Metro News Release
For immediate release: October 18, 2013
Metro unveils new Van Gogh Limited Edition SmarTrip Cards
Metro and the Phillips Collection announce joint promotion
Four limited-edition Van Gogh Commemorative SmarTrip Cards are now available for purchase as Metro partners with The Phillips Collection to celebrate the Van Gogh Repetitions exhibit at The Phillips Collection through January 2014. The cards feature four prominent Van Gogh images: The Bedroom at Arles, The Road Menders, Madame Roulin Rocking the Cradle, and The Postman Joseph Roulin.
Buy Online
Each reusable plastic card comes pre-loaded with $8 in stored fare value for a total price of $10. The cards are available for pre-order online at www.wmata.com/fares/smartrip and will be available in all Metrorail station dispensers by the end of October.
Metro riders can present their Van Gogh SmarTrip at The Phillips Collection for $3 off admission (normally $12), as well as up to 20% off purchases at the museum gift shop.
“Vincent van Gogh’s celebrated paintings bring joy to so many people around the world; and we are thrilled that art lovers have responded so positively to Van Gogh Repetitions, now on view at The Phillips Collection," said Sarah Schaffer, Director of Marketing and Communications for The Phillips Collection. "Partnering with Metro to produce these special fare cards seemed like the perfect way celebrate the exhibition’s success—by putting a little bit of van Gogh’s magic into the hands of those who live, work and play in the District.”
“We are delighted to promote taking bus and rail transit to this special exhibit,” said Lynn Bowersox, Metro Assistant General Manager for Customer Service, Communications and Marketing. “The Phillips Collection is one of the great destinations that is convenient for Metro riders and we are proud to share this wonderful artwork with our customers.”
Bowersox said that the average customer holds onto their SmarTrip card for about four years. Metro has recently introduced several enhancements to SmarTrip to make using the cards even faster and more convenient, including:
- Auto Reload: The "set it and forget it" feature that will automatically reload your card anytime your balance drops below $10. more info
- New Lower Price: Earlier this month, Metro lowered the price of new SmarTrip cards to $2, down from $5 previously. Using a SmarTrip card allows customers to avoid a $1-per-trip surcharge for trips taken using a paper farecard. The lower price makes using a SmarTrip card more cost effective than using a paper farecard for anyone taking more than one roundtrip. more info
- Dispensers in All Metrorail Stations: SmarTrip cards can be purchased at any Metrorail station entrance. Riders pay $10 at the dispensers--$2 for the card loaded with $8 in Metro fare value.
The Van Gogh Repetitions exhibition features over 30 portraits and landscapes from some of the world’s most renowned collections, the exhibition reveals a fascinating picture of Van Gogh’s personal life and art. Details and tickets are available at www.phillipscollection.org/van-gogh. The Phillips Collection is conveniently located at 1600 21st St, NW, just steps away from Dupont Circle (Q Street entrance). Metrobus service is provided on the D2, D6, 42, and G2 routes.
News release issued at 1:40 pm, October 18, 2013.