How to Ride the Washington D.C. Metro
Avoid rush hour if possible., Avoid game-day travel., Travel light., Plan your route., Find the station., Purchase correct fare., Pass through the turnstile., Proceed to the nearest escalator that coordinates with the track line going in the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Avoid rush hour if possible.
The trains can get pretty crowded between 7:00 am and 9:00 am or 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm on weekdays.
Discounts are available if you ride between 9:30 AM and 3:00 PM. -
Step 2: Avoid game-day travel.
There are seven professional sports teams that fans get to via Metro.
Avoid using Metro when a game is about to happen.
Since there are football (Redskins), basketball (Wizards and Mystics), baseball (Nationals), hockey (Capitals), and soccer teams (United and Freedom), plus Hoya games at the Verizon Center, the Metro can get crowded on game-days. , You are allowed to bring your bicycle on Metro during non-rush hour, and many people travel the trains with suitcases from the airport or the Amtrak station, but be very careful not to overburden yourself.
You are going to have to negotiate staircases, escalators and automatic doors with your bags.
If you think you have more than you can carry nimbly by yourself, you should consider calling a taxi instead. , You can check the trip planner online, ask your hotel concierge for information on which station is closest to your destination or study the maps in the station.
Once you jump on a train it's a lot harder to figure it out. , Metro stations are marked with brown square poles with an “M”. this same symbol is used on most neighborhood and tourist maps. , Look at the chart above the fare machines to find your destination and determine how much your trip will cost.
Make sure to purchase round-trip fare.
Five dollars per day is a good rule of thumb to start with.
You will need a separate fare card for each person in your party.
Be advised: the machines will only return a maximum of $5.00 in change, and it will be in quarters. , Locate a fare gate with a green and white arrow, not a red dash.
Insert your farecard face up with the arrow pointed towards the feed located on the side of the gate.
Remove your card from the slot on top of the fare gate to open the styles.
Put your ticket in a convenient place.
You will need to use it to exit once you reach your destination.
Refrain from keeping it near cell phones as fare cards have been known to demagnetize! , While some stations (especially inside of DC) have escalators after the station attendant going towards the subways, if you don't encounter one before the station attendant you might very well encounter one shortly after the attendant.
Observe escalator etiquette.
Stand on the right to allow commuters to pass on the left.
Stand facing forward and hold the handrail as the escalator moves downwards to the escalator exit.The escalators are usually moving pretty fast.
If you can't keep up, move over.
Stay as far to the right as possible so others can get by easily.
Although the general written rule on WMATA's website is to not continue walking down or up the escalator, there are generally signs near the elevator or even some stations that have a verb communication that says that you can walk to get to the station escalator exit faster to get on your subway train faster.
Be careful to ensure that there is communication going to ensure this can be safely executed.
Two of the WMATA escalators are record holders of deepest escalators in the Washington Metro system including Rosslyn (Rosslyn/Arlington, VA on the blue and orange lines) and Wheaton (Wheaton, MD on the red line).
Be careful when riding these escalators as you can feel faint or light-headed when going down to such a deep level.
Wheaton is the deepest escalator on the eastern seaboard and definitely the deepest escalator in the WMATA system.
Try not to lean on the sideboard of the escalator as it moves.
Not only can this cause a burn pattern on your leg, but can also lead to other signs of injuries. , You may need to study the signs to make sure you are on the right platform.
Some stations have two platforms, one for each direction, whereas others have one from which you can access both directions.
There are six lines (red, blue, yellow, orange, green and silver).
They each go in two directions named for the last stop on the line.
Many commuters tend to wait for the train in the middle of the platform, so they can exit most quickly when the train arrives at their final destination.
You can usually get a better seat on the train if you walk to the end of the platform where the crowd is thinner.
Either way, clear the space at the bottom of the escalator or passing travelers will likely bump you.
Stand behind the bumpy titles along the edge of the platform.
Watch for circular flashing lights on the edge of the platform, for this indicates a train is approaching. , Do not approach the train until it comes to a stop.
When the door opens, allow passengers to exit before boarding the train.
Move to the center of the car and sit down if you can.
It is still good manners to give your seat for people with disabilities, women who are pregnant, children, and the elderly.
Listen for the chimes that indicate the doors are closing.
Do not block the doors! The doors are not like elevator doors.
They do not reopen automatically. , You may note some riders approaching the door just before the train stops.
You may also note some such riders losing their balance and falling into people.
The train does not stay in the station long, but you will have enough time to exit even if you wait until the train stops.
Exit quickly and move away from the train so that others can board. , Follow signs to exit the station.
Ride the escalator and insert your ticket in the turnstile just as you did when you entered the station.
The turnstile will print a new value on your fare ticket, so you will know how much your trip cost, and how much money is left on your card. , If you miscalculate and don't have enough fare on your card for the trip you just took, the turnstile will not let you pass, step away from the turnstile so others can get through.
Turn around and find the exit fare machine.
Farecards are reusable.
If you have money left over on your farecard you can save it for your next trip, or keep it as a souvenir. -
Step 3: Travel light.
-
Step 4: Plan your route.
-
Step 5: Find the station.
-
Step 6: Purchase correct fare.
