Metro Travel

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) provides subway service (Metrorail) in the District and in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs. The Orange, Blue, Silver, and Yellow lines serve Northern Virginia. It begins operation at 5 am on weekdays and 7 am on weekends and closes on weekdays at midnight and weekends at 3 am, though service changes sometimes shut down lines earlier. During the weekday peak periods (5–9:30 am and 3–7 pm), trains come along every three to six minutes. At other times trains run about every 12–15 minutes.

The Metro's base fare is $1.75; the actual price you pay depends on the time of day and the distance traveled. Up to two children under age five ride free with a paying passenger. You must use the SmarTrip card, a $2 plastic card that can hold any fare amount and can be used throughout the metro system. Buy and reload SmarTrip cards at most stations or at the Metro Center sales office. Make sure you hang on to your SmarTrip card—you must scan it to exit at your destination.

Metro Information

Metrorail. Metrorail. 202/637–7000; www.wmata.com.