Metro News Release
For immediate release: June 26, 2003
Wednesday’s Metrorail ridership surpasses 700,000 for fourth time this month
Yesterday’s Metrorail ridership of 726,789 was the third highest ridership in Metrorail history and the eighth day this month that has seen ridership in the top 30 in the 27 years since Metrorail began operation. Including Wednesday’s June 25, 2003, ridership, there have been four days this month when ridership has topped 700,000, none of them occurring on a day with a major special event in the region.
An average weekday usually sees Metrorail ridership in the 650,000 to 670,000 range. The majority of riders travel during the morning and afternoon commute times; however, during mid-day and evening hours, the Metrorail system has much more capacity to carry customers. Weekends also tend to see considerably fewer riders in the Metrorail system, with fewer than 300,000 customers, another time when there is plenty of room to ride on Metrorail.
Metrorail’s Highest Ridership Days
| Rank | Date | Ridership* | Event |
| 1 | 1-20-93 | 811,257 | Clinton Inauguration |
| 2 | 10-16-95 | 804,146 | Million Man March |
| 3 | 6-25-02 | 726,789 | No Event |
| 4 | 4-15-02 | 718,747 | Pro Israel Rally |
| 5 | 6-24-03 | 714,907 | No Event |
| 6 | 4-2-02 | 714,601 | Cherry Blossoms |
| 7 | 6-18-03 | 712,797 | No Event |
| 15 | 6-10-03 | 701,664 | No Event |
*Every trip a customer takes counts as one ride toward the total ridership count for a day.
News release issued on June 26, 2003.