Beginning Aug. 16, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will add more buses, trains and hours of service, restoring most service to pre-COVID levels.
Metrorail will add 15 more hours of service per week, with opening times returning to normal and the system closing two hours later each night in anticipation of potential increases in ridership after Labor Day.
WMATA also announced a significant investment to support the region’s overnight workers by doubling the discount customers receive when using Lyft during times when transit is not available.
Metrobus will offer more buses, running more frequent service beginning Aug. 23, restoring approximately 75 percent of pre-pandemic service. Weekday service will improve on 174 routes with most routes operating close to normal. Buses will operate until midnight, an additional hour.
To provide additional transportation options for late-night workers, WMATA is increasing the subsidy from $3 to $6 for on-demand transportation service after hours. The program, known as the After-Hours Commuter Service, gives qualified workers a subsidy toward a shared ride on Lyft for trips between their home and workplace between midnight and 4:00 a.m.
WMATA says it remains on track to re-open six Fairfax County stations on the Orange and Silver lines Aug. 16. The stations west of Ballston - McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill and Wiehle-Reston East on the Silver Line, plus West Falls Church on the Orange Line – had been closed since late May to complete work for Silver Line Phase 2 and platform reconstruction.
The remaining Orange Line stations, Vienna, Dunn Loring and East Falls Church, are on target for completion around Labor Day.
Effective Aug. 16:
- Metrorail will open at 5:00 a.m. weekdays, 7:00 a.m. on Saturdays and 8:00 a.m. on Sundays and close daily at 11:00 p.m.
- Weekdays Red Line trains will operate every five minutes during peak periods and 12 minutes off-peak; all other lines every eight minutes during peak periods and 15 minutes off-peak.
- On weekends, Red Line trains will operate every 12 minutes; all other lines every 15 minutes.
- Six stations west of Ballston re-open - McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill, Wiehle-Reston East and West Falls Church.
- Arlington Cemetery Station remains closed as Arlington National Cemetery is currently closed to the general public.
Effective Aug. 23:
- Metrobus service will operate beginning at 5:00 a.m. on weekdays; 7:00 a.m. on Saturdays and 8:00 a.m. on Sundays and end at midnight daily.
- Weekday bus service will be available on 174 routes with most operating close to normal.
- Weekend bus service will be available on 109 routes on Saturday and 99 routes on Sunday.
- Rear-door boarding remains in effect and fares temporarily waived.
The increased service will allow WMATA to provide greater transit options for the region, while still maintaining stepped up Covid-19 cleaning protocols. Trains, buses and stations are cleaned daily, high-touch surfaces wiped down and disinfected and routine deep-cleaning at stations.
