Metro Celebrated Cherry Blossom Season

Metro moved big crowds during the 2026 National Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s always one of the busiest times of the year and we’ll always be there to help you plan and navigate your travel by delivering fast, reliable, and safe service.

Check out the information below to view details on the service Metro provided as well as some event details. 

Bookmark this page and check back soon for 2027 National Cherry Blossom Festival information.

At a glance | Millions of visitors

• Extra trains were positioned throughout the system to optimize efficiency.
• More buses on key routes provided extra service.
• Increased police and staff at key stations.
• No major track work from March 20 to April 18.

Cherry Blossom service information

• Smithsonian is the closest station to the Tidal Basin. It’s about a 10-minute walk.
• To avoid crowding, consider L'Enfant Plaza, Archives, or Federal Triangle. All three stations are about a 20-minute walk to the Tidal Basin.
• Travel during non-rush hours on weekdays. On weekends, go early in the morning or early in the evening. This will help you avoid crowds.
• Use our online Trip Planner
• Info hubs: rail | bus
• New riders | Visitors
• Metro’s safety initiatives

For your safety

• Use station elevators when traveling with luggage, strollers, or wheelchairs.
• Spread out on the train platform to help reduce crowding.
• Always stand back from the platform edge.
• When boarding trains, move into the middle of the car to allow others to board.
• At station stops, move away from the doors to allow others to exit.
• Do not hold or block train doors at any time – they are not like elevator doors.
• To report suspicious activity or unattended items on Metro, call 202-962-2121 or text "MyMTPD" (696873).

Flights

Metro connects to two different airports.

• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on the Blue and Yellow lines
• Washington Dulles International Airport on the Silver Line

Amtrak

Metro connects w/ Amtrak at several points.

• Union Station and Rockville on the Red Line
• New Carrollton on the Orange and Silver lines
• King St-Old Town on the Blue and Yellow lines

Fares and how to pay

Learn about Metro's fares and the various different ways to pay.

Paying for Metro

• Children: Two kids aged 4 and younger can ride free with a fare-paying adult (no card needed for 4 and younger). Kids aged 5 and older must pay the regular fare.
• Pass options: 1-day, 3-day, or 7-day passes offer unlimited travel on Metro Rail and Metro Bus.
• Metro Bus is free when transferring to/from Metro Rail with an automatic transfer discount (to receive the discount, customers must use the same contactless credit or debit card, or the same Smart Trip card for the duration of the trip).
• Parking is free at most Metro garages and lots on weekends. This makes it cheaper to park and ride downtown. View parking details by station.

Events | Metro Participation

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run I April 12

Metro ran early service, starting at 5:00 a.m., to ensure runners arrived on time for the race.

Metro was proud to partner with the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run, which is known as “The Runner’s Rite of Spring®” in the Nation’s Capital. The staging area for the run was on the Washington Monument Grounds and the course passed in sight of all of the major Washington, D.C. Memorials.

Learn more about the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run

Related Links

• National Cherry Blossom Festival: March 20 - April 12, 2026
• National Park Service: Cherry Blossom Festival