-
Step 7: Pass through the turnstile.
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Step 8: Proceed to the nearest escalator that coordinates with the track line going in the direction of the subway train going towards the station you intend to get off on.
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Step 9: Choose a platform.
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Step 10: Board the train.
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Step 11: Exit the train when it comes to a complete stop at your destination.
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Step 12: Exit the station.
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Step 13: Add fare to card.
Detailed Guide
The trains can get pretty crowded between 7:00 am and 9:00 am or 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm on weekdays.
Discounts are available if you ride between 9:30 AM and 3:00 PM.
There are seven professional sports teams that fans get to via Metro.
Avoid using Metro when a game is about to happen.
Since there are football (Redskins), basketball (Wizards and Mystics), baseball (Nationals), hockey (Capitals), and soccer teams (United and Freedom), plus Hoya games at the Verizon Center, the Metro can get crowded on game-days. , You are allowed to bring your bicycle on Metro during non-rush hour, and many people travel the trains with suitcases from the airport or the Amtrak station, but be very careful not to overburden yourself.
You are going to have to negotiate staircases, escalators and automatic doors with your bags.
If you think you have more than you can carry nimbly by yourself, you should consider calling a taxi instead. , You can check the trip planner online, ask your hotel concierge for information on which station is closest to your destination or study the maps in the station.
Once you jump on a train it's a lot harder to figure it out. , Metro stations are marked with brown square poles with an “M”. this same symbol is used on most neighborhood and tourist maps. , Look at the chart above the fare machines to find your destination and determine how much your trip will cost.
Make sure to purchase round-trip fare.
Five dollars per day is a good rule of thumb to start with.
You will need a separate fare card for each person in your party.
Be advised: the machines will only return a maximum of $5.00 in change, and it will be in quarters. , Locate a fare gate with a green and white arrow, not a red dash.
Insert your farecard face up with the arrow pointed towards the feed located on the side of the gate.
Remove your card from the slot on top of the fare gate to open the styles.
Put your ticket in a convenient place.
You will need to use it to exit once you reach your destination.
Refrain from keeping it near cell phones as fare cards have been known to demagnetize! , While some stations (especially inside of DC) have escalators after the station attendant going towards the subways, if you don't encounter one before the station attendant you might very well encounter one shortly after the attendant.
Observe escalator etiquette.
Stand on the right to allow commuters to pass on the left.
Stand facing forward and hold the handrail as the escalator moves downwards to the escalator exit.The escalators are usually moving pretty fast.
If you can't keep up, move over.
Stay as far to the right as possible so others can get by easily.
Although the general written rule on WMATA's website is to not continue walking down or up the escalator, there are generally signs near the elevator or even some stations that have a verb communication that says that you can walk to get to the station escalator exit faster to get on your subway train faster.
Be careful to ensure that there is communication going to ensure this can be safely executed.
Two of the WMATA escalators are record holders of deepest escalators in the Washington Metro system including Rosslyn (Rosslyn/Arlington, VA on the blue and orange lines) and Wheaton (Wheaton, MD on the red line).
Be careful when riding these escalators as you can feel faint or light-headed when going down to such a deep level.
Wheaton is the deepest escalator on the eastern seaboard and definitely the deepest escalator in the WMATA system.
Try not to lean on the sideboard of the escalator as it moves.
Not only can this cause a burn pattern on your leg, but can also lead to other signs of injuries. , You may need to study the signs to make sure you are on the right platform.
Some stations have two platforms, one for each direction, whereas others have one from which you can access both directions.
There are six lines (red, blue, yellow, orange, green and silver).
They each go in two directions named for the last stop on the line.
Many commuters tend to wait for the train in the middle of the platform, so they can exit most quickly when the train arrives at their final destination.
You can usually get a better seat on the train if you walk to the end of the platform where the crowd is thinner.
Either way, clear the space at the bottom of the escalator or passing travelers will likely bump you.
Stand behind the bumpy titles along the edge of the platform.
Watch for circular flashing lights on the edge of the platform, for this indicates a train is approaching. , Do not approach the train until it comes to a stop.
When the door opens, allow passengers to exit before boarding the train.
Move to the center of the car and sit down if you can.
It is still good manners to give your seat for people with disabilities, women who are pregnant, children, and the elderly.
Listen for the chimes that indicate the doors are closing.
Do not block the doors! The doors are not like elevator doors.
They do not reopen automatically. , You may note some riders approaching the door just before the train stops.
You may also note some such riders losing their balance and falling into people.
The train does not stay in the station long, but you will have enough time to exit even if you wait until the train stops.
Exit quickly and move away from the train so that others can board. , Follow signs to exit the station.
Ride the escalator and insert your ticket in the turnstile just as you did when you entered the station.
The turnstile will print a new value on your fare ticket, so you will know how much your trip cost, and how much money is left on your card. , If you miscalculate and don't have enough fare on your card for the trip you just took, the turnstile will not let you pass, step away from the turnstile so others can get through.
Turn around and find the exit fare machine.
Farecards are reusable.
If you have money left over on your farecard you can save it for your next trip, or keep it as a souvenir.
About the Author
James Hayes
Experienced content creator specializing in lifestyle guides and tutorials.
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