A Simple Guide to the DC Metro

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David explains the Washington DC Metro, it's history, map, payment system, etiquette, and then takes us on a demo trip.
Learn about the world from your favorite creators www.brighttrip.com/
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Overview and History
01:07 The Map
05:36 Navigation Apps
06:32 Payment
08:23 Demo Trip
11:43 Rules of the Rail
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ABOUT BRIGHT TRIP
Bright Trip creates video-based travel courses to help you travel smarter. From our location courses that visually demystify places like Tokyo, London, Costa Rica, or Cape Town to our skills courses that cover how to travel solo, with kids, or how to document your travels more effectively and efficiently - each course is created by real travelers, like you, and aims to create a community of curious travelers that are eager to travel smarter.
CREDITS
Executive Producer: Andrew McGarrity
Script: Driaan Louw, David Gordon
Host + Camera: David Gordon
Post: Driaan Louw
Music: MusicBed
www.musicbed.com/
For business inquiries: [e-mail]
#brighttrip #travelguide #travelsmarter

[@BrightTripTravel]

Compare news coverage. Spot media bias. Avoid algorithms. Try Ground News today and get 30% off your subscription by going to ground.news/BrightTrip

[@danielf986]

As a long time Silver springer, I am extremely proud of far DC Metro has come.

[@zainyyy]

as a fellow long time silver-springer, i agree with this comment

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

Hey, I used to be in Silver Spring too for a long time growing up! I'm a DC person now since I first moved there back in 2017!

[@Jeevanm71]

Get ready for the purple line!

[@chrisonthedot]

2nd year Silver Springer. Trying to aim for 10

[@astrowrld814]

Me too, whats your favorite downtown mall store mine is 5 below for when im looking for a cheap sweet treat

[@JonathanCLacy]

America would be a much better place if every major city had a metro system like DC

[@BrightTripTravel]

Agreed!

[@Prodigious1One]

Yeah, I hope that Cobb County, Georgia works with Atlanta to extend Marta into Cobb County.

[@crazyoncoffee]

Or even a light metro with trains and stations half as big as dc, like the Vancouver Sky train.

[@dantem4119]

@@Prodigious1Oneunfortunately Cobb was supposed to have it, but American racism claimed yet another rational and smart decision

[@Prodigious1One]

@@dantem4119 yes, hopefully, Cobb County will permit itself at least one Marta station in the Cumberland zone.

[@chriskigen]

3:36 Geography Now cameo! Love it!

[@jakecasey4860]

Likewise! When did Bright Trip meet him!? I work at Arlington National Cemetery!!! I could have met Barby!

[@Madwonk]

One clarification at 8:15: You *DO NOT* need to tap off of buses in DC. You ONLY tap when you are GETTING ON the bus, not off! My previous city I lived in did require this but not in DC!

[@pizzajona]

This guy has gotten so many things wrong in this video

[@blue9multimediagroup]

Yeah, tap on and tap off is only for the Metro trains, not the buses.

[@Mrcake0103]

The older trains are more comfortable in my opinion, but the new ones definitely have better signage.

[@sebastianjoseph2828]

Even though it'd get messy with the rain/snow, I just loved those carpeted floors. That was such a 70s/80s decision and I love it.

[@papagramps1257]

just sucks that the older trains tend to be more dirty than the 7k. Atleast for DC metro standards of dirtiness

[@ethanparker7900]

yah the 6ks and 7ks have always had a reputation of being cleaner and easier to maintain compared to the older fleets but the older fleets still have their place@@papagramps1257

[@lojosol]

better signage, better announcements.

[@ethanparker7900]

@@lojosol robotic announcements be better? Lol

[@GilmerJohn]

The DC metro compared to NYC: 1) DC doesn't have 3 or 4 track segments. That means you can't have express trains and track work requires major inconvenience. 2) the State of Virginia didn't require a way of operating complete trains completely in Virginia. It would have taken a bit of extra tunneling near Roslyn.

