Metro’s changes to its Metrorail service that result from the agency’s budget revision due to the coronavirus pandemic are taking effect beginning Monday, February 15.
“During peak and off-peak hours, trains will operate at the same service frequencies through the evening rush hour. The changes will improve service consistency throughout the day to better match customers’ travel patterns during the pandemic,” the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) said in a release on Sunday.
Metrorail service will operate every 12 minutes on the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green and Yellow lines, which means service every four to six minutes at stations served by multiple train lines. And weekday service on the Red Line is set to run every six minutes. Service after 7 pm will not change.
Metrorail service changes to begin Monday as part of revised budget due to Covid-19; Metrobus changes begin March 14. Details: https://t.co/Qmyht7z757 #wmata pic.twitter.com/EK9rXi1Tg9
— Metro (@wmata) February 14, 2021
Metro’s Board of Directors approved the revised FY2021 budget in November 2020.
“The changes bring rail service in line with ridership demand while managing costs amid pandemic-related budget constraints. Rail ridership remains down nearly 90 percent from pre-pandemic levels,” Metro explained in the release.
Metrorail will continue operating from 5 am on weekdays, (7 am on Saturday and 8 am on Sunday) through 11 pm. There won’t be any changes to the service levels on weekends.
Metrobus service has also changed as of March 14, with additional buses and routes to expand the service for riders.
