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Starting Sept. 27, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) will begin operating weekday trains 30 minutes earlier at end-of-line stations.

Trains will begin service at 5 a.m. at the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, Fanconia-Springfield, Huntington, Branch Avenue, Addison Road-Seat Pleasant, New Carrollton, Greenbelt and Glenmont stations.

WMATA officials expect the earlier opening time to increase daily ridership by 1,700 passengers. Most of the riders who take advantage of the earlier opening likely already use the Metrorail system, but will adjust their ride times to the new time period, according to a prepared statement.

The early morning service will cost the authority $723,000 through June 2005, the end of WMATA’s fiscal year.