Washington Metro to add more buses, more trains and extended hours as part of Covid-19 Recovery Plan beginning Sunday, August 16

Washington Metro will add more buses, more trains, and more hours of service beginning on Sunday, August 16, 2020, restoring most service to pre-Covid levels while maintaining a strong response posture to Covid-19. Metrorail will add 15 hours more service per week, with opening times returning to normal and the system closing two hours later each night in anticipation of potential increases in ridership after Labor Day.  Metro  also announced a significant investment to support the region’s overnight workers by doubling the discount customers receive when using Lyft during times Metro is not available.  Metrobus will offer more buses, running more frequent service beginning Sunday, August 23 restoring approximately 75 percent of pre-pandemic service. Weekday service will improve on 174 routes with most routes operating close to normal. Buses will operate until midnight, an additional hour. In an effort to provide additional transportation options for late-night workers, Metro is increasing the subsidy from $3 to $6 for on-demand transportation service after hours. The program, known as the After-Hours Commuter Service, gives qualified workers a subsidy toward a shared ride on Lyft for trips between their home and workplace between midnight and 4 a.m. Eligible workers may apply online at wmata.com/afterhours. Metro remains on track to re-open six Fairfax County stations on the Orange and Silver lines August 16, as announced last month. The stations west of Ballston – McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill, and Wiehle-Reston East on the Silver Line plus West Falls Church on the Orange Line – had been closed since late May to complete work for Silver Line Phase 2 and platform reconstruction.  The remaining Orange Line stations, Vienna, Dunn Loring and East Falls Church are on target for completion around Labor Day, September 7.

-via Press Release

This article was posted on: July 23, 2020