One of the best things about visiting Washington DC is the Metro System. It’s efficient, very clean and the best way to get around without a car.
Facts
The Washington Metro System serves DC and the surrounding areas in Maryland and Virginia. It is the “2nd busiest rail transit system” in the U.S. after NYC. Today there are five lines designated by the colors red, green, blue, yellow and orange. A sixth, the silver line, is under construction and will provide service out to Dulles Airport by 2013.
There are 86 stations and 106 miles of track currently in operation. The system has a total of 1126 rail cars, each of which are 75 feet long. The maximum speed of the trains is 75 mph with an average speed of 33 mph including stops. Rules prohibit speeds higher than 59 mph.
History and Interesting Facts
Planning for the Metro System began in the 1950’s and in 1969 construction began with the first segment opening in 1976. The system is partly below ground and partly above, with 50 miles of track and 47 stations underground.
The deepest station is the Forest Glen Station on the Red Line and it is 196 feet below the surface. There are no escalators but instead high speed elevators take approximately 20 seconds to reach the platform from the street level.
The Wheaton Station, also on the Red Line, has the 2nd longest continuous elevator in the world, at 230 feet in length.
Cleanliness and Crime Prevention
It was very noticeable to me just how clean the Washington Metro System is especially compared to other rail systems. One of the reasons for this is the zero-tolerance policy on food, drinks, smoking and trash inside the system. Local riders will speak up if they notice a tourist eating or drinking on a train.
For security purposes random searches of backpacks, purses and bags have been part of the policy since 2008. Authorities will search riders before boarding or entering a station.
More recently, since 2009, a zero tolerance policy has been instituted against the train operators texting or using other hand-held devices while operating the trains.
Fare Cards and Passes
For those who will be using the Metro often, a pass is the way to go. They can be purchased online or at a Metro station. There is a daily pass and a weekly pass. The One Day Pass costs $9 and is good starting at 9:30 am and all day on weekends and holidays. The Weekly Pass costs $15. There are also discounted passes for seniors and those with disabilities at half the cost.
The Fare Card is available in the vending machines at Metro stations and can be purchased for as little as $1.60 and as much as $45. They may also be purchased online in amounts of $10, $15 and $20.
The SmarTrip Card is what most locals use and this is a permanent fare card which is rechargeable, similar to a credit card. The cost is $5 and can be purchased online, in retail commuter shops and Metro sales offices. They can also be purchased at Metro stations where parking is available.
Hours of Operation
The operating hours are not quite 24/7. On Mondays through Fridays stations open at 5am and on Saturdays and Sundays 7am. They close at midnight on Sundays through Thursdays and stay open until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Website
The website, DC Metro home page is very user friendly with instructions for visitors on how to use the fare cards as well as having a trip planner tool. This allows riders to determine the most efficient ways to travel and where to transfer trains from one line to another.