It’s a good thing we have the U-Pass.
Metro shook things up for commuters, with fare hikes and schedule changes to trains and several area bus routes starting June 25. Metro also increased the cost of parking at some stations.
Metrorail trips now have a base fare of $2.25, an increase of 10 cents during peak hours and 25 cents in off-peak hours, while the Metrobus base fare is now $2, an increase of 75 cents. During peak hours, Metrorail rides can rise up to $6.
Though the fare hikes will have an impact on students in D.C. for the summer, students with U-Pass cards, which will be issued or renewed in the fall, likely won’t notice the change.
However, all student riders will notice the change in hours. Trains will leave stations less frequently during rush hour on some rail lines. On the Red line, trains will run every four to eight minutes. They’ll run every eight minutes on all other lines, rather than every six minutes as they had in the past.
Meanwhile, several bus routes will also see an increase in late night service, with buses stopping hourly after midnight on the 30S and 30N routes, which run through Tenleytown. The N2, N4, and N6 bus routes also experienced schedule changes, with buses on the N2 and N4 routes stopping every 30-25 minutes and buses on the N6, during its evening hours, stopping every 30-35 minutes.
Metrorail’s operating hours have also changed. Monday through Thursday, stations close at 11:30 p.m., and on Sunday, stations close at 11 p.m. Stations will stay open until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Find more information about all of Metro’s recent adjustments on WMATA’s website.
