“Metro customers have more reasons to ride with new discounts, more trains and buses starting September 5”

From WMATA:

“Metro is making changes that will make riding easier and more convenient as the region resumes school, leisure activities, and returns to workplaces. Beginning September 5, Metro will add more buses and trains, offer lower prices, and extend Metrorail’s operating hours on weekends.

The changes, approved by Metro’s Board of Directors in June, followed extensive public input about how riders plan to travel. The service and pricing improvements are designed to make Metro a more affordable, attractive way to go and to meet customer needs for more service at all times of the day, not just during rush hour.

“This is a time of change for Metro and our customers, and it’s an opportunity to make our service work better for all riders whether they take Metro to work, the grocery store, visit family or friends or just get around town,” said Metro Board Chair Paul C. Smedberg. “We are adding more rail and bus service, more hours, and working with businesses and the community to ensure the service will be there when riders need it.”

Among the service improvements, Metro will add more buses on the busiest lines to better serve customers throughout the day, reduce average wait times for buses during the day, restore more service that had been suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and provide free bus transfers between rail and discounted passes.

On Metrorail, more trains will run during off-peak hours with average wait times ranging between 2-7 minutes any time of day. Trains will also run longer, closing later overnight on weekends, and opening earlier on Sundays.

“As the region goes back to work and school, we will be ready with service that is convenient any time of the day and offers the flexibility riders need,” said Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. “We are also making Metro the best way to go on weekends, with less wait times for trains and just $2 for a one-way trip anywhere on the rail system.”

The service improvements will bring overall bus and rail service to near pre-pandemic levels, providing 97 percent of pre-Covid service levels on Metrobus and 91 percent on Metrorail. On some bus routes, and off-peak on rail, service will be even better than it had been before the pandemic.

Metro will also offer up to a 50 percent discount on selected unlimited pass products between September 16 and October 15.

The following discounts and service changes will be effective beginning Sunday, September 5:

Discounts

Free bus transfers – If you connect between rail and bus, the bus ride will now be free for all routes except Express service.
Lower rail fares on weekends – Weekend fares on Metrorail will be $2 for a one-way trip, instead of the current distance-based fare making almost any ride, anywhere on weekends cheaper than ever.
Lower prices for 7-day Regional Bus Pass – Customers will now pay just $12 for a 7-day Regional Bus Pass, $6 for seniors/disabled customers, a savings of 20%.

Metrobus

More buses on the most popular Metrobus services – On 36 lines, riders will see more buses, more often between 7 a.m.-9 p.m., 7 days a week.
New and restored service – Customers on 10 routes will have new service added or service restored.
Less waiting between buses on additional routes – Buses on more than 40 other routes will provide more frequent service for customers.
More buses day and night – A detailed list of all the service changes can be found on the Metrobus Service Changes page.

Metrorail

More trains, not just during rush hour – Customers can expect to wait no more than 3-6 minutes for a train on weekdays at any station served by multiple lines and on the Red Line, all-day until 9:30 p.m.
Improved late-night train service – More trains every hour after 9:30 p.m., every 5-8 minutes at any station served by multiple lines and every 10 minutes on the Red Line.
Later closing on Friday and Saturday – Metrorail will stay open until 1 a.m. instead of midnight on Friday and Saturday. That’s one hour more to be out and about.
Earlier opening on Sunday – Metrorail will open at 7 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. on Sunday. That’s one hour earlier to get your day started.
More trains on weekends too – Get where you want to go faster, with more trains, more often on the weekends, every 5-8 minutes at any station served by multiple lines and every 10 minutes on the Red Line.

Additional information about Metro’s discount fare and service changes can be found at wmata.com/changes.”