SmarTrip®
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What Is a SmarTrip® Card?
A SmarTrip® card is a permanent, rechargeable card used to pay Metrorail and local bus system fares. It's plastic, like a credit card, and is embedded with a special computer chip that keeps track of the value of the card.
Using a SmarTrip® card is fast and easy. Instead of inserting a farecard through the Metrorail faregate slot, you simply touch the SmarTrip® card to the circular targets on top of or inside station faregates. Likewise, you can tap the SmarTrip® farebox on Metrobus to pay your fare with SmarTrip®.
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Creating or Managing a SmarTrip® Account
With an online SmarTrip® account, it's easy to:
- Claim a $3.00 SmarTrip® card rebate
- Add value and passes to your card and take advantage of our Auto Reload process
- View your card balance and usage history
- Register and manage multiple cards (e.g., cards of family members)
- Report a lost/stolen card and transfer the balance to a replacement card
- Once you have your SmarTrip® card,create an account.
- Learn more about SmarTrip® online accounts.
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SmarTrip® Card Benefits
Save Money
- On Metrorail, each trip taken with a SmarTrip® card cost $1 less than those taken with a paper farecard. That's a savings of $2 per roundtrip.
- On Metrobus, paying with SmarTrip® saves you 20¢ each trip versus paying cash.
- SmarTrip® is the only way to take advantage of cost-saving transfer options between Metrobus and Metrorail.
- Transfer the value of a used farecard (worth $20 or less) or an unused farecard of any value onto a SmarTrip® card
Convenience and Safety- Use SmarTrip® on the following area transit providers: DASH, Ride On, Fairfax Connector, ART, CUE, Loudoun County Transit, Omniride, TheBus, DC Circulator, Maryland Transit Administration Local Bus, Light Rail and Metro Subway and registered van pools
- Use SmarTrip® to pay for parking at Metro facilities
- If your registered card is lost or stolen, you don't lose the value. For a $5 card replacement fee, we'll issue you a new SmarTrip® card with the value on the card at the time you notified us it was lost or stolen
- Add up to $300 in Metro value on a SmarTrip® card, so it can last a long time between charging. See how to add value to a SmarTrip® card.
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Purchasing a SmarTrip® Card
It's easy to buy a SmarTrip® card. Purchase your card online with any major credit or debit card.
You can also purchase a SmarTrip® card at any Metrorail station or at Metro sales offices, retail outlets and commuter stores.
A reduced fare SmarTrip® card is available for senior citizens and people with disabilities. To purchase a Senior SmarTrip® card, you must provide proof of age. People with disabilities must have a valid Metro Disability ID card to purchase the reduced fare SmarTrip® card.
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Using the MTA CharmCard® on SmarTrip®
The CharmCard® is a rechargeable fare card issued by the Maryland Transit Administration.
CharmCard® users may use the web services offered on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority website to manage aspects of their card. CharmCard® users can follow the links below to:
If you have questions or comments about SmarTrip®, please call
888-762-7874
7 am - 8 pm Mon-Fri
or use our online contact form.
