“Free shuttle buses will stop at Smithsonian National Zoo this weekend for Bei Bei’s farewell”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown

From WMATA:

“Metro will make it easy for riders to get to the Smithsonian National Zoo to say bye-bye to Bei Bei, the zoo’s beloved giant panda. Free shuttle buses will drop-off and pick-up customers at the zoo’s entrance while three Red Line stations (Cleveland Park, Woodley Park and Dupont Circle) are closed for major lighting upgrades this weekend.

The lighting upgrades, scheduled before Bei Bei’s announced departure date, will make the stations brighter and safer for customers. Because the light fixtures are located next to the third rail, trains cannot operate through the area while the installation is underway. Crews will work around the clock to remove the old fixtures and lamps, run new cable, and install new fixtures with brighter LED lamps.

On Saturday and Sunday, Red Line trains will run normal service between Shady Grove and Van Ness and between Glenmont and Farragut North. Free shuttle buses will provide continuous service, departing every few minutes between the affected stations.

Zoo visitors can board shuttle buses at Van Ness or Farragut North – free of charge – and get dropped off in front of the zoo’s main entrance. The free shuttles will make it much more convenient for customers to get to the zoo instead of the typical half-mile walk from Woodley Park or Cleveland Park.

Shuttle buses will stop at the zoo from opening until 7 p.m. – two hours after the zoo’s closing. After 7 p.m. shuttle buses will continue to operate between Van Ness and Farragut North, making stops at Cleveland Park, Woodley Park, and Dupont Circle.”

From the National Zoo:

“Friday, Nov. 15

100% Bei Bei on Panda Cam 1
Paw-five! Panda Cam 1 will focus exclusively on Bei Bei from Nov. 11-18.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST | Postcard Station (next to Bei Bei’s outdoor habitat)
Write a postcard with your well-wishes for Bei Bei! All postcards will be sent with Bei Bei to China.

9 a.m. EST | Daily Treats: Friendship Knot
Visit the Zoo or tune in to Panda Cam 1 to see the panda team give Bei Bei special themed enrichment featuring the Chinese knot, representing friendship and scientific collaboration with Chinese colleagues to study and save the giant panda.

11 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. EST | Panda Keeper Q&A
Meet one of Bei Bei’s keepers and ask all your giant panda questions. Check the board at the giant panda exhibit, or along Asia Trail, to find out the exact location of today’s demonstration.

1:30 p.m. EST | Daily Treats: Apple of Our Eye!
Visit the Zoo or tune in to Panda Cam 1 to see Bei Bei get enrichment with a special hidden treat — applesauce made by the giant panda team.

Saturday, Nov. 16

100% Bei Bei on Panda Cam 1
Paw-five! Panda Cam 1 will focus exclusively on Bei Bei from Nov. 11-18.

8:30 a.m. EST | Dumpling Party for Visitors, Courtesy of the Embassy of China (while supplies last)
In honor of Bei Bei, the Embassy of China will supply dumplings for panda fans. In China, dumplings are a must-have food for festivities and a popular food for bidding farewell to loved ones before they leave home. The shape of dumplings also resembles an ancient gold-bar, or “yuan bao,” in Chinese which represents perfection and completion. Get here early! There’s a limited quantity of dumplings!

8:30 a.m. EST | Hot Cocoa (while supplies last)
Enjoy free hot chocolate, courtesy of Airbnb

9 a.m. EST | Daily Treats: Great Bei Bei Cake Off
Visit the Zoo or tune in to Panda Cam 1 to see the panda team give Bei Bei, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian ice cakes made from favorite treats in honor of Bei Bei’s next chapter.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST | Postcard Station (next to Bei Bei’s outdoor habitat)
Write a postcard with your well-wishes for Bei Bei! All postcards will be sent with Bei Bei to China.
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST | Friendship + Luck Bracelet Station (Olmsted Walk across from Panda Plaza)
In a traditional Chinese Zhuazhou ceremony, several symbolic objects are placed in front of a baby on their first birthday. The object that the baby chooses foretells something about their future. As a nod to the Chinese red knot symbolizing friendship and luck that was chosen for Bei Bei by mother Mei Xiang on his first birthday, make and take home a bracelet that symbolizes the conservation collaboration that has helped move the giant panda from “endangered” to “vulnerable.”

