Red Line trains will arrive every six minutes during busy weekday rush hours, starting Monday, May 8.
According to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Red Line trains will increase service between 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. Outside of these peak periods, Red Line trains will continue to run every eight minutes. Red Line trains will run every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.
“We are looking at every opportunity to make our service even better for customers with more frequent, safe and reliable options,” Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke said in a press release. “Our teams are working hard every day to improve your Metro service and provide a world-class transit experience for customers in the region.”
Metrorail ridership continues to grow as service improves. Average weekday ridership hit 324,500 in April, a pandemic-era high according to WMATA.
Improvements to Red Line service come as Metro works on their 7000-series Return to Service Plan. The plan allows Metro to keep more trains in service by expanding the wheelset inspections from every seven days to every 15 days. More time between inspections gives Metro more flexibility to improve service.
According to WMATA, the number of trains has increased by 55% since July, allowing for the reopening of the Yellow Line. Additionally, service across the Potomac River will resume on May 7, following an eight-month project to rehabilitate the tunnel and bridge.
The Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which begins on July 1, is expected to bring more service improvements.