[@MjrAlNlsc]

*Commonwealth of Virginia

[@GilmerJohn]

@@MjrAlNlsc -- Well, right now to run a train from near Dulles to, say, Reagan. it would have to go by Arlington Cemetery, partly into DC and then change directions. The present switching would permit that. The reason that is import is because a strike would have for effect in DC & Maryland than Virginia. Virginians could still ride the many most of the big employment the residential parts. Indeed, it behooves Virginia to construct a new line entirely in Virginia linking the ends of the present lines.

[@PiplupJames]

I live in DC. My work commute only involves a metrobus but Metro is one of my favorite systems of all time. It does have its gripes but coming from Hampton Roads, VA which rejected light rail extension; I’m grateful for WMATA.

[@cythrosi]

DC Circulator busses are not operated by Metro. They are operated by DDOT whereas Metro is operated by WMATA (they also have MetroBus). Also it's National Airport 😜

[@mattjohnson5737]

Was gonna say the same thing, have never called it DCA in my life, it’s National lol

[@josephmassaua5486]

Can't wait for the stop in Georgetown!

[@bijanzoghi]

dont think its gonna happen

[@seanrobbins7125]

Until then Rosslyn is just a bridge a way to get to Georgetown

[@pizzajona]

Coming in 2040! (maybe)

[@usera6014]

NAH WE NEED A NEW STOP AT GERMANTOWN

[@tonytins]

I was born and also raised in DC for a few years. While I knew what the Metro was even back then, I was never aware of the full scope of the network since I only lived there for a short time before moving to NYC. So, this is very helpful.

[@bareth_]

i'm a DC resident and i just wanted to say that this is an amazing guide!

[@edwardjones4870]

Please take note of the large empty space on the Metro map west of the Pentagon. During the early planning stages of the subway a route was under consideration between the Pentagon and Bailey's Crossroads, an area at the intersection of Leesburg and Columbia Pikes. In anticipation of such a Metro line a massive complex of high rise buildings, Skyline City, was developed at Bailey's Crossroads. A less accessible route along I-66 was in due course chosen because of lower cost.

[@pizzajona]

How are you a DC native and letting your friend stand on the left side of the elevator at 8:46?

[@JustMe-to8te]

Great video, thank you.

[@corettejones]

As a DC native, I’m Loving your reports! New Sub, Thank You for finding me!👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽🥰

[@abhijitdesai187]

Nice flow, super narration, A+ presentation and ofcourse great information for an international traveler seeking basic skeleton of commute system in DC area.

[@johnchastain5657]

I commuted from VA to DC before and after the Metro. The radial system was mainly intended to keep those squadrons of stinky diesel commuter buses, and a few thousand cars, out of downtown. It works like a charm. However, the Rosslyn Tunnel is just about at capacity, carrying three of the six lines under the river and into DC. A second tunnel is long overdue... and to think the VA members of Congress back in the 1960s had to argue for a second river crossing, now the Yellow Line bridge. My only longstanding complaint about Metro is that the underground stations need brighter lighting. And when the NYC subway manager took over the DC Metro, his first complaint was that nobody on a moving train could read the station names, which flashed by on vertical pylons. Now all the stations have the usual horizontal signs on the walls.

[@BrightTripTravel]

Great info. Thanks for the comment!

[@johnchastain5657]

@@BrightTripTravel Also, the original loudspeakers in underground stations are far overhead in the coffered ceilings. That means that passengers on the platforms are much closer to the echo surfaces than to the sound sources--hence the semi-intelligible announcements. Fortunately the outside speakers on the trains, right beside the platforms, present info clearly.

[@duangerous]

Oh this is sooo informative, thank you.

