Smithsonian Institution, including transfers.
Chicago to Smithsonian Institution bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from Chicago Bus Station.
Chicago to Smithsonian Institution train services, operated by Amtrak, depart from Chicago Union Station.
The best way to get from Chicago to Smithsonian Institution is to fly which takes 3h 41m and costs $130 - $750. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $110 - $220 and takes 17h 3m, you could also train, which costs $240 - $500 and takes 17h 29m.
What companies run services between Chicago, IL, USA and Smithsonian Institution, DC, USA?
Southwest Airlines and Delta fly from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) every 4 hours. Alternatively, Greyhound USA operates a bus from Chicago Bus Station to Washington Union Station twice daily. Tickets cost $110–220 and the journey takes 16h 35m.
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–700
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Columbus
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 55m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $130–700
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport via General Mitchell International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 30m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $120–650
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport via Cleveland
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 10m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–600
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport via Columbus
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 25m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $110–600
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–800
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Chicago Midway International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 6m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $150–800
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Nashville
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 20m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $210–1,000
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via St. Louis
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–950
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–550
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 4m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–350
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via Cleveland
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 33m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–350
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via State College
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $70–360
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via South Bend
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $65–350
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport via Pittsburgh
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 44m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $65–350
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 12m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–450
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–800
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 3m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $100–550
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $85–450
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 12m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–800
Flights from General Mitchell International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Chicago O'Hare International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $150–800
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport via Detroit
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 18m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–700
- Website
- flyfrontier.com
Flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Baltimore-Washington International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 7m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–490
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from Chicago Union Station to Rockville Amtrak
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 41m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $240–500
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to New Carrollton Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $6–14
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to New Carrollton Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $6–14
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Chicago Union Station to Milwaukee
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 29m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $27–60
- 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 Smithsonian, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 1 Platform
- Ave. Duration
- 51 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–3
- Website
- https://www.wmata.com
- standard fare after 9:30 p.m
- $2–3
Subway from New Carrollton, Orange Line Center Platform to Smithsonian, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platform
- Ave. Duration
- 24 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–3
- Website
- https://www.wmata.com
- standard fare after 9:30 p.m
- $2–3
Subway from New Carrollton, Orange Line Center Platform to Smithsonian, Blue/Orange/Silver Line Track 2 Platform
- Ave. Duration
- 24 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–3
- Website
- https://www.wmata.com
- standard fare after 9:30 p.m
- $2–3
- Phone
- +1 888-968-7282
- Website
- transitchicago.com
Subway from Adams/Wabash to Midway
- Ave. Duration
- 23 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $2–5
- Website
- https://www.transitchicago.com
- Schedules at
- https://www.transitchicago.com/schedules/
- Adult
- $2–5
- Phone
- 1-866-743-3682
- Website
- mta.maryland.gov
Train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to New Carrollton Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $2–8
- Website
- https://www.mta.maryland.gov
- Standard Fare
- $2–8
Train from BWI Thurgood Marshall to New Carrollton Amtrak Station
- Ave. Duration
- 26 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $2–8
- Website
- https://www.mta.maryland.gov
- Standard Fare
- $2–8
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from Chicago Bus Station to Washington Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 35m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $110–220
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
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More Questions & Answers
Chicago to Smithsonian Institution bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Washington Union Station.
Smithsonian Institution is 1h ahead of Chicago. It is currently 10:59 AM in Chicago and 11:59 AM in Smithsonian Institution.
Chicago to Smithsonian Institution train services, operated by Amtrak, arrive at Rockville Amtrak station.
Yes, the driving distance between Chicago to Smithsonian Institution is 693 miles. It takes approximately 11h 59m to drive from Chicago to Smithsonian Institution.
There are 1406+ hotels available in Smithsonian Institution.

















