Transportation

The Washington, D.C. / National Capital Region is served by a comprehensive network of transportation options. In order to navigate the region effectively, you will want to become familiar with the following systems by name and have a general sense of the areas they serve:

Washington Metro – The Washington Metro (or Metrorail, as it is officially called), is a comprehensive, high-speed urban and suburban rail transit system that serves the District of Columbia as well as Maryland and Virginia suburbs such as Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Alexandria and Arlington. In addition, many federal agencies have direct stops on the Metrorail system such as the Pentagon station. Washington Metro runs 7 days per week, although it is not a 24-hour service, so make sure to confirm the last train from your given station if you will be out late.

MARC – The MARC system is Maryland’s suburban commuter rail service that links Union Station in the heart of Washington with communities to the North and West of the city, stretching to and beyond Baltimore to the north and Harpers Ferry, West Virginia to the West. In some cases, MARC trains stop at stations also served by Metro. MARC operates on weekdays only.

VRE – This commuter rail service provides suburban access from Northern Virginia communities into downtown Washington, stopping at L’enfant Plaza (in the heart of the federal district) as well as at Union Station. VRE operates on weekdays only.

Amtrak – The national passenger rail service is headquartered in Washington and many of Amtrak’s trains begin or terminate at Union Station downtown. Of particular note is the Acela service, which provides frequent, high-speed rail service north of Washington to other major cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York.

Bus Services – The Washington Metro also offers extensive bus service in the City of Washington, which is frequented by commuters during weekdays. The bus service in Washington’s Maryland suburbs is called RIDE ON, and in Arlington, Virginia it is called ART.