How to Metro

If you’re like me, you didn’t have public transportation growing up or on your campus. That is about to change (for the better, I promise)!

🧡🩶💙 Your core lines: Orange, Silver and Blue

  • Your dorms on George Washington University’s campus are located off the Foggy Bottom Metro stop on the Orange, Silver and Blue lines. In my humble opinion, these are the absolute best lines to live on. These lines run to both D.C. airports (DCA and IAD), major office and restaurant hubs (Farragut Square, McPherson Square, etc.), numerous national landmarks (the National Mall, Smithsonian museums, Arlington Cemetery, etc.) and most importantly, your classes at George Mason!

🚇 General Metro Advice

  • Use transit mode on your Maps app! I use Apple Maps, and it tells me how much the trip will cost, how far away the next train is, which line and direction to take and which exit to use when you arrive at your destination!
  • Always leave yourself an extra 5ish minutes to get to the platform and onto the train. Sometimes the train arrives earlier than your map says, and some escalators are long, like REALLY long!
    • Trivia Tip: The longest escalator in North America is at the Wheaton Station on the Red Line!
  • Plan ahead and pay attention to stops as you are on board. If you ever miss your stop or get on the wrong train, don’t panic! Just hop off at the next station and get on the right train!

🤲 Etiquette

  • When you are going up or down the escalator, it’s like a road. Stand to the right and walk/pass to the left. If you are not going to walk, stay all the way to the right!
  • If you are sitting and a young child, a pregnant woman/a woman with a stroller, a disabled person or an elderly person boards the train, it is polite to offer them your seat.
  • If you take a handicap seat and someone with a handicap gets on, you MUST find another seat or stand.
  • No food or beverages!

💰 Paying for Metro

  • I recommend getting yourself a SmarTrip Card as soon as you get here! Once you have the physical card, you can add it to your phone’s wallet (Apple or Google Wallet) and just tap your phone at the gates for the rest of the summer!
    • You can also download the SmarTrip app for iPhone or Android to create a virtual card instantly and pay using your phone’s wallet (less nostalgic).
  • You can also use a debit/credit card directly at the gates – either with the physical card or through your digital wallet.
  • Some railway systems, like the NYC Subway, charge a flat fee no matter where you go; D.C. is different. In D.C., you pay by mileage, so the farther you travel, the more money the trip costs you. The range is $2.25-$6.75.
    • Except for the weekends! Weekend rides are $2.50.
  • I would get a monthly pass, which gives unlimited rides for a fixed price. When you buy a pass, you choose a trip value (e.g., $2.25, $3.00, $4.00). Map out your trip to your internship and then buy the pass for that value!
  • I recommend talking to your internship site before buying a monthly pass – some sites offer a metro stipend or other commuter benefits.

🚨 Emergency Information

If you are experiencing an emergency in the Metro system, please contact the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD) 24/7 by dialing 202-962-2121 or texting MyMTPD (696873).