Metro customers invited to ride the first passenger train to six new Silver Line stations

Your chance to ride the first train on the Silver Line Extension is here. Service begins November 15 at approximately 2 p.m. when the first train departs the Ashburn Station headed for Downtown Largo. Customers in Loudoun County will now have convenient access to Metrorail and Washington Dulles International Airport will be an easy train ride away for people across the region.

The start of passenger service will commence following a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting at the Washington Dulles International Airport Station to recognize this generational infrastructure investment. Customers will have an opportunity to join the celebration by sharing their happiest Metro moment for a chance to receive a “Silver Ticket” to join Metro General Manager Randy Clarke and other officials on a special preview train ride on opening day before passenger service begins.

Share your favorite memories with us on social media by tagging us on Twitter @wmata, Instagram @metroforward, and on Facebook @Metro Forward and use #YourMetroMemory. Customers can also email us at csvc@wmata.com with the subject line: Silver Ticket Metro Memory. Submissions must be sent by 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 10. Customers will be notified by noon, on Monday, November 14. Metro will select 50 customers plus a guest who will receive a “Silver Ticket” departing Wiehle-Reston East at 1:15 p.m. direct to Ashburn where the train will officially begin passenger service.

The first Silver Line passenger train for customers will head eastbound from Ashburn to Downtown Largo departing at 1:54 p.m. The first full-length westbound trip will depart Downtown Largo at 12:51 p.m. with customers, reaching Wiehle-Reston East at 2:02 p.m. and then continue to the six new stations: Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn. Trains will run every 15 minutes from end-to-end. Last train times vary by station and may depart prior to the system closing. Customers who would like to plan their travel should check wmata.com in the coming days for departure times.

The Silver Line Extension will provide more frequent service and increased capacity for people traveling to the airport. Customers headed to Washington Dulles will be able to get there in 10 minutes from Ashburn, 12 minutes from Wiehle-Reston East, 26 minutes from Tysons and 53 minutes from Metro Center in Downtown DC. At the affordable price of $2 - $6 depending on when and how far you travel, you can skip the high price of requesting ride share, driving and parking.

Following the opening of the Silver Line, Metrobus 5A and Silver Line Express Bus service (operated by the airport) will be discontinued as of November 16. The last day of service will be November 15, running on their normal schedule through closing.

Local bus service at the Silver Line Extension stations will begin on November 16 and will be provided by Fairfax Connector and Loudoun County Transit. For information on Silver Line Extension local bus service, visit FairfaxConnector.com and Loudoun.gov/silverline.

Metro will have teams at #YourMetro’s newest stations when they open to hand out commemorative pennants and welcome customers.

For additional information on riding the Silver Line go to wmata.com/silverline. Metro’s customer service teams are also available to assist seven days a week from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. weekdays, and weekends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Representatives respond to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram social posts, emails and chat conversations. Customers may also get information by calling 202-637-7000 or visiting wmata.com.