This weekend: Buses replace trains between Friendship Heights and Medical Center

On Saturday, Nov. 15, and Sunday, Nov. 16, Metro will close Bethesda station to support Maryland Department of Transportation’s activities to advance Purple Line construction. Free shuttle buses will replace Red Line trains between Friendship Heights and Medical Center all weekend.

Metro crews will take advantage of the planned closure and complete open joint elimination, replace 175 rail fasteners, address track defects, and rail replacement.

Service Information 

Red Line: 

• Shady Grove–Medical Center: every 8 minutes (daytime), every 10 minutes (after 9:30 p.m.)
• Friendship Heights–Glenmont: every 8 minutes (daytime), every 10 minutes (after 9:30 p.m.)

Orange Line:Trains will single track between West Falls Church and Vienna and operate every 20 minutes between Vienna and New Carrollton. 

Silver Line:

• Ashburn to Stadium-Armory: Trains every 10 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m.
• Stadium-Armory to New Carrollton/Downtown Largo: Trains every 20 minutes during the day and every 30 minutes after 9:30 p.m.

Blue Line:Normal Service

Yellow Line: Normal Service 

Green Line: Normal Service 

Trip Planning 

 Plan your weekend trip in advance to avoid delays. Customers can: 

• Use MetroPulse or com for real-time service information.
• Sign up for MetroAlerts to receive service updates.
• Follow @wmata, @metrorailinfo,and @metrobusinfo on X or @wmata.com, @metrorailinfo.bsky.social, and @metrobusinfo on Bluesky for the latest updates.
• Call 202-GO-METRO (202-466-3876, TTY 202-962-2033): Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Automated information is available 24/7.

View our planned track work at wmata.com/trackwork. 

About Metro 

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), known as Metro, is the region’s leading public transportation provider, serving a population of approximately four million people across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia within a 2,054-square-mile jurisdiction. With a network of six rail lines, 98 stations, 125 bus routes, and a door-to-door paratransit service, Metro is the second busiest transit system in the United States with a $5 billion operating and capital budget.

Since 2022, Metro has completed multiple transit-oriented development projects that have brought $15 million in tax revenue to the region from housing, office, and retail space in our community. Safety and security are a priority at Metro. Over 30,000 cameras monitor the system, and Metro is currently at an 8-year crime low with fare evasion down 82%.  

In 2025, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) named Metro the Transit Agency of the Year in recognition of industry-leading ridership growth, record high customer satisfaction, a newly redesigned Bus network, expanded rail service, and improved customer experience