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Fares & SmarTrip

What a ride costs on Metrorail, Metrobus, MARC and VRE, and how to pay.

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Metrorail fares depend on the length of your trip, the day and the time. You tap in and tap out with the same card or phone. Metrobus has a flat fare. You can pay with a SmarTrip card or by tapping a contactless bank card, Apple Pay or Google Pay at every faregate and bus farebox.

Metrorail

WhenRegular fareReduced fare
Weekdays, 5 am to 9:30 pm$2.25 – $6.75$1.10 – $3.35
Weekdays after 9:30 pm$2.25 – $2.50$1.10 – $1.25
Weekends, all day$2.25 – $2.50$1.10 – $1.25

Metrorail runs Monday to Thursday 5 am to midnight, Friday 5 am to 2 am, Saturday 6 am to 2 am and Sunday 6 am to midnight. First and last trains vary by station: see each station page.

Metrobus

ServiceRegular fareReduced fare
Regular and limited-stop (“X”) routes$2.25$1.10
Express routes F19, F28, F81, F83$4.80$2.40

Cash is accepted on buses with exact change. Since June 29, 2025 Metrobus route names start with a letter for the area they serve (A Arlington and Alexandria, C and D the District, F Fairfax, M Montgomery, P Prince George's); limited-stop routes end in “X”. Browse all Metrobus routes.

Transfers

  • Bus to bus: free and unlimited within 2 hours.
  • Bus to rail or rail to bus: a $2.25 discount within 2 hours (express routes excluded).
  • Farragut Crossing: walk between Farragut North and Farragut West without paying again.
  • Transfers work only with SmarTrip or contactless payment, and not on trips paid with a pass.

Passes

PassPriceGood for
1-Day Pass$13.50Unlimited Metrorail and Metrobus
3-Day Pass$33.75Unlimited Metrorail and Metrobus
7-Day Pass$60.75Unlimited Metrorail and Metrobus
7-Day Short Trip Pass$40.50Rail trips up to $4.50
Monthly Pass$72 – $216Depends on the fare level you choose
7-Day Bus + Regional Partners$13.50Metrobus, ART and Fairfax Connector (reduced $6.75)

Rail and bus passes also cover the first $2.25 of an express bus fare. Passes are loaded on SmarTrip; they don't work with a tapped bank card.

SmarTrip and tap to pay

  • SmarTrip card: $2 at fare machines in Metrorail stations, or add SmarTrip to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet on your phone or watch.
  • Tap to pay: credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay work at every faregate and bus farebox. You still need SmarTrip for reduced fares, passes and SmartBenefits.

Discounts

  • Children: up to two children aged 4 and under ride free with each paying adult; children 5 and older pay full fare. DC students ride free with Kids Ride Free.
  • Seniors 65+: half fare with a Senior SmarTrip card, issued the same day in person with a government photo ID.
  • Riders with disabilities: half fare with a Reduced Fare Disability ID. See our accessibility guide.

MARC and VRE

Commuter trains charge by the stations you travel between and do not accept Metro passes. MARC: from $6 to $19 one way (Union Station–BWI $8). VRE: $5 within Zones 1 to 3, Union Station–Manassas $11.05, Union Station–Fredericksburg $13.45. Details on our MARC & VRE page.

Fares change: check wmata.com before you travel. DCTransit is not affiliated with WMATA, MARC or VRE.