Metro to run additional service Tuesday for Capitals victory parade
Metrorail will operate rush-hour service levels throughout the day Tuesday to accommodate thousands of fans expected for the Capitals' victory parade in Downtown DC.
On Tuesday, the rail system will open at 5 a.m. with regular morning rush hour service. However, instead of scaling back during the midday hours, Metro will continue operating trains at those same rush-hour frequencies throughout the day and into the evening commute. Trains will depart end-of-line stations every 8 minutes, with service as frequent as every 2 to 4 minutes at downtown stations served by multiple lines.
Hundreds of additional Metro employees will be on hand to support the operation-including additional police, station managers, train operators, supervisors, and support staff to assist fans at downtown stations.
The busiest stations are expected to be Archives, Arlington Cemetery, Foggy Bottom, Federal Triangle, Metro Center, Federal Center SW, L'Enfant Plaza, Smithsonian, Union Station and Gallery Place. Metro recommends selecting a station near the parade route on the same line as where you start your trip.
Metro is advising attendees to ensure that your SmarTrip card is loaded with enough fare value to cover your entire roundtrip. You can check your balance or load additional value online at smartrip.wmata.com. (Expect lines at fare vending machines at stations closest to the parade.) As a reminder, each person traveling on Metro needs his or her own SmarTrip card.
As with any large-scale event, Metro Transit Police may make temporary changes to ensure your safety, including designating selected station entrances as "entry only" or "exit only," or turning off escalators where crowding conditions warrant. If an individual station becomes overcrowded, trains may temporarily bypass it. In addition, crowding conditions on platforms may also cause Metro to slow train speeds as they enter selected stations, which may result in brief delays.
Regular weekday fare policies will be in effect: peak fares are charged before 9:30 a.m. and between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., with off-peak fares at all other times.
Metro parking lots and garages may reach capacity early in the day, and customers should have alternate parking locations in mind if needed. Parking fees are charged as vehicles exit Metro facilities.
Metro service information is available by signing up for MetroAlerts email and text messages at wmata.com/metroalerts or by following Metro on Twitter.