As the D.C. area emerges from the pandemic, Metro is looking to increase its service, and riders could start to see changes as soon as this summer.
According to documents for a finance and capital committee meeting Wednesday, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld is set to propose sweeping changes to both rail and bus service.
One of the most notable changes would keep Metro stations open an hour later each night. If approved, stations would close at midnight, rather than 11 p.m., beginning this summer. Wiedefeld’s proposal would also call for closing stations at 1 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays starting this fall.
The frequency of trains and buses would also increase. Under this proposal, trains would run every 10 minutes during rush hours and every 15 minutes for late nights on all but one line. Currently, trains arrive every 12 minutes during the morning and afternoon rush, and every 20 minutes after 9:30 p.m.
Trains on the Red Line would run with even more frequency: every five minutes during rush hours, up from the current six-minute schedule. Trains would run every 10 minutes during late-night service.
Riders could also see more buses on their line. Metro wants to increase bus frequency to every 12 minutes on 20 routes. The other 16 bus routes would run every 20 minutes from at least 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fares could also change for weekend train riders. Metro is proposing a single $2 flat rate for all trips. Bus riders could also see a lower price for the seven-day regional bus pass, decreasing from $15 to $12.
