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The Washington Metro (commonly called Metro, and branded Metrorail) is a rapid transit system serving Washington, D.C. and neighboring communities in Maryland and Virginia, both inside and outside the Capital Beltway.

With an average weekday ridership of 764,300, the Washington Metro is the second-busiest rapid transit system in the United States behind the New York City Subway.^[1] As of 2023^[update], the system has 98 active stations on six lines with 129 miles (208 km) of tracks.

The Washington Metro system was conceived as an alternative to constructing a large freeway system throughout the Washington, D.C. area. It was partially financed with funds originally dedicated to highway construction.^[2] Construction began in 1969, and in 1976 the first section of the Metro system opened along the Red Line between the Farragut North and Rhode Island Avenue stations in Washington, D.C. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, more stations were opened in the city and the suburban communities of Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, and Fairfax County in Virginia as well as Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in Maryland. By 1991, five rail lines were open: the Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, and Blue Lines. The system, as originally planned, was completed in 2001 with the extension of the Green Line to Branch Avenue. In 2004, three stations were opened: an extension of the Blue Line to the Morgan Boulevard and Downtown Largo stations and the first infill station, NoMa–Gallaudet U.^[3] The Silver Line opened in two phases, adding five stations in 2014 and six in 2022.^[4]^[5] On the Yellow and Blue Lines, an additional infill station at Potomac Yard opened on May 19, 2023.^[6]

Nine Metrorail stations are officially designated transfer stations, although other intermediate stations also allow passengers to transfer between lines. Four of these stations have separate, perpendicular upper and lower levels, which open at different times. Two other transfer stations, Rosslyn and Pentagon, have parallel stacked platforms. Ten stations are termini (stations at the end of lines); several other non-terminus stations are used to short turn trains in regular service.^[7]

The busiest station in the system in 2023 was Metro Center, with more than 3.9 million passenger entries over the course of the year.^[8] Rosslyn was the busiest station in Virginia, while Silver Spring was the busiest in Maryland. The system's 10 busiest stations are all located in Washington.

Lines

There are six Washington Metro lines, each named for a different color.^[7] All lines except the Red Line share tracks.

Ridership (May 2010)^[9]	Stations^[7]	Termini^[7]
277,741 (37%)	27	Shady Grove	Glenmont
187,663 (25%)	26	Vienna	New Carrollton
120,104 (16%)	28	Franconia–Springfield	Downtown Largo
105,091 (14%)	21	Branch Avenue	Greenbelt
59,781 (8%)	13	Huntington	Mount Vernon Square
—	34	Ashburn	Downtown Largo

