The complete traveler's guide to the Washington DC Metrorail — 6 lines, 98 stations, fares, schedules, airport connections and neighborhood guides.
Each line runs to distinct neighborhoods and suburbs. Choose your line to see every station and connection.
Shady Grove ↔ Glenmont
Franconia-Springfield ↔ Largo Town Center
Vienna/Fairfax–GMU ↔ New Carrollton
Ashburn ↔ Largo Town Center
Huntington ↔ Greenbelt
Branch Avenue ↔ Greenbelt
The most-visited stops with neighborhood guides, connections and traveler tips.
The system's central hub — 4 lines converge here. Steps from the White House, National Theatre and downtown retail on F Street.
Station Guide →Connects Metro to Amtrak, MARC and VRE commuter rail. Landmark 1908 Beaux-Arts building with a food hall and shopping.
Station Guide →Capital One Arena, Chinatown, National Portrait Gallery and Penn Quarter's restaurant row all within one block.
Station Guide →5-line interchange — the only station served by all lines except Red. Gateway to the National Mall, Air & Space Museum and SW Waterfront.
Station Guide →Direct access to the Pentagon and Pentagon Memorial. Major bus hub connecting to Arlington and other Virginia destinations.
Station Guide →DC's most vibrant neighborhood: restaurants, bookshops, bars, embassies and the iconic outdoor circle on Connecticut Ave NW.
Station Guide →One of only two US airports with direct Metro access. Blue and Yellow lines — no shuttle needed from the terminal.
Station Guide →Silver Line Phase 2 (opened Nov 2022). Deepest station in the system at nearly 80 ft underground. ~55 min to Metro Center.
Station Guide →Deepest station entrance in the system (196 ft via the longest escalators in the Western Hemisphere). Top dining suburb of DC.
Station Guide →Closest Metro to the Kennedy Center, Watergate complex, State Department and George Washington University hospital.
Station Guide →Steps from Nationals Park. The surrounding Capitol Riverfront neighborhood is DC's fastest-growing dining and residential district.
Station Guide →Gateway to Alexandria's Old Town, a walkable historic waterfront with 18th-century architecture, boutiques and waterfront dining.
Station Guide →Metro hours, train frequency and how to get from both Washington airports to downtown DC.
Metro fares are distance-based and time-of-day based. A SmarTrip card gives you the best rates.
| Fare Type | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Peak — Weekday 5–9:30am & 3–7pm | $2.25 | $6.75 |
| Off-Peak — All other times | $2.00 | $3.85 |
| Reduced — Senior (65+) & Disabled | $1.00 | $1.90 |
| Children under 5 | Free | Free |
| Metro Lift (SNAP recipients) | 50% off | 50% off |
All 6 lines, 98 stations, transfer points and connections across DC, Maryland and Virginia.
Find the right station for your destination across Washington DC and surrounding areas.
Capitol South, Eastern Market · Blue/Orange/Silver
Dupont Circle · Red Line
Navy Yard–Ballpark · Green Line
Smithsonian, L'Enfant Plaza · Blue/Orange/Silver/Yellow
Woodley Park or Columbia Heights · Red / Green-Yellow
King Street–Old Town · Yellow / Blue
Tysons Corner, Spring Hill, Greensboro · Silver Line
Bethesda · Red Line · dining & nightlife
Closest: Foggy Bottom-GWU + bus · Blue/Orange/Silver
Shaw–Howard U, U Street · Green / Yellow
Herndon, Reston, Dulles Airport · Silver Line
Pentagon City · Blue / Yellow · Fashion Centre mall
Everything you need to know before riding the DC Metro for the first time.
Fares are distance-based. Peak fares (weekday rush hours) start at $2.25 and go up to $6.75. Off-peak fares start at $2.00, max $3.85. Children under 5 ride free. A SmarTrip card gives the lowest fares — paper tickets at kiosks cost more.
Take the Silver Line from Washington Dulles International Airport station, opened November 2022. The trip to downtown Metro Center takes approximately 55 minutes. Trains run every 10–15 minutes. The station is inside the airport terminal complex.
Reagan National Airport (DCA) has its own Metro station directly connected to Terminal B/C. Take the Blue or Yellow Line — trains run to Metro Center in about 15 minutes. It's one of the few airports in the US with direct rail access, no shuttle needed.
Monday–Thursday 5am–11:30pm. Friday 5am–1am. Saturday 7am–1am. Sunday 8am–11pm. During major events (Nationals games, Capitals playoffs, Fourth of July on the Mall) Metro often extends service and increases train frequency.
SmarTrip is WMATA's reloadable contactless fare card. You can also tap a contactless credit/debit card or use Apple Pay / Google Pay. The SmarTrip card gives you the lowest fares and is required for some parking facilities. Cards cost $10 (includes $8 in ride credit) and are sold at all station kiosks, CVS, Giant Food, and Safeway stores.
Folding bikes are allowed at all times. Full-size bikes are permitted in designated rail cars on weekdays before 7am, from 10am–4pm, and after 7pm, plus all day on weekends and holidays. Look for the bicycle symbol on the train door.
Many end-of-line and suburban stations offer commuter parking at $4.95–$6.00/day, paid via SmarTrip. Lots at Shady Grove, Vienna, Franconia-Springfield, and Branch Avenue typically fill before 7:30am on weekdays. Monthly permits can be purchased at wmata.com.
The WMATA Metrorail system has 98 stations across 6 lines and 129 miles of track. The most recent addition was the Silver Line Phase 2 extension to Ashburn/Dulles, which opened on November 15, 2022, adding 6 new stations including Washington Dulles International Airport.