Navigating the Washington, DC Metro

The Metrorail (or, more commonly, Metro) subway system is a clean, safe and reliable public transport system. Trains run from 5am Monday to Friday and from 7am on Saturday and Sunday. The system closes at midnight Sunday to Thursday and at 3am on Saturday and Sunday mornings, but the last trains from the suburbs may depart before that. Holiday schedules vary. At busy times, trains come as often as two minutes apart. But even if everything is running on time, the scheduled waits at nights and weekends can be up to 20 minutes.

Metro lines can run deep and the escalators can be very long. The network is, however, wheelchair-accessible via elevators. If the elevators are broken at a particular station, a bus service will run from a nearby station.

Fares depend on when and how far you travel and can almost double for some rides during rush hours. The minimum price of an off-peak Metro trip is $1.70, the maximum is $3.50; in peak hours journeys cost $2.10 to $5.75. Fares are printed on a big board on the information kiosk in each station. Note that using a paper farecard comes with a $1 surcharge per one-way trip. Up to two under-4s travel free with a full fare-paying adult; each additional child must pay full fare. Payment is by Farecard, SmarTrip® or Rail Pass.

Insert your credit card or cash up to the value of $45 into a machine, this will then pop out a flimsy card with a magnetic stripe on the front. Use the card to enter and exit the Metro turnstiles. The price of each trip is subtracted and the remaining amount printed on the card until there’s not enough value left to go anywhere. You can then transfer the remaining amount to a new card using the same machines you buy cards from. You can’t get into the Metro without at least $1.70 on your card. If you don’t have enough to get out at a particular station, use the Exit Fare machines just before the exit turnstiles, which take only $1 or $5 bills. The farecard is usable only on Metrorail.

This is a permanent, rechargeable plastic fare card like a credit card that can be purchased for $5 or $10 (with $5 value loaded), at kiosks at Metro stations, vending machines, commuter stores, retail outlets and online at www.wmata.com or www.commuterdirect.com. You can then top up the card with extra money. It is embedded with a special computer chip that keeps track of the amount available on the card. They are usable on either bus or Metro services and are cheaper and more flexible than other passes. A seven-day Fast Pass, valid for seven consecutive days, is available for $57.30. The SmarTrip is becoming the main, integrated system for Metro and buses as paper farecards are slowly phased out. For further information, contact SmarTrip Helpline: 1-888 762 7874.

The One-Day Pass, $14, is valid for unlimited trips with no time restrictions. The seven-day, Short-Trip Pass, $35, is valid for seven consecutive days for trips costing up to $3.50 from 5-9.30am and 3-7pm weekdays; or for any trips at other times. The seven-day Fast Pass, $47, is valid for seven consecutive days of unlimited Metrorail travel. Passes are sold at most Metro stations, online at www.wmata.com, some hotels and large grocery stores.

This card offers unlimited Metrorail and Metro bus journeys for a month. It also includes anywhere the Metro runs in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia as well the use of Maryland and Virginia commuter rail lines. TLC cards are available online but not available at Metro Sales Offices. They cost $102.

Red Line serves the Maryland suburbs north of DC and runs through the Downtown business district. The Zoo, Union Station and UDC (University of the District of Columbia) are on this line.

Green Line serves Anacostia, the eastern National Mall area, Chinatown, the U Street district, Howard University and Columbia Heights.

Blue Line serves Arlington, Alexandria, National Airport, the RFK Stadium and most Downtown memorials and museums. It parallels much of the Orange Line and some of the Yellow.

Yellow Line serves Fairfax County (Virginia) via Alexandria to the Mall. Includes National Airport.
Orange Line: serves the suburbs from western Virginia to eastern Maryland. Parallels the Blue Line through most major tourist sights.