Metrorail

Metrorail provides safe, clean, reliable transit service for more than 600,000 customers a day throughout the Washington, DC area. The system is the second busiest in the United States, serving 98 stations in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

The Metrorail system has six color-coded rail lines: Red, Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow, and Green. The layout of the system makes it possible to travel between any two stations with no more than a single transfer.

Finding the Metro Station

If you're driving, look for the large Metro signs to direct you to stations.

Look for tall brown columns with a large "M" identifying the station entrances. Colored stripes around the column show which lines serve the station.

What's the Fare?

To determine the fare between two stations, visit your starting station's page and use the Metrorail Fares fare finder in the middle of the page. For fares on trips that involve trains and buses, use our Trip Planner. SmarTrip® card users get the lowest fares. See the SmarTrip® box on the right to learn more.

Waiting for the Train

Read station signs to learn which train platform to use for your destination.

Stand behind the bumpy tiles along the platform's edge.

Watch for flashing lights along the platform's edge, which signal a train's arrival. Station signs will also alert you to a train's arrival.

NEW | Train prediction improvements

Boarding the Train

Check the destination of the train, which is posted above the side windows.

Stand clear of the train car doors and let riders get off before you board.

Step over the small gap between the platform and the train.

Listen for the chimes that signal the car doors are closing. If the train is full, step back and wait for the next train. Unlike elevator doors, train doors do not reopen automatically.

Exiting the Train and Station

Use the same farecard you used to enter the system when you exit the system.

Rules

See a list of Metro rules and manners for riding smart on Metrorail.

Rail Hours

  • Monday through Thursday, 5:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m.
  • Friday, 5:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m.
  • Saturday: 7:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m.
  • Sunday: 7:00 a.m. until 12:00 a.m.

What were Metro’s regular hours before the pandemic? 
Prior to the covid-19 outbreak, Metrorail hours were 5am-11:30pm Monday-Thursday, 5am-1am Friday, 7am-1am Saturday, 8am-11pm Sunday. 

View Holiday Hours

SmarTrip® Card

The SmarTrip® card is a permanent, rechargeable farecard that is safe and easy to use. Put a SmarTip in your Apple or Google Wallet, Buy SmarTrip® cards online, at any Metrorail station, or at many convenient locations.

New to Metro?

Returning Customers