Stations

*	Official transfer stations
†	Terminals
*†	Transfer station and terminal

Station^[7]	Rail Connections^[9]	Jurisdiction^[9]	Avg. Weekday Daily Rail Entries (2023)^[10]	Opened^[5]^[9]
Addison Road	—	Capitol Heights, Maryland	1285	Nov 22, 1980
Anacostia	—	Washington, D.C. (southeast)	2507	Dec 28, 1991
Archives	—	Washington, D.C. (northwest)	3852	Apr 30, 1983
Arlington Cemetery	—	Arlington County, Virginia	897	Jul 1, 1977
Ashburn†	—	Ashburn, Virginia	1152	Nov 15, 2022
Ballston–MU	—	Arlington County, Virginia	5289	Dec 11, 1979
Benning Road	—	Washington, D.C. (northeast)	1355	Nov 22, 1980
Bethesda	—	Bethesda, Maryland	4517	Aug 25, 1984
Braddock Road	—	Alexandria, Virginia	2040	Dec 17, 1983
Branch Avenue†	—	Suitland, Maryland	2141	Jan 13, 2001
Brookland–CUA	—	Washington, D.C. (northeast)	3536	Feb 6, 1978
Capitol Heights	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	1009	Nov 22, 1980
Capitol South	—	District of Columbia	4778	Jul 1, 1977
Cheverly	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	461	Nov 20, 1978
Clarendon	—	Arlington County, Virginia	2524	Dec 11, 1979
Cleveland Park	—	District of Columbia	2105	Dec 5, 1981
College Park–University of Maryland	MARC: Camden	Prince George's County, Maryland	1647	Dec 11, 1993
Columbia Heights	—	District of Columbia	6478	Sep 18, 1999
Congress Heights	—	District of Columbia	1357	Jan 13, 2001
Court House	—	Arlington County, Virginia	3348	Dec 11, 1979
Crystal City	VRE: Fredericksburg Manassas	Arlington County, Virginia	4795	Jul 1, 1977
Deanwood	—	District of Columbia	721	Nov 20, 1978
Downtown Largo†	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	1835	Dec 18, 2004
Dulles International Airport	—	Loudoun County, Virginia	1705	Nov 15, 2022
Dunn Loring	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	1349	Jun 7, 1986
Dupont Circle	—	District of Columbia	8986	Jan 17, 1977
East Falls Church*	—	Arlington County, Virginia	2225	Jun 7, 1986
Eastern Market	—	District of Columbia	3198	Jul 1, 1977
Eisenhower Avenue	—	Alexandria, Virginia	1011	Dec 17, 1983
Farragut North	—	District of Columbia	9820	Mar 29, 1976
Farragut West	—	District of Columbia	9214	Jul 1, 1977
Federal Center SW	—	District of Columbia	2231	Jul 1, 1977
Federal Triangle	—	District of Columbia	3711	Jul 1, 1977
Foggy Bottom–GWU	—	District of Columbia	12,007	Jul 1, 1977
Forest Glen	—	Montgomery County, Maryland	1104	Sep 22, 1990
Fort Totten* (lower level)^[a]	—	District of Columbia	6376	Dec 11, 1993
Fort Totten* (upper level)^[a]	—	District of Columbia	6376	Feb 6, 1978
Franconia–Springfield*†	VRE: Fredericksburg	Fairfax County, Virginia	2917	Jun 29, 1997
Friendship Heights	—	District of Columbia	3501	Aug 25, 1984
Gallery Place* (lower level)^[a]	—	District of Columbia	10,525	Apr 30, 1983
Gallery Place* (upper level)^[a]	—	District of Columbia	10,525	Dec 15, 1976
Georgia Avenue–Petworth	—	District of Columbia	3363	Sep 18, 1999
Glenmont†	—	Montgomery County, Maryland	2904	Jul 25, 1998
Greensboro	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	852	Jul 26, 2014
Greenbelt*†	MARC: Camden	Prince George's County, Maryland	2254	Dec 11, 1993
Grosvenor–Strathmore	—	Montgomery County, Maryland	2128	Aug 25, 1984
Herndon	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	784	Nov 15, 2022
Huntington†	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	3006	Dec 17, 1983
Hyattsville Crossing	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	2020	Dec 11, 1993
Innovation Center	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	681	Nov 15, 2022
Judiciary Square	—	District of Columbia	3263	Mar 29, 1976
King Street–Old Town*	Amtrak services Cardinal Carolinian Crescent Floridian Northeast Regional Palmetto Silver Meteor VRE: Fredericksburg Manassas (at Alexandria Union Station)	Alexandria, Virginia	3429	Dec 17, 1983
L'Enfant Plaza* (lower level)^[a]	VRE: Fredericksburg Manassas (at L'Enfant)	District of Columbia	8792	Jul 1, 1977
L'Enfant Plaza* (upper level)^[a]	VRE: Fredericksburg Manassas (at L'Enfant)	District of Columbia	8792	Apr 30, 1983
Landover	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	756	Nov 20, 1978
Loudoun Gateway	—	Loudoun County, Virginia	258	Nov 15, 2022
McLean	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	1607	Jul 26, 2014
McPherson Square	—	District of Columbia	6510	Jul 1, 1977
Medical Center	—	Montgomery County, Maryland	2834	Aug 25, 1984
Metro Center* (upper level)^[a]	—	District of Columbia	12,644	Mar 29, 1976
Metro Center* (lower level)^[a]	—	District of Columbia	12,644	Jul 1, 1977
Minnesota Avenue	—	District of Columbia	1072	Nov 20, 1978
