Smart Trip is Your Ticket to Ride
Smart Trip is how to pay for Metro Rail, Metro Bus, Metro parking garages and lots, and partner regional bus providers accross D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
How to buy and reload your Smart Trip card
Mobile wallet
Everything you need to ride, right on your phone. Transer an existing card to your phone or purchase a new one, then use your device at a fare gate or fare box.
Purchases ready instantly
Mobile app
Create an account or log in to manage all of your card, protect your balances, and more.
Expect up to 1 hour for product delivery on physical cards.
Products on mobile wallet cards ready instantly
Online
Add passes or fare to a registered card. Must have a Smart Trip account to reload passes.
Expect up to 1 hour for delivery.
Reload your card without a Smart Trip account
Add fare to an unregistered card
Expect up to 1 hour for delivery.
Buy a new plastic card online and receive it by mail.
Expect at least 5 business days for delivery.
In person
Use a fare vending machine at any Metro Rail station, or visit any commuter store or retail outlet.
Purchases are ready instantly
Stored value and auto reload
You can add stored value to Smart Trip anytime, or set up Auto Reload so that value will automatically be added when you’re running low.
If there isn’t enough value on your card to pay for your Metro Rail ride at the end of your trip, you can add value at an Exitfare vending machine when you’re leaving the station. Or, if you’re using Smart Trip in Wallet, just add stored value using Apple Wallet or Google Wallet, or the Smart Trip app.
Passes
If you ride frequently, or are visiting, you can save money by getting a pass. There are many kinds of passes available, and which one is right for you depends on how often and where you travel. Most passes cover both Metro Rail and Metro Bus, and some cover other bus services, too.
Your Smart Trip card or Smart Trip in Wallet can have both stored value and passes on it at the same time. If you have an active pass that covers your ride, your pass will be used, and you won’t be charged any stored value.
Register your Smart Trip card
Register your Smart Trip card on the Smart Trip app or online.
You can enable Auto Reload and protect your balance if your card is ever lost or stolen.
Using Smart Trip on other services
In addition to Metro, you can tap Smart Trip to pay your fare on many other regional bus services in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Your fare will be paid by your stored value. Or, for some services, your trip could be covered by a 7-Day Regional Pass.
