WASHINGTON — With stay-at-home orders issued in all the jurisdictions it serves, Metro has decided to scale service back even further. Starting April 6, Metro will run from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.
Metrobus service will also end around 11 p.m. nightly, with buses that start their route before 11 p.m. finishing to the end of the route before going out of service.
Ridership is reportedly down approximately 95% during the coronavirus pandemic, since Metro began urging customers to limit use of the system to "essential trips only." WMATA reported approximately 150,000 riders across rail and bus on April 2.
"Metro’s ridership drop-off has been particularly acute after 9 p.m.," a Metro statement said. "The shorter service hours will also allow frontline transit workers—who have been serving the public without interruption— to spend more time with their families, all while reducing their exposure to the public."
Previously, WMATA closed the first and last car of all trains to create an additional buffer between the train operator’s compartment and the general public. The service also closed 19 stations and several entrances and exits, citing low ridership and a need to conserve cleaning supplies.
"Metro is taking action to make its current 2-3 week warehouse supply stretch until massive orders placed in late January are received," WMATA said in a press release.
Here are the closed stations
- Federal Center SW
- Federal Triangle
- Mt Vernon Square
- Judiciary Square
- Archives
- Greensboro
- Eisenhower Ave
- Virginia Square
- Cleveland Park
- Grosvenor-Strathmore
- Cheverly
- Clarendon
- East Falls Church
- College Park
- McLean
- Morgan Boulevard
- Van Dorn St
- Arlington Cemetery
- Smithsonian
Schedule starting April 6
Metrorail
- Mon-Fri 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. Trains every 20 min/line (15 min on Red Line)
- Sat-Sun 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Trains every 30 min/line (20 min on Red Line)
- 19 rail stations are closed (no alternate transportation provided)
- Each train’s first and last cars are out of service to protect train operators
Metrobus
- Mon-Fri Buses operate using a Modified Sunday Schedule. Please consult wmata.com to check weekday bus routes to make sure your bus is running. Buses will run at Sunday service levels. No service after 11 p.m.
- Sat-Sun Buses service on 27 routes only. Please consult wmata.com for weekend bus routes before traveling. No service on other routes. Buses will run every 30 minutes. No service after 11 p.m.
- MetroAccess: All subscription trips remain canceled. Please limit travel to only the most essential trips.