[@erinjohnson1124]

Oh wow, I haven’t been up this way in a while, I didn’t realize the silver line expansion to Dulles was complete. Omg FINALLY. I’ve been a flight attendant for 20 years and was IAD based 2004-06. If I had to commute in and catch a flight to DCA, I used to have to get off at the Falls Church station and catch the “Washington Flyer” bus to Dulles. Lol such a hassle but it ran efficiently back in the day. I’m going to have to come check out the updated silver line soon. Great video!

[@jamallhayden2512]

Thank You!

[@BrightTripTravel]

You're welcome!

[@ballroomdancer02]

yes this was EXACTLY what I needed for my upcoming trip from Beantown....cool shirt.

[@NausicaaSinclair]

Very good video !~ :D

[@jefuryo]

Northern Virginian here. We love our Metro.

[@BrightTripTravel]

It's great!

[@AriAlexander99]

Best metro in the us

[@nekomi_ch]

what about new york?

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

​@@nekomi_chMTA? Yeah, never been there before. If I do happen to go there in New York soon, I'll give you an update if I ever do so.

[@car_tar3882]

@@nekomi_chdirty and full of crime, but objectively more useful.

[@alejandrojaviercoronavilla377]

Nice video! Question: How many times can I tap the Metro line Card/App to get in and out? Do I have to buy 2 metro cards if traveling with my partner?

[@MjrAlNlsc]

Unfortunately yeah, because they track entrance and exit in the metro

[@CurtYT202]

3:23 DC Circulator isn’t apart of the “DC Metro system” it’s a bus created by DC Department of Transportation.

[@BrightTripTravel]

Good to know, thanks!

[@pizzajona]

@@BrightTripTravelplease fact check your content before making a video to help others next time

[@erik_griswold]

Does the Baltimore Charm Card still work on Metro? Can I use my SmartTrip card in the Baltimore system still?

[@wizard_pirate_9085]

I think it does

[@EPMTUNES]

Great video. any specific places you recommend going to in the national mall area that tourists may miss?

[@BrightTripTravel]

The Old Post Office (just off the Mall on Pennsylvania Ave) has the best view of the city. Just go inside and ask for access to the viewing platform. Enjoy!

[@tonylarose4842]

This would have been great 2 weeks ago when i was visiting there lol

[@BrightTripTravel]

😂😥

[@BrandonsMacTutsAndOtherThings]

According to the app description... it says in BOLD. "This app can NOT be used to pay your transit or parking fares."

[@michael_r]

If you’re talking about the metro app, you just add the smartrop card from the app to your phone’s wallet (eg Apple Wallet on an iPhone) and you can pay with it. It’s easy.

[@pizzajona]

You’re using an outdated map. At 1:40 you use the correct present map but at 1:42 you switch to an older version that has the yellow line running all the way to Greenbelt.

[@Anya-tg7ut]

This looks so similar to Bart!

[@praxyi5926]

BART, WMATA, and MARTA were all build around the same time and share similar looking trains lol

[@darklordkuro7953]

You should do other metro system! Montreal perhaps?

[@BrightTripTravel]

We'll add it to the list!

[@papagramps1257]

it’s pretty cool seeing my neighborhood in a youtube vid. Also shoutout to Geography Now

[@BrightTripTravel]

Gotta love Geography Now. He's a great friend to Bright Trip!

[@veramentestanco]

That's interesting! I always thought that "Stand on the right, walk on the left" on the escalators was exclusive to the London Underground! Glad that it's not! 😄

[@2010GDiego]

My only complaint is the start time of service. Metro line do not run 24 hrs. So if you have an early flight from DCA you're only option is driving.

[@pizzajona]

Metro is looking into late night/early morning bus service to serve the airports. They have plans but need the funding.

[@alexisespinoza771]

What is the age where passengers need to pay? For example, does a 3 year old need a metro card?

[@BrightTripTravel]

Two children under age five may travel free with a paying passenger

[@jakecasey4860]

Bright Trip, when did you meet Barby from Geography Now? I work at Arlington National Cemetery and could have met him!!!

