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2/16/2021
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) yesterday launched Metrorail service changes to normalize weekday rail service throughout the day.
The changes bring rail service in line with ridership demand while managing costs amid pandemic-related budget constraints. Ridership on Metrorail remains down nearly 90 percent from pre-pandemic levels, WMATA officials said in a press release.
During peak and off-peak hours, trains will now operate at the same service frequencies through the evening rush hour. The changes were designed to improve service consistency throughout the day to better match customers’ travel patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the revised fiscal-year 2021 budget approved by WMATA's board in November 2020, service will operate every 12 minutes on the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green and Yellow lines, resulting in service every four to six minutes at stations served by multiple lines. Normal weekday service on the Red Line will operate every six minutes. Service after 7 p.m. remains unchanged.