Metro releases details for December Red Line service closure at four stations ahead of holiday travel
*UPDATED 12/28: Red Line construction is ending one day earlier than planned. Normal service resumes Saturday, Dec. 30 at 7 a.m.
As Metro prepares for critical safety repairs on the Red Line during the last two weeks of the year, plans are underway to ensure customers are well-informed about travel alternatives to get them to and from Red Line stations where service will be interrupted. Metro scheduled the work at the end of December, while ridership is at its lowest, to have the least impact on customers.
To complete the work safely and efficiently, there will be no Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place between Monday, Dec. 18 and Friday, Dec. 29*. Farragut North and Metro Center (upper level) will be closed. Blue, Orange, and Silver line service will continue to be available for customers at Metro Center; however, both entrances on G Street NW at 11th and 13th streets will be closed to accommodate equipment and work crews. Customers can access the station at both entrances on 12th Street NW instead.
From Friday, Dec. 22 through Sunday, Dec. 24, Metro will extend the work zone with no Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Union Station. Judiciary Square Station will be closed and Red Line service will be unavailable at Gallery Place. Additionally, the Gallery Place entrance at Ninth & G streets NW will be closed.
Over the two-week period, Metro will repair the deteriorated concrete ceiling above both tracks, dating back to the Metro system's earliest days. While completing these critical repairs, work crews will also complete other essential maintenance work to avoid future service disruptions, including:
- Replace switch machines
- Install nearly 40,000 linear feet of fiber-optic cables
- Replace concrete grout pads that stabilize the tracks
- Perform leak repairs
- Install platform edge lighting at all closed stations
- Replacing rail fasteners and repairing rail joints
- Install additional insulators that provide a barrier between the electrified third rail and ground
Ridership is historically 40 percent lower during this time and completing the work with the Red Line out of service at a small number of stations will get the work done faster and affect fewer customers. In two weeks, Metro crews will be able to accomplish what would normally take three months if done on weekends.
Outside of the work zone, Red Line trains will arrive every 8 minutes at stations between Shady Grove and Dupont Circle and every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m. Between Gallery Place and Glenmont trains will run 10 minutes all day. All other lines will operate normal service frequencies. Between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory where the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines overlap trains will arrive at stations every 3-4 minutes during the day and every 5 minutes after 9:30 p.m. on the Green and Yellow lines trains will arrive every four minutes from L’Enfant Plaza to Mt Vernon Square trains will arrive every three minutes during peak periods and every four minutes all other times.
Service Information and Travel Alternatives
*Please note due to construction ending early, shuttle buses below will operate through Friday, Dec. 29.
December 18-21 and 25-29*, 2023
- No Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place
- Trains will operate in two segments:
- Between Shady Grove and Dupont Circle every 8 minutes and after 9:30 p.m. every 10 minutes; and
- Between Gallery Place and Glenmont every 10 minutes all day
- Farragut North and Metro Center (upper level) closed
- Free shuttle buses replace trains:
Shuttle 1
Express service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place
Shuttle locations:
Dupont Circle - Boards at the station’s north entrance at Connecticut Ave and Q St NW
Gallery Place – Boards at the station’s north entrance at H and Seventh streets NW (by Chinese Friendship Archway) *Wheelchair accessible vehicle available at Seventh Street NW between F & G streets
Shuttle 2
Express service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle and Farragut West.
Shuttle locations:
Dupont Circle - Boards at the station’s south entrance at 19th St & Dupont Circle NW
Farragut West - Boards at the station’s west entrance at 18th & I streets NW
Shuttle 3
Local service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle, Farragut North, Metro Center, and Gallery Place.
Shuttle locations:
Dupont Circle - Boards at the station’s North Entrance at Connecticut Ave and Q St NW
Farragut North – Northbound to Dupont Circle boards at station’s north entrance (by Mayflower Hotel) at Connecticut & L streets NW; and southbound to Metro Center and Gallery Place boards at station’s west entrance (Washington Square) at Connecticut & L streets NW
Metro Center - Boards at the station’s north entrance at 12th & G streets NW
Gallery Place – Boards at the station’s north entrance at H and Seventh streets NW (by Chinese Friendship Archway) *Wheelchair accessible vehicle available at Seventh Street NW between F & G streets
December 22-24, 2023
- No Red Line service between Dupont Circle and Union Station
- Trains will operate in two segments: Between Shady Grove and Dupont Circle; and from Union Station to Glenmont every 8 minutes and after 9:30 p.m. every 10 minutes.
- Farragut North, Metro Center (upper level), Gallery Place (upper level), Judiciary Square closed
- Free shuttle buses replace trains:
Shuttle 1
Express service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle, Gallery Place and Union Station
Shuttle locations:
Dupont Circle - Boards at the station’s north entrance at Connecticut Ave and Q St NW
Gallery Place – Westbound shuttles toward Dupont Circle board on westbound H and Seventh streets NW (across from station entrance) and eastbound shuttles toward Union Station board on eastbound H and Seventh streets NW (next to station entrance) *Wheelchair accessible vehicle available at Seventh Street NW between F & G streets - Union Station – Boards at Massachusetts Ave & E St NE *Wheelchair accessible vehicle available at First & G streets NE entrance
Shuttle 2
Express service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle and Farragut West
Shuttle locations:
Dupont Circle - Boards at the station’s south entrance at 19th St & Dupont Circle NW
Farragut West - Boards at the station’s west entrance at 18th & I streets NW
Shuttle 3
Local service every 8-10 minutes between Dupont Circle, Farragut North, Metro Center, Gallery Place, Judiciary Sq, and Union Station
Shuttle locations:
Union Station - Boards at Massachusetts Ave & E St NE *Wheelchair accessible vehicle available at First & G streets NE entrance
Judiciary Square - Westbound shuttles board at E and Fourth streets NW; eastbound boards at E and Fourth streets NW
Gallery Place – Westbound shuttles toward Dupont Circle board on westbound H and Seventh streets NW (across from station entrance) and eastbound shuttles toward Union Station board on eastbound H and Seventh streets NW (next to station entrance) *Wheelchair accessible vehicle available at Seventh Street NW between F & G streets
Metro Center - Boards at the north entrance at 12th & G streets NW Farragut North - Northbound shuttles to Dupont Circle board at station’s north entrance (by Mayflower Hotel) at Connecticut & L streets NW; and southbound/southeast shuttles toward Union Station board at west entrance (Washington Square) at Connecticut & L streets NW
Dupont Circle - Boards at the station’s North Entrance at Connecticut Ave and Q St NW
A wheelchair accessible vehicle will be available at the same location as shuttle buses unless otherwise noted. Customers are also encouraged to consider regular route Metrobus service as an alternative and Red Line customers traveling to/from downtown Dec 22-24 may also consider transferring to/from the Green Line via Fort Totten.
For more information and additional travel alternatives, visit here.