Getting Around

Getting to Metro

Whether you are flying into one of the region's three major airports or riding the rails of Amtrak into Union Station, getting to the Metro bus and rail systems from these transportation hubs is easy. Arriving by car? Follow our simple driving directions for Metro stations near major highways.

Trip Planner

Metro's Trip Planner lets you plan routes between two destinations, allowing you to optimize your trip itinerary based on your preferences. Suggested trip itineraries also include the fare, the estimated travel time, and any walking directions.

Buying Fares: The Least You Need to Know

• Consider buying a SmarTrip® card to save money.
• Metrorail fares vary by time of day and the distance between stations. Use Metro's Trip Planner to calculate the fare for your trip. (SmarTrip® fares are $1 per trip lower than paper farecard fares.)
• Each person needs his/her own SmarTrip® card or paper farecard to ride Metrorail. However, up to two children under age five may travel for free with each fare paying adult.
• Groups can order SmarTrip® cards and farecards by mail that are tailored to their needs. Call Bulk Sales at 202-962- 5700 for assistance. (Note that there is no discount for bulk sales.)

Riding Metrorail and Metrobus

New riders can learn about the basics of the Metro system by visiting both the Rail and Bus sections of this website. The Commuter Tips page will have you traveling like a skilled veteran in no time.

Parking at Metro

Metro operates parking facilities at 42 Metrorail stations. All 42 stations offer daily or hourly parking.

Reserved parking is offered in 35 stations and allows customers to purchase permits to park in reserved spaces.

For more information, go to our Parking at Metrorail Stations section.

Visitor's Kit

The Metro Visitor's Kit is the definitive guide to helping you use Metro to get around the greater Washington, DC area. Among other brochures and publications providing comprehensive information, it features the Metro Pocket Guide (PDF, 1.15 MB), which provides you with the Metrorail system map, points of interest near Metrorail stations, and information on system hours, fares, and passes.