Metro News Release
For immediate release: March 31, 2010
Expect standing room only to/from Nationals games
Exhibition game, home opener fans to crowd Metro
Fans attending Nationals games can expect standing room only on Green Line trains throughout the season. Fans are expected to pass through the faregates of the west entrance of the Navy Yard Metrorail station at Half Street by the thousands for each game because it is a short one-block walk to the ballpark. Fans that use the east entrance on New Jersey Avenue will experience smaller crowds if they are willing to walk further to/from the ballpark.
On game days, the Half Street entrance will be exit-only as conditions warrant before games and entrance-only after games. During games, the Navy Yard New Jersey Avenue entrance should be used by people traveling in the opposite direction of the crowds.
After each game, Metro Transit Police monitor the crowds headed home and when the platform is full of fans waiting for the next train, crowds are held at street level until the platform is clear. This “metering” of customers headed back into the station after games is done to ensure customer safety on the escalators, staircases and platform. The larger the crowd is at a game, the longer it will take to get back into the station.
People who want to avoid Metrorail crowds should consider Metrobus to and from the baseball games. The following Metrobuses serve Nationals Park: 70, P1, P2, V7, V8, and V9. Additionally, the District of Columbia Circulator will provide extended service on game days between Union Station and the Navy Yard Metrorail station. For more information on Metrobus service to Nationals Park, visit www.wmata.com/nationals. For more information on DC Circulator service to Nationals Park, visit www.dccirculator.com.
Exhibition Game, Saturday, April 3
On Saturday, April 3, at 4:05 p.m., the Washington Nationals will host an exhibition game. To accommodate the crowds, Metrorail will operate some extra trains on the Green Line; however, trains are expected to be extremely crowded.
Before and after the exhibition game, Metro will have employees inside the Navy Yard Metrorail station to help customers navigate through the station and to get to and from the ballpark.
Parking is free at Metrorail stations on weekends.
Opening Day, Monday, April 5
On Monday, April 5, the Washington Nationals will open the regular season at 1:05 p.m., at Nationals Park. Metro will operate a handful of eight-car trains on the Green Line and will run special shuttle trains between the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center and Navy Yard Metrorail stations to help accommodate the huge sell-out crowd expected to use Metrorail to and from the game. Metro expects to carry about 20,000 people to and from the game, which will probably conclude between 4 and 5 p.m., during the height of rush hour.
With President Obama throwing out the game’s first pitch and the gates to Nationals park opening at 10 a.m., fans should plan to get to the ballpark as early as possible and to be prepared for extremely crowded conditions throughout the Green Line and at the two Green Line transfer stations, Gallery Pl-Chinatown and the L’Enfant Plaza Metrorail stations.
After the game, expect the Navy Yard Metrorail station to be packed as people head home from the game during the height of rush hour. Fans should expect to be waiting in long lines to get back into the Navy Yard Metrorail station after the game, perhaps for a half hour or more due to the large crowd attending the game.
Parking at Metrorail stations for baseball games
Parking is free at Metrorail stations on weekends and federal holidays. On weekdays, riders must have a SmarTrip card to pay for parking at all but six Metrorail parking facilities. Customers can pay the daily parking fee with a major credit card or SmarTrip card at the Anacostia, Franconia-Springfield, Largo Town Center, Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, Shady Grove, New Carrollton and Huntington Metrorail stations. Customers can use their Discover, Mastercard, Visa, American Express or Japanese Credit Bank cards at these locations.
For more information on Metrorail or Metrobus, please visit Metro’s Web site at www.metroopensdoors.com or call (202) 637-7000.
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News release issued at 10:50 am, March 31, 2010.