WASHINGTON — Metro riders will soon see shorter wait times for some train lines starting early February, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced Thursday.
Beginning on Feb. 7, riders on the Blue, Blue+ (Yellow Line replacement) and Orange lines will see trains every 12 minutes from 6–9 a.m. and 3–6 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday. Red Line customers will see trains departing every eight minutes all day until 9 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, starting on Feb. 21.
The changes improve the 15-minute service time for the Blue, Blue + and Orange lines, and expand more frequent trains for the Red Line customers throughout the day. This is part of WMATA's plan to increase service as more 7000-series railcars become available.
In addition, all Orange Line trains will consist of 8-cars to provide more capacity for riders.
“Our newest railcars have continued to provide safe and reliable service, and we are excited to deliver them where our customers most need them,” General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke said. "By making trains more frequent and increasing capacity with more 8-car trains, we are reducing crowding and making service more convenient.”
More improvements to rail frequency are expected to come and will be announced in the coming months, according to WMATA, as Metro gradually adds back service to meet growing ridership.