Morgan Boulevard	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	818	Dec 18, 2004
Mount Vernon Square*†	—	District of Columbia	2908	May 11, 1991
Navy Yard–Ballpark	—	District of Columbia	6595	Dec 28, 1991
Naylor Road	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	956	Jan 13, 2001
New Carrollton*†	Amtrak: Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Vermonter MARC: Penn	Prince George's County, Maryland	2756	Nov 20, 1978
NoMa–Gallaudet U	—	District of Columbia	7576	Nov 20, 2004
North Bethesda	—	Montgomery County, Maryland	1756	Dec 15, 1984
Pentagon*	—	Arlington County, Virginia	6813	Jul 1, 1977
Pentagon City	—	Arlington County, Virginia	6329	Jul 1, 1977
Potomac Avenue	—	District of Columbia	2047	Jul 1, 1977
Potomac Yard	—	Alexandria, Virginia	1205	May 19, 2023
Reston Town Center	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	734	Nov 15, 2022
Rhode Island Avenue	—	District of Columbia	3422	Mar 29, 1976
Rockville	Amtrak: Floridian MARC: Brunswick	Montgomery County, Maryland	2098	Dec 15, 1984
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport	—	Arlington County, Virginia	4748	Jul 1, 1977
Rosslyn*	—	Arlington, Virginia	6989	Jul 1, 1977
Shady Grove†	—	Montgomery County, Maryland	5073	Dec 15, 1984
Shaw–Howard University	—	District of Columbia	2655	May 11, 1991
Silver Spring	MARC: Brunswick	Montgomery County, Maryland	5394	Feb 6, 1978
Smithsonian	—	District of Columbia	4917	Jul 1, 1977
Southern Avenue	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	1944	Jan 13, 2001
Spring Hill	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	609	Jul 26, 2014
Stadium–Armory*	—	District of Columbia	1469	Jul 1, 1977
Suitland	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	1735	Jan 13, 2001
Takoma	—	District of Columbia	2884	Feb 6, 1978
Tenleytown–AU	—	District of Columbia	3385	Aug 25, 1984
Twinbrook	—	Montgomery County, Maryland	2095	Dec 15, 1984
Tysons	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	1815	Jul 26, 2014
U Street	—	District of Columbia	3743	May 11, 1991
Union Station	Amtrak services Acela Cardinal Carolinian Crescent Floridian Northeast Regional Palmetto Silver Meteor Vermonter MARC: Brunswick Camden Penn VRE: Fredericksburg Manassas DC Streetcar (at Union Station)	District of Columbia	12,056	Mar 29, 1976
Van Dorn Street	—	Alexandria, Virginia	1280	Jun 15, 1991
Van Ness–UDC	—	District of Columbia	2872	Dec 5, 1981
Vienna†	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	3136	Jun 7, 1986
Virginia Square–GMU	—	Arlington County, Virginia	1952	Dec 11, 1979
Waterfront	—	District of Columbia	2940	Dec 28, 1991
West Falls Church	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	1169	Jun 7, 1986
West Hyattsville	—	Prince George's County, Maryland	1794	Dec 11, 1993
Wheaton	—	Montgomery County, Maryland	1877	Sep 22, 1990
Wiehle–Reston East	—	Fairfax County, Virginia	1567	Jul 26, 2014
Woodley Park	—	District of Columbia	3331	Dec 5, 1981

Notes

^a Stations noted in this list twice with upper and lower levels are considered by WMATA as a single station. The levels are noted separately here because they opened on different dates.

References

^ "Transit Ridership Report: First Quarter 2015" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. May 27, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
^ Schrag, Zachary (2006). The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-8246-X.
^ "WMATA History" (PDF). Washington Metropolitan area Transit Authority. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 15, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
^ George, Justin (June 9, 2022). "Metro's Silver Line extension moves closer to finish line". The Washington Post.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Metro Facts" (PDF). Washington Metropolitan area Transit Authority. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 22, 2016. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
^ Laris, Michael (May 19, 2023). "Potomac Yard Metro station, decades in the making, opens in Alexandria". Washington Post. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Stations". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Retrieved December 28, 2017.
^ "Metrorail Ridership Summary". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Metro Media Guide" (PDF). Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 28, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2011.
^ "Rail Ridership Data Viewer | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved January 8, 2024.