11 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. EST | Panda Keeper Q&A
Meet one of Bei Bei’s keepers and ask all your giant panda questions. Check the board at the giant panda exhibit, or along Asia Trail, to find out the exact location of today’s demonstration.

1:30 p.m. EST | Daily Treats: Biscuit Binge
Visit the Zoo or tune in to Panda Cam 1 to see the panda team give Bei Bei a favorite puzzle feeder with biscuits hidden inside!

Sunday, Nov. 17

100% Bei Bei on Panda Cam 1
Paw-five! Panda Cam 1 will focus exclusively on Bei Bei from Nov. 11-18.

8:30 a.m. EST | Hot Cocoa (while supplies last)
Enjoy free hot chocolate, courtesy of Airbnb

9 a.m. EST | Daily Treats: Great Bei Bei Cake Off
Visit the Zoo or tune in to Panda Cam 1 to see the panda team give Bei Bei, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian ice cakes made from favorite treats in honor of Bei Bei’s next chapter.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST | Postcard Station (next to Bei Bei’s outdoor habitat)
Write a postcard with your well-wishes for Bei Bei! All postcards will be sent with Bei Bei to China.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST | Friendship + Luck Bracelet Station (Olmsted Walk across from Panda Plaza)
In a traditional Chinese Zhuazhou ceremony, several symbolic objects are placed in front of a baby on their first birthday. The object that the baby chooses foretells something about their future. As a nod to the Chinese red knot symbolizing friendship and luck that was chosen for Bei Bei by mother Mei Xiang on his first birthday, make and take home a bracelet that symbolizes the conservation collaboration that has helped move the giant panda from “endangered” to “vulnerable.”

11 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. EST | Panda Keeper Q&A
Meet one of Bei Bei’s keepers and ask all your giant panda questions. Check the board at the giant panda exhibit, or along Asia Trail, to find out the exact location of today’s demonstration.

1:30 p.m. EST | Daily Treats: How’d You Get So Sweet?
Visit the Zoo or tune in to Panda Cam 1 to watch as Bei Bei receives a special enrichment item with an added bonus — favorite sweet potatoes!

Monday, Nov. 18

100% Bei Bei on Panda Cam 1
Paw-five! Panda Cam 1 will focus exclusively on Bei Bei from Nov. 11-18.

9 a.m. EST | Daily Treats: Keeper’s Choice
Visit the Zoo or tune in to Panda Cam 1 to see the panda team give Bei Bei one of his favorite enrichment items on his last day at the Zoo.

11 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. EST | Panda Keeper Q&A
Meet one of Bei Bei’s keepers and ask all your giant panda questions. Check the board at the giant panda exhibit, or along Asia Trail, to find out the exact location of today’s demonstration.

1:30 p.m. EST | Daily Treats: Keeper’s Choice
Visit the Zoo or tune in to Panda Cam 1 to see the panda team give Bei Bei one of his favorite enrichment items on his last day at the Zoo.”

From WMATA:

“Red Line trains operate regular weekend intervals (trains every 6-8 minutes) between Shady Grove & Van Ness and between Farragut North & Glenmont.
Due to trackbed lighting installation, free shuttle buses replace trains between Van Ness and Farragut North.
Cleveland Park, Woodley Park and Dupont Circle stations will be closed.
To accommodate shuttle bus connections, the last train will depart Shady Grove and subsequent stations 30 minutes earlier on Saturday and 35 minutes earlier on Sunday.
Tap your SmarTrip card each time you enter and exit the Metrorail system. Riders traveling through the work zone will be charged for a single, continuous trip.”