Metro News Release
For immediate release: March 30, 2007
Metro Adds 24 Rail Cars for Cherry Blossom Events
Metro Adds 24 Rail Cars to Weekday Peak Service on Monday, April 2 Metrorail to Open at 6 a.m. on Sunday, April 1, for the Cherry Blossom 10-mile Race
As the 2007 National Cherry Blossom festival starts this weekend, Metro is preparing to carry large crowds by adding more rail cars for weekday peak service, opening one hour early on Sunday, April 1, to accommodate race patrons for the Cherry Blossom 10-mile race, and having additional trains and personnel available on the weekends.
Metrorail Adding 24 Rail Cars
To accommodate higher ridership during Cherry Blossom activities, Metro is adding 24 rail cars to its weekday morning and afternoon peak service starting Monday, April 2. These 24 rail cars will allow Metro to initiate eight-car trains on the Red and Green lines and to expand eight-car train service on the Orange Line during the afternoon peak period. Metro will convert one four-car train to a six-car train on the Yellow Line, and convert two four-car Blue Line trains to six-car trains. These added cars will remain in service after the festival.
Metro will operate six-car trains during the weekday, off-peak daytime hours to accommodate the expected crowds and – depending on ridership demands – Metro will be prepared to use eight-car trains if necessary on the weekends.
Metrorail to Open at 6 a.m. on Sunday, April 1
Metrorail will open one hour early, at 6 a.m., on Sunday, April 1, to accommodate patrons attending the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-mile race. The race begins at 8 a.m., and will start and finish at West Potomac Park. The closest Metrorail stop for customers is the Smithsonian Metrorail station on the Blue and Orange Lines. Race organizers will also operate two shuttle buses, one from Metro Center and another from L'Enfant Plaza. The Metro Center shuttle will be available at 12th Street between G and H streets, NW, and the L'Enfant Plaza shuttle will be available at D Street between 6th and 7th streets, SW.
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Customer Tips
During the Cherry Blossom season, customers can do their part to help ensure that their trip is pleasant by remembering the following travel tips:
• Visitors should avoid traveling during the peak commuter periods from 5:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m., and are strongly encouraged to avoid traveling Metrorail between 4 and 6 p.m. at the height of the afternoon peak period.
• Visitors are encouraged to buy the $6.50 one-day Metrorail pass for multiple trips; the one-day pass can only be used after 9:30 a.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends.
• Regular commuters, especially those who work for the federal government and whose offices are in the vicinity of the Smithsonian Metrorail station, which is the most popular station for tourists arriving at the National Mall, are urged to stagger their arrival and departure times for work and use all downtown Metrorail stations.
• Regular commuters should allow extra time for travel, and are reminded when traveling on Metrorail to please walk into the center of the rail car and not block the rail car doors.
• Customers should stand back from the platform edge as trains approach the station.
• Visitors can also buy a SmarTrip card, which is used on Metrorail, Metrobus, and is the only way to pay for parking at most Metro-operated lots. Starting April 2, customers can use their Discover, Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Japanese Credit Bank credit cards to pay for parking at the Anacostia, Franconia-Springfield, Largo Town Center, Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, Shady Grove and New Carrollton Metrorail stations as part of a three month pilot program. Visitors can purchase a SmarTrip card from Metro’s Web site for $25 (with $20 of value on the card) or for $10 at any Metrorail station with a parking facility (with $5 of fare value on the card). SmarTrip cards can hold up to $300 of fare value.
• Customers are reminded to be aware of their surroundings and to make sure their personal belongings or valuables are safe and secure when traveling on Metro.
The 95th Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival brochures are free and are available at Metrorail stations. For more information on traveling by Metrobus and Metrorail, call (202) 637-7000, TDD (202) 638-3780, or visit Metro’s web site at www.metroopensdoors.com for safety and security tips.
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News release issued at 12:00 am, March 30, 2007.