[@corettejones]

DC Native 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽🥰

[@AL5520]

Great video and a probably one ofnthe best in the US but it's not like in the rest of the world. As you yourself said, it brings people in and out of the city which in he US is the way systems work and whybthey are configured like a star radiating from the center to the suburbs but in most other parts of the world those systems help people get around in the city (with some nearby high density areas). The are not star shaped but a mix of lines with no (or very little} track sharing to enhance coverage and have as many changes as possible to enable you to get rommost places, and not just the center, with shorter routs. Suburbs, that are many times also dense, have regional suburban rail that runs all day and, in many places, also runs through the city with a few stops in in central areas and many connections to the metro system and buses. Again, it's still a great system and the second one I ever rod, and it was much more impressive to me after rhe NYC subway. Of course, service and coverage wise the NYC subway, withballmit's problems, is far better and the closest one to the rest of the world but with more improvment (maybe a real circular line, not the Maryland Purple Line) It will be better.

[@evechase7129]

Decent video but I’d caution any riders against trusting the WMATA times you see on Google Maps. Bus times are especially fraught.

[@portcybertryx222]

Btw if you have google pay you can add the metro card directly on it. It’s easier and faster.

[@pizzajona]

Same with Apple Pay

[@portcybertryx222]

@@pizzajona nice

[@KyrilPG]

500k per day for the whole network ? That's all? It's an average day on only 1 mid ridership line of the Paris metro. Pretty sure it's the same for London. Here, the heavy metro with regional scope (RER) has one line at around 1.5 million, the second around 1.3 and growing, etc. Lines 1 and 4 of the core metro have 1.5 million together daily, while M14 is expected to pass the million daily this fall. I know it's the US but I'd have imagined a much higher ridership on the DC Metro. Is it only busy during rush hours and then tumbleweed-rolling empty in-between? Given the size of it, it should be able to carry well above a million passengers daily, maybe 2, isn't it? Hope the recent TOD I've heard about will drive the ridership up. It's a pity that the network isn't more utilized. The stations are grandiose! I've visited it only once a long time ago. Maybe add a few street running tram lines (the European way) to serve more granular stops from metro line branches and it could-would bring more riders to the system. Cause 500k feels like there's abundant untapped potential. Very interesting video anyway.

[@dynasty0019]

The population within DC proper is only 670,000 compared to Paris's 2.1 million.

[@user-mrfrog]

Montréal's métro has a ridership close de a million per day (2023 numbers).

[@KyrilPG]

Yeah but DC might be "only" 700k, the agglomeration has more than 6 millions. (Paris 12M agglomeration, 15M greater metro area, and about 10M daily ridership metro and RER). You'd expect a ridership equivalent to at least 12, 15 or 20% of the agglo's population, given that DC Metro is quite developed and runs a bit in the suburbs outside DC proper. Maybe 500k is only post 2020 DC Metro ridership and it hasn't much recovered? Was it much higher in 2019? I was shocked recently by the low ridership on Chicago's L, it's as if most commuters abandoned it and disappeared. Though the lack of orbital line really doesn't help and neither does the service reductions. I've just checked : yup, it seems like DC Metro's ridership was nearly a million on workdays in the late 2010's, so around twice that of today, which gives about 15% of the agglo's population and is much more consistent with what would be expected for such a network and city. Maybe they've also reduced service too much, which doesn't really offer any incentives to go back to riding the metro, even to those that would like to ride it. WMATA better make it more attractive, as having barely over half the pre 2020 ridership will sooner rather than later become financially unsustainable, and it would be a pity to have a great network and poor service with poor ridership. Maybe review the bus and last mile connections, develop and facilitate park & ride, lower prices and suppress rush hour pricing? Anything to bring people back to the metro in droves and not in their cars. Even in Paris, the ridership is now different, with less consistent ridership between workdays due to remote working being higher on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and ridership much higher than before during weekend days. Has Montreal Metro bounced back to pre 2020 numbers? Or is there still a difference compared to 2019 ?

