Washington, D.C. by metro · Washington, D.C. by Metro

Washington, D.C. by Metro

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) operates the city's excellent rapid transit system and buses. A car is often a hindrance in the crowded city, particularly for tourists; public transportation is often the fastest way to get around.

The Metro is D.C.'s rapid transit system and the central feature of the area's public transportation network. It is composed of five color-coded rail lines that run underground primarily within the District and above ground in much of the nearby suburbs. There are Metrorail stations in most major neighborhoods and at numerous locations downtown. Washingtonians are proud of their Metro system. It's clean, safe, user-friendly, and sports a surprisingly elegant and pleasing brutalist aesthetic. One flaw, though, is irregularity of service caused primarily by near-constant weekend track maintenance and periodic breakdowns following a major derailment in June 2009. Delays can reach up to 30 minutes without a clear indication of the next train arrival. The Metro also attracts very large crowds during major public events; expect jam-packed stations and trains on July 4 and during any major gathering on the Mall.

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Metrorail Hours of Operation

Monday-Thursday: 5AM-midnight
Friday: 5AM-3AM
Saturday: 7AM-3AM
Sunday: 7AM-midnight

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Washington, D.C. Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.

Washington, D.C. by Metro