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8/14/2020
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) officials yesterday announced the agency is finalizing plans to restore most rail service to pre-COVID levels on Aug. 16.
The service restoration will be the largest and most complex service change in the system’s history, WMATA officials said in a press release.
Beginning Aug. 16, Metrorail will return to regular opening times and close two hours later each night, resulting in 15 additional hours of service per week. Scheduled weekday rail trips will more than double from 511 to more than 1,200, and the number of train operators needed on a daily basis will also nearly double, from about 180 to more than 350.
Metrorail service will also be restored on the Silver Line and six stations in Fairfax County will reopen.
To support the transition, thousands of WMATA employees will transition to new work schedules as the region continues its gradual recovery during the pandemic and ridership increases, WMATA official said in a press release.
Agency crews will also put 182 legacy rail cars back into service throughout the system to accommodate the service increase. The rail cars were placed in storage in the beginning of summer.