Service changes on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s Metrorail system take effect on Feb. 15. The changes were approved by D.C. Metro’s Board of Directors in November 2020 through the FY21 budget.
During peak and off-peak hours, trains will operate at the same service frequencies through the evening rush hour. The changes will improve service consistency throughout the day to better match customers’ travel patterns during the pandemic. Service will operate every 12 minutes on the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green and Yellow lines, which D.C. Metro explains will result in service every four to six minutes at stations served by multiple lines. Normal weekday service on the Red Line will operate every six minutes but will be adjusted to 12 minutes for the Presidents Day holiday only. Service after 7:00 p.m. remains unchanged.
The authority explains the changes bring rail service in line with ridership demand while managing costs amid pandemic-related budget constraints. Rail ridership remains down nearly 90 percent from pre-pandemic levels.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, Metrobus has seen a larger percentage of riders return compared to rail. Weekday bus ridership is down only 55 percent of pre-pandemic levels and less on weekends, providing service to transit-dependent and essential workers throughout the region.
D.C. Metro plans to expand service for bus customers beginning March 14, to provide additional capacity. Customers will see more buses, more often on the 125 lines of service currently operating and more routes will be added to expand bus service on weekends.
Additional information about the March service changes on Metrobus and the routes affected will be provided at a later date.
