Arlington Transit (ART)
ART is now a regional partner with Metro Lift. Learn more about this partnership and how you can travel with Metro Lift benefits.
Metro Lift is a reduced fare program for Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia customers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Enroll for free in as little as 5 minutes.
All reduced fare programs offer 50% off all Metro Bus and Metro Rail trips.
Excludes pass products and Metro Access.
Eligible customers must currently be enrolled in SNAP in Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia.
For more details, read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below.
Starting July 1, 2026, Metro Lift customers can use the same payment on the Arlington Transit (ART) system. This allows for a "seamless travel experience" beyond the Metro service areas while maintaining a discounted transfer fare. Learn more about this partnership here.
Gather your documents and visit one of the following locations:
Transit Accessibility Center hours
Monday - Friday from 8 am - 4 pm
Learn more about the Transit Accessibility Center8404 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring , MD 20910
Plan a TripTRiPs - Commuter Store at Silver Spring Station hours
Monday - Friday 6:00 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday 7:00 am - 4:00 pm
Telephone: 240-773-TRiPS (8747)
Call or text:
202-GO-METRO (202-466-3876)
TTY 202-962-2033
Or, chat with us.
Live Customer Support: Monday-Friday, 7 am-8 pm; Saturday-Sunday, 8 am-8 pm.
Language Assistance: Call 202-637-7000 (TTY 202-638-3780) for free language assistance and translation in over 100 languages.
Metro Lift is free!
A 50% discount on Metrobus and Metrorail trips. Metro Lift is not accepted on MetroAccess, regional bus operators such as RideOn, TheBus, and Fairfax Connector. The discount does not apply to pass products.
For customers enrolling online, the discount is typically available on the SmarTrip cards enrolled in Metro Lift within 48 hours of submitting your enrollment form. Each enrolled SmarTrip card must be used within 30 days to activate the discount.
For customers enrolling in-person, the discount will be available immediately on every SmarTrip card enrolled in Metro Lift.
You will be charged half the regular fare when you board a Metrobus or exit a Metrorail station. If you are eligible for a transfer discount, then the discount will be applied immediately unless you transfer from Metrobus-to-Metrorail. You will receive a transfer discount credit for Metrorail-to-Metrobus transfers within two days.
No, pass products will not work on the same SmarTrip card that has Metro Lift If you want to continue to use pass products for parts of your travel, you will need to add the pass to a separate card. If you added a pass to a card with Metro Lift, contact Customer Support at 888-SMARTRIP to move the pass to a new card.
Yes, one year after the date that you submitted your enrollment form. You must still receive SNAP benefits from DC, Maryland, or Virginia at the time of your renewal. You can renew your Metro Lift discount up to 30 -days before it expires. If you opt in for text or email notifications, you will receive a reminder to renew Metro Lift.
No.
No.
Yes, you can receive Metro Lift on your existing physical or virtual card. However, the SmarTrip card cannot be part of another reduced fare program, such as the Senior SmarTrip program or Kids Ride Free.
Yes, the discount can be applied to a SmarTrip card on an iPhone and Apple Watch via Apple Wallet or to a SmarTrip card on an Android using Google Wallet or Google Pay.
Customers currently enrolled in either the DC, Maryland or Virginia Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Yes. Visit our Fare Programs page to learn about all of our reduced fare programs.
For more information on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), please visit these websites depending on where you live:
Yes, but they must be included on your SNAP proof of benefits and have a SmarTrip card. The proof of benefits must either list the other household members by name or indicate your household size. Remember, Metro Lift doesn't apply to Metro's reduced fare cards, such as Senior SmarTrip and Kids Ride Free.
Yes, if the head of the household is a SNAP recipient and the kids are listed on the SNAP Benefits Summary. Remember, the Metro Lift discount cannot be applied to Metro's student program cards. In addition, two kids under the age of 5 can ride free with a paying adult.
No, those programs also offer a 50% discount on Metrorail and Metrobus trips.
Yes.
No. To qualify for Metro Lift, customers must be enrolled in SNAP. P-EBT cards and benefits were provided to many households that were not enrolled in SNAP.
The following information is needed for registration:
Customers who receive SNAP benefits from DC, Maryland, or Virginia can enroll in the Metro Lift program either through the online enrollment process, click here or at an in-person enrollment center.
Walk ins are welcome; no appointment is necessary.
Valid DC, MD, or VA driver's license or state ID; federal ID; military ID; tribal ID; permanent residency (green) card; DC One card; or U.S. passport. They cannot be expired.
Valid DC, MD, or VA driver's license or state ID; federal ID; military ID; tribal ID; permanent residency (green) card; DC One card; or U.S. passport. They cannot be expired.
Yes. You will need to provide a phone number.
Contact customer service by:
Obtain a replacement card and then call Customer Service at 888-762-7874, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. , Monday - Friday, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. You will need the answer the security question you provided during your SmarTrip card or Metro Lift registration.
If you have registered your SmarTrip card, log in to your account, and Metro Lift will appear in the Time-Based Passes Section on the Card Summary page. On the SmarTrip Mobile App, Metro Lift will appear in the "Active" section under your card number. In Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Google Pay, Metro Lift will appear under the stored value balance. Once you've used your Metro Lift discount, you can tap your physical card or phone to a payment validator target on any station manager kiosk and METLIFT will display in the Passes section.
In addition to Metro Bus, Arlington Transit (ART) now accepts Metro Lift reduced-fare benefits on all ART bus routes as of July 1, 2026, creating a more seamless and affordable transit experience for low-income customers.
Since launching, Metro has worked with regional transit providers to expand acceptance of the program and make public transportation more accessible and affordable across the Washington metropolitan area. Arlington Transit (ART) is the first of Metro’s regional partners to adopt Metro Lift.