Virginia Railway Express riders who park at Metro’s Franconia-Springfield station in Northern Virginia will see their daily parking bill cut nearly in half.

Under a deal with Metro, VRE commuters using multi-ride tickets can now park for $4.95 a day — the same rate as regular Metro riders. Previously, VRE commuters were charged the standard non-Metro rate of $8.95 a day.

Only VRE riders who use multiday passes — monthly, 5-day or 10-ride passes — are eligible for the reduced parking fees. They must sign up through the VRE mobile app and be approved by VRE.

Riders who are eligible for reduced parking will receive what’s known as a non-rider SmarTrip card to pay for parking in addition to a VRE rider parking pass for their vehicle.

You can find more information about signing for a VRE-issued SmarTrip card and parking pass on the VRE website.

The deal to offer VRE riders reduced parking at Franconia-Springfield has been in negotiations for more than a year.

With more than 5,000 parking spaces, Franconia-Springfield’s is one of Metro’s largest parking lots.