[@user-mrfrog]

@@KyrilPG If I am not mistaken, métro ridership in Montréal has recovered around 80% from prepandemic numbers. In 2023, Montréal was third in subway ridership in North America, after Mexico City and New York City.

[@KyrilPG]

@@user-mrfrog Oh cool that's pretty good, I hope it'll recover entirely, helped and fed by the REM and its connecting passengers ! When does the next REM branch open? And the airport branch? Here I can't wait to try the new GPE's Metropolis trains for a ride. As for the metro, the ridership in Paris has recovered way more than the RATP is capable of handling given the driver shortage (it's getting better). There are still some lines (with drivers) that aren't operating at their nominal service pattern, further diminishing comfort and worsening overcrowding. When ridership is at 105% but service only at 87 or 90%, it turns a basic metro ride into a burdensome game of human Tetris (with a touch of Twister). So much that the "pushers" (like in Tokyo) are back. Recently while riding M14, the line was so busy due to a shortage of driver on M13 and overflow passengers diverting on M14, that I wasn't able to get off the train where I wanted, missing my stop several times. And you can't argue with the automation, "HAL" is in control of the train and when it wants to leave, it leaves. 🤣 I've seen short stops in my life but that's becoming ridiculous, like 5 seconds on rush hour, only barely enough for people to unload without anyone else boarding. Anyway, we'll get 34 kilometers of new lines opening this spring, of which 30km are underground metro and RER, so it should bring more capacity and help bring some breathing room to the network, at least temporarily. My closest line (M11) will double in length, so I can't wait for the opening in the coming months. Ridership is expected to more than double on this line, thankfully they've replaced the old 4-car trains by brand new fancy 5-car ones with even more capacity per car and of course open gangway. (Plus additional trains). That's nearly a 30% capacity increase per train. Bonne soirée !

[@MrStan0630]

One downside of the DC Metro, IMO, is that it’s more expensive than most city rapid transit systems. It’s pretty easy to spend $10-12 on a round trip fare. In NYC you can go a long way and back for $5.80; for $4.20 in Paris. On the plus side, all stations have escalators (one only has elevators), so you don’t have to climb stairs.

[@Charlenedoesstuff]

As a local THANK YOU for those last two tips!! The DC area welcomes tourists from all over but BAAAAABY you don’t want to see our ugly side when you violate those two tips esp during rush hour commute 😂😂😂😂

[@BrightTripTravel]

🤣🤣

[@pizzajona]

@@BrightTripTravelI guess it’s “do as I say, not as I do.” Your friend was standing on the left at 8:47

[@BritainRitten]

More Alex please

[@channellessviewed5323]

Do one video for Delhi Metro please!

[@BrightTripTravel]

We'll add it to the list!

[@byrons8956]

I will 'always' call it 'National Airport' Station, always 😃 Scary the train digital screens use Microsoft Windows. Tackle people in the way on the left.

[@xcissors]

the digital card in apple or google wallet costs $2 just like a physical card

[@jayfielding1333]

In a completely irrelevant opinion, it's such an elegant system but the stations seem really dark and devoid of colour. Some better lighting and some art would vastly help.

[@ethanparker7900]

there is quite a bit of art around the system. If you go to stations like Southern Ave, Gallery Place Chinatown, West Hyattsville, New Carrollton or Silver Spring you'll see some interesting art work

[@michael_r]

The stations aren’t all that dark in person, imho. The indirect lighting is really nice.

[@ethanparker7900]

@@michael_r Glenmont and the lower level of Metro Center are a bit dark

[@jayfielding1333]

@@michael_r I did wonder if filming affected the reality.

[@erik_griswold]

Jumping the ADA faregate at 8:04

[@wizard_pirate_9085]

Who the fuck gives a fuck.

