Adding and managing value on your Smart Trip card

Check your balance

You can check your Smart Trip card balance in several ways:

• Log in to your account.
• Tap your plastic Smart Trip card on a Fare Vending Machine at any Metro Rail station.
• Check the fare gate display when using your Smart Trip card at any Metro Rail station.

Smart Trip Mobile

• iOS: Open the Smart Trip app or Apple Wallet on your mobile device. You can also check your balance in Wallet on Apple Watch.
• Android: Open the Smart Trip app or Google Pay on your mobile device.

Note: If your Smart Trip card has not been used in over one year, the remaining balance will not appear in your account. You can still check it at a Fare Vending Machine.

What is Stored Value?

Stored Value is money loaded onto your Smart Trip card to pay for rides.

• If you do not have an active pass, fare is deducted from Stored Value each time you ride.
• You can load up to $300 in Stored Value on each Smart Trip card.

What passes can be loaded on my Smart Trip card?

You can load the following passes:

• Metro Rail and Metro Bus unlimited passes
• Metro Bus pass

Learn more about pass options.

What is the difference between a pass and Stored Value?

• A pass offers travel within the system at discounted rates.
• Stored Value is a dollar amount on your Smart Trip card used to pay per ride.

If you have both on your card

If you have both a pass and Stored Value on your Smart Trip card, your fare is applied automatically when you tap.

• If you have an active pass that covers your full fare, the pass is used and Stored Value is not deducted.
• If your pass covers only part of your fare, the pass is used first and Stored Value is used to cover the remaining amount.
• If you have a pass that activates on first use, tapping your Smart Trip card activates the pass and applies it to your fare.

Can I have more than one pass on my Smart Trip card?

Yes. You can have more than one pass on a Smart Trip card.

• You can have two passes for different services, such as a 7‑Day Regional Bus Pass and an MTA pass.
• You can also have two of the same type of pass. One pass is active, and the second pass automatically activates the next time you ride after the first pass expires.

For example, you can buy more than one One‑Day Pass so the next pass is ready for the next day you ride.

Are passes and Stored Value purchased online available right away?

Availability depends on how you use Smart Trip.

Smart Trip in Wallet

When you use Smart Trip in Wallet to ride, passes and Stored Value are available as soon as you buy them.

Plastic Smart Trip card

When you buy a pass or Stored Value online for a plastic Smart Trip card, the purchase loads the next time you tap your card.

• Purchases may take up to four hours to be ready to load, so buy before you plan to ride.
• Purchases load when you tap at a fare gate or Fare Vending Machine.
• Purchases can also load when you tap at a bus farebox, but it may take up to two days before they are available.

You must load passes or Stored Value within 30 days of purchase. If not loaded, the purchase expires.

You can load up to $300 in Stored Value per day on a Smart Trip card.

Auto Reload

Auto Reload lets you set your Smart Trip card to automatically load passes or Stored Value. 

Issues with loading value

A load may be encounter issues if:

• The Stored Value balance would exceed the $300 limit, or
• The maximum number of passes allowed on a Smart Trip card (four) has been exceeded.
• The purchase hasn't been delivered yet
• You did not load the purchase within 30 days and it has expired.

If the pass has expired, Contact Smart Trip Customer Service.

Smart Trip Customer Service

Email: smartrip@wmata.com
Phone: 202-GO-METRO
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 am – 8:00 pm

For other issues, see Refunds, replacements, and balance transfers