Metro budget proposal includes targeted rail service increases, adopts Bus Network redesign, no fare increase

Metro has released its proposed budget for the next fiscal year that optimizes service to meet growing ridership demand without any major funding increases.

Metro is calling for longer weekend hours, targeting service increases on the Red, Silver, and Yellow lines, and implementing its revised Better Bus Network in summer 2025.

"This budget helps serve our customers where it is needed most while not spending additional dollars," Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. "We are proposing several efficiencies that will save us money to pay for the additional service.

"While we are able to fund the budget this year, Metro continues to need a dedicated source of funding to keep the system viable in the decades to come."

Metrobus changes

Metrobus service changes have already been approved by the Board as part of the 2025 Better Bus Network Redesign process. For more information on those changes, see www.wmata.com/betterbus

Proposed Metrorail changes

• Extend half of Yellow Line trains to Greenbelt: Operate the Yellow Line in two patterns at all times, with half of trains operating between Huntington and Greenbelt and half operating between Huntington and Mt Vernon Sq.

• Split Silver Line service between Downtown Largo and New Carrollton: Operate the Silver Line in two service patterns at all times, with half of trains operating between Ashburn and Downtown Largo, and half operating between Ashburn and New Carrollton.

• Silver Line additional peak service: Operate two additional Silver Line trains to provide capacity in the weekday peak hour only. Trains would operate from Wiehle Ave to Stadium-Armory in the morning, and from Stadium-Armory to Wiehle Ave in the afternoon.

• Red Line additional peak service: Operate Red Line trains up to every 4 minutes, from every 5 minutes, during the busiest portions of weekday rush periods to provide additional capacity in both directions of travel. Red Line trains would continue to operate every 5 minutes during the remainder of peak service.

• Increase Weekend Hours of Operation: Open the rail system one hour earlier on weekend mornings, opening at 6 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Close the rail system one hour later during weekend late nights, closing at 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Proposed Metrorail Service Levels (Beginning July 1, 2025)

Line	Service Pattern	Peak Service	All Day Service	Late Night Service	All Day Service	Late Night Service
Days		Monday-Friday	Monday-Friday	Monday-Friday	Saturday, Sunday, Holidays	Saturday, Sunday, Holidays
Red	Shady Grove to Glenmont	4-5 min	6 min	10 min	6 min	10 min
Green	Greenbelt to Branch Ave	6 min	6 min	7.5 min	8 min	8 min
Yellow	Huntington to Mt. Vernon Sq.*/Greenbelt*	6 min	6 min	7.5 min	8 min	8 min
Blue	Franconia-Springfield to Downtown Largo	10 min	12 min	15 min	12 min	15 min
Orange	Vienna to New Carrollton	10 min	12 min	15 min	12 min	15 min
Silver	Ashburn to Downtown Largo**/New Carrollton**	10 min***	12 min	15 min	12 min	15 min

* Yellow Line trains will alternate between terminating at Mt. Vernon Square and Greenbelt. Every other Yellow Line train will operate to Greenbelt instead of terminating at Mt Vernon Sq.

**Silver Line trains will alternate between terminating at Downtown Largo and New Carrollton. Every other Silver Line train will travel to New Carrollton instead of Downtown Largo.

*** Additional Silver Line trains will operate from Wiehle Ave to Stadium-Armory during the busiest morning peak service hour and from Stadium-Armory to Wiehle Ave during the busiest afternoon peak service hour.

All Day Service: baseline service frequency from opening until 9:30 p.m.

Peak Service: increased service frequency on weekdays (Monday-Friday) from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Late Night Service: service frequency from 9:30 p.m. to Close

Proposed MetroAccess Changes

The FY2026 Proposed Budget includes proposed expansion of service hours on Metrorail and proposed revised Metrobus network as previously approved by the Board. To the extent that these changes increase the service hours or service area, MetroAccess services will, as required by federal law, expand to meet those requirements. Otherwise, the service area and service hours will remain fixed as per existing Board policy.

Proposed Payment Changes

Fares prices will not change.

However, the ways you can pay are expanding.

Metro is preparing to introduce an Open Payment fare system to Metrorail, Metrobus, and parking facilities during the next calendar year. Open Payment would allow customers to have the option to use their contactless credit/debit card (e.g., Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), mobile wallet, or linked smartwatch for fare payment without the need to use a SmarTrip card. Metro is planning to implement Open Payment to make the payment experience more seamless and incentivizing adoption.

As proposed, Metrorail will be first to receive Open Payment - the ability to pay with a credit/debit card, mobile wallet, or linked smartwatch -- in May of 2025, followed by Metrobus by summer 2025 and Metro parking facilities in late fall 2025. There is no $2 fee for any use of an open payment card.

Metro would also waive t he $2 card fee currently assessed on the purchase of a new virtual SmarTrip card. This waiver would be a change in fares, as customers must currently purchase a new physical and virtual SmarTrip for a $2 fee and are charged the $2 fee when replacing a lost or damaged SmarTrip.

Capital Program

The proposed FY2026 capital budget of $2.4 billion and six-year capital improvement program of $12.5 billion (both including revenue loss and debt service) include investment in ongoing projects, prioritized system preservation and renewal needs and investments to provide safe and efficient service delivery informed by asset management and reliability plans.

Major capital program investments to further improve service and customer experience include:

Railcars and Rail Facilities: Major vehicle investments include the 8000-series railcar acquisition program. Major facilities and systems investments include rail vehicle scheduled maintenance program (SMP) facility improvements and railyard state of good repair.

Rail Systems: Major investments include Train Control Room Rehabilitation, Track Circuit Cable Testing and Replacement, Switch Machine Replacement, Rail Power System Rehabilitation, Radio Infrastructure Replacement, Fiber Installation.

Track and Structures Rehabilitation: Major investments include track rehabilitation and maintenance; tunnel ventilation demonstration and water leak mitigation demonstration on the red line; and bridge and aerial structural rehabilitation.

Station and Passenger Facilities: Major investments include standpipe systems and tunnel emergency egress; parking garage and surface lot rehabilitation, station entrance canopies, and elevator rehabilitations; digital signage and wayfinding, lighting, and fare payment modernization.

Bus, Bus Facilities, and Paratransit: Major vehicle investments include bus acquisition and rehabilitation and paratransit vehicle purchases, including zero emission bus acquisition. Major facilities investments include Northern and Bladensburg garage replacements and electrification; electrification of the Cinder Bed bus garage, bus shelter replacement, customer information electronic displays, bus priority program.

Operations and Business Support: A modern training facility, computing infrastructure state of good repair; Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System Replacement; Asset Management System Upgrade; service vehicle replacement; and environmental compliance.

Public Input

Between now and February, Metro staff and the Board of Directors will finalize a budget proposal for the public's input and comments.

Check wmata.com/budget in the coming weeks for FAQs and updates on the launch of a public comment period.

Metro's Board of Directors will vote on the budget in March and service changes would go into effect in late June/early July.

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