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

​@@wizard_pirate_9085Nobody gives a shit about NOT jumping the fare gates. I am not one of these people who would jump the gates like almost everyone else, but no matter how many times you try to create more of those "unbreakable" fare gates, they're STILL going to do it regardless. Nobody cares. But I do.

[@Lcngopher]

3:37 never expected to see barbs from geography now

[@BrightTripTravel]

Barb's is the best!

[@blue9multimediagroup]

She has a very nice voice for announcements, narration and voice-overs. And she looks like Rosario Dawson.

[@asiancanadian1584]

There are only 2 other metro systems in the entire world that match DC metro's beauty, the tokyo metro and the moscow/st petersburg metro

[@rainyd4293]

Cat❤

[@sglenny001]

Wirch airports is for international passengers

[@michael_r]

There are more international flights out of Dulles

[@joeblues2000]

You know bald guys hate this brother for no reason!

[@octaneblue6]

Are you from DC? Union Station is a 30 minute walk from the Mall at the fastest, not 15 minutes.

[@BrightTripTravel]

We must be fast walkers 😆

[@octaneblue6]

To walk 1.5 miles in 15 minutes -- impossibly fast!@@BrightTripTravel

[@blue9multimediagroup]

It's definitely only about 15min depending on which way you walk

[@metrotrujillo]

only 400k people ride the metro? that number is tiny wow, that is why the traffic in dc is horrible

[@BrightTripTravel]

Agreed!

[@crazyoncoffee]

It’s sad to me that so few people know how to take a train that we need a detailed video telling people how. Realistically, all the info in this video could apply to most metro systems in the world, it’s not that dc specific

[@TopBillinSports]

Not as sad as being a smug, arrogant, cornball. Some people have no reason to get on a metro system ever. And some people live places where there isn't a metro line. Stop thinking everyone in life is supposed to have your same experiences.

[@vajayna_eklhabouh]

So handsome...

[@adayforgotten]

How dare you insinuate the Vignelli map is the NYC subway map. It isn't. It's blasphemy.

[@blue9multimediagroup]

He helped create the map that led to the current map

[@kevinpdx5141]

Aren’t you supposed to tell us not to eat on the Metro?

[@BrightTripTravel]

Don't eat on the metro!

[@leonardbecca3515]

Could be better with 3 lines and it is too dangerous now.

[@wizard_pirate_9085]

HUH?

[@bryanfountain]

If tell me something I don't know was a boring youtube video

[@GBebov]

Worst ticketing system in the whole world by far. Total nonsense. The lady who helped me said that they wanted to design something new and shiny and discussed this matter with New York and London/Paris and in the final "they did what they wanted because it's D.C." :D

[@legitimatebusinessman5537]

This isn’t true at all (and it sounds like someone who really hasn’t used that many different transit systems). First of all, it’s nowhere near “the worst in the world” (I will argue that award goes to Montreal). Beyond that, it is functionally the same as virtually every other account value-based system out there. Really the one improvement that I would make is to make it an open payment system so a SmartTrip isn’t needed, but not that many agencies (in the US, anyway) have adopted that yet, so DC isn’t really that far behind. Besides that, the biggest weakness is that the machines are old, but they are (slowly) being upgraded/replaced.

[@speedysteve9121]

Ugh! Metro is filled with insane, smelly dope fiends constantly asking for spare change. Just one large bad vibe.

[@Mrcake0103]

Uh…no. You’ll encounter the same people you would encounter on the streets of any large city in the country. If you really want to rub elbows with lunatics, try taking the beltway during rush hour.

[@TheRailwayDrone]

DC metro is the worst. They constantly have to shut down or single-track different lines due to maintenance. Sometimes you're better off driving.

[@S-CB-SL-Animations]

Or most.

[@blue9multimediagroup]

That's everywhere that requires maintenance so it's not unique to WMATA

[@TheRailwayDrone]

@@blue9multimediagroup No. It is not. I've been around the world many times and they have better ways of doing maintenance than what we do here.