Using the Metro can save time and money, and is often a better alternative than sitting in traffic. At times, however, it can be a downright pain to use-especially if you don’t know exactly what to do. Before riding the Metro, consider the following tips:
Stand on the right
It’s important to remember that even if you aren’t in a hurry, others are-particularly if they are rushing to get to work or home. Although it isn’t a hard and fast rule, most D.C.ers know that if they are planning on standing on an escalator, they should do so on the right side; if they are planing on running up the escalator, they should do so on the left. Save yourself from rude stares and annoyed locals by following this rule.
Know when to ride
There are times when you just can’t avoid riding the train, like when you need to get somewhere for a meeting or other time sensitive appointment. If this is the case, then you may just have to deal with the crowds. If you do have some “wiggle room” try to plan on getting the best travel experience.
If you can avoid traveling at so called “Peak Times” (weekdays from opening to 9:30am and 3:00-7PM and weekends from midnight until closing), you can save nearly $5.00 per ride. You can also use a SmarTrip card during this time to save another $1.00 per trip.
Furthermore, the busier the time, the less reliable the schedule. This is because the trains are running so frequently to accommodate the large amount of people using the Metro that you usually don’t have to wait more than a few minutes for a train. During non-peak hours such as mid-morning or post rush hour, the train follows a rigid schedule. When you are traveling during these times, make sure that you get to the station on time to catch your train.
Check where your train is
Ideally, you would get to the station just in time to catch your train with a minimum of waiting. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work like that, and things such as track construction or maintenance, can cause trains to be more than 20 minutes late. Instead of standing outside (especially during the extreme winter or summer months), use the Metrorail Train Locator to locate your train in real time. This can not only save you from the discomfort of waiting outside, it also allows you to get a bit more done before leaving the office.
Sit in the front
During holidays and rush hour, the train can be so crowded it might seem impossible to find a seat-or even a good place to stand. This can make for an uncomfortable train ride. Luckily, you can usually avoid this by waiting for the train in the right place. Most people are inherently lazy, and thus wait for the train in the middle rather than walk all the way to the front. You can take advantage of this by putting a bit more effort forward and walking to the front of the train.
Use a SmarTrip card
When riding the Metro, you can either pay using FareCards or SmarTrip cards. FareCards are paper and can be purchased at every station. They are used for one way trips or single two way ones. While these cards work, the benefits of a SmarTrip make them the far better choice when riding the Metro.
The SmarTrip card saves you $1.00 on each ride (which is assessed as a surcharge on each FareCard). It also lets you scan into the station using a proximity reader, meaning that you don’t even have to slow down to get through the gate (in contrast, the FareCard operates on a magnetic strip, meaning that you have to stop and wait for the machine to register your card.
While this may not sound like a huge deal, if you are rushing to get to a train (or hoping to snag a great seat), this time can make your trip unpleasant. The biggest downside of a SmarTrip card is that it costs $5.00 and is only available online, at Metro sales offices and commuter stores and at CVS, Giant and Safeway stores.
SmarTrip cards are also available at some Metro stations, so you need to make sure that you are using a station that sells them before deciding what type of ticket to purchase.
Know when to give up and wait
No matter what you do, sometimes there won’t be any room on a train-or you will have to contort yourself like a gymnast to find a good spot. When this is the case, just wait for the next train-it may be closer than you think. Take a look at the board and see how far away it is and determine if you can wait. If you can, relax, secure in the knowledge that a comfortable seat is a scant few minutes away.
This post has been added by Dusti moore to discuss the right and correct behavior in terms of using the Metro services. She highly suggest using a Metro Trip Planner as the best way to get a customized itinerary just in seconds, to tell what line to take, where to catch it, where to exit and what it costs for a peaceful, calm and relaxing trip.
