Alternative options to get home from Nationals Park for Game 5

WASHINGTON - With Metro saying that it will not open late to accommodate Nationals fans attending Game 5 of the NLDS Thursday night, those attending the game at Nationals Park may have to find other options in order to get home.

First pitch for Thursday night's winner-take-all Game 5 against the Dodgers is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. The shortest amount of time it has taken to complete a game so far this series has been 3 hours and 44 minutes in Game 4. The longest game this series took 4 hours and 12 minutes, an 8-3 Nationals win in Game 3. So it appears likely that this upcoming game will go past Metro's midnight weekday closing.

Unless you are planning to leave the game early to catch a Metro train, here are some alternative transportation options:

Driving and parking

If you want to buy a parking pass directly from the Nationals, you are out of luck. Parking passes for this game are sold out. But you can reserve a parking space at lots or garages around Nationals Park through online parking services such as Parking Panda, SpotHero and ParkWhiz.

Uber and Lyft

Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft are also options for fans to get home. On the Nationals' website, the team advises, "Please do not ask to be picked up or dropped off on South Capitol Street. This is a busy highway, and stopping there is dangerous."

Taxicabs

Nationals Park has a taxicab stand located on the north side of M Street between South Capitol Street and Half Street. The stand starts operating about two hours after the first pitch and will remain open until a half hour after the game ends.

Ridesharing

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments' Commuter Connections program has recently launched a rideshare app called CarpoolNow that can connect users offering a ride for those who need one. Unlike Uber and Lyft, there is no cost to the driver and passenger to use the app.

Nationals fans are also attempting to connect with each other in order to carpool together or find alternate rides through the hashtag #NatsRide on social media.

DC Circulator

DC Circulator bus service will operate until 1 a.m. for Game 5. The stop for the bus service is located outside the Navy Yard Metro Station on M Street and New Jersey Avenue. The Union Station-Navy Yard Metro route will connect passengers between the Navy Yard, Eastern Market and Union Station Metro stops.

Capital Bikeshare

There are four Capital Bikeshare bike docks around Nationals Park and are each located within a 10-minute walk of the ballpark:

- 1st Street & N Street SE
- 1st Street & K Street SE
- 3rd & Tingey Street SE
- M Street & New Jersey Avenue SE

Game day Corral Service will be offered at the 1st Street and N Street station (across from the Bike Valet) one hour before games begin and will last until 30 minutes after the game ends. Check Spotcycle for the most up-to-date bike and dock information.

Water Taxi

Potomac Riverboat offers boat rides from Old Town Alexandria to the ballpark and back. To book a reservation, go to www.potomacriverboatco.com/water-taxi/baseball-boat