Ballpark Bus: Clyde’s in Ashburn All Season, Reston Coming

Planning to head downtown for a Washington Nationals game this season? Let Clyde’s and Ballpark Bus complete the day.

Last year, Ballpark Bus launched its service for a selection of Nationals games, depending on advance sign ups. This season the bus will operate out of Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm during every weekend and holiday game for the 2013 season, starting with opening day April 1.

"We were really asking a lot of our passengers to sign up before service was guaranteed," founding partner Brian Bowman, of Ashburn, explained in a recent release from the group. "It was painful but necessary at the time. We are very grateful to everyone that took a chance on us last year, and are incredibly proud that we can now offer this service in the manner is was intended."

Patch introduced Ballpark Bus to the regional last year, and after baseball season, it expanded to the Washington Redskins.

This year’s baseball service will start the season operating exclusively out of Clyde's Willow Creek Farm, but plans are underway to add the Clyde's at Reston Town Center.

"Once we settled on Clyde's Willow Creek Farm as our primary location last year, things really came into focus for us," Bowman said about the partnership in the release.

While in the past, the service attempted to operate out of multiple locations with the minimum-passenger requirement, this year that’s been scaled back.

"We plan on establishing locations all around the DC Metro Area,” Bowman explained, “but need to build a strong ridership at each location before moving onto the next one."

With solid turnouts for the Nationals' playoff run, along with six sold-out buses to the final four Redskins' games, Bowman said Ballpark Bus is poised for expansion.

"We have less than 10 seats left on our bus to Opening Day,” he said in the March 25 release. “We'll send two if the opportunity presents itself."

Round-trip charter bus service to Nationals Park costs available for $24 (game tickets are NOT included). Trips to the April 27 NASCAR race in Richmond, as well as the May 25 Kenny Chesney concert at FedEx Field, also are on sale. Passengers may bring food and beverages on board, including alcohol (for those of age).

As for Reston, Bowman said May is the tentative target.

"We'll evaluate Ashburn throughout April to see where we're at,” he said. “If things go well, we're looking at Saturday, May 11, against the Cubs as a launch date for Reston. We'll then quickly transition into weekday games from there, given all the corporate offices in and around Reston Town Center."

To purchase seats and to learn more, visit www.BallparkBus.com.