How to Ride the Metro

The Metro is one of my favorite things about DC. Maybe it's just because I have never had great public transportation where I live (suburban Minnesota and then Baltimore), but I find it super convenient and easy to use! Pretty much anywhere within DC proper, you'll be able to walk to at least one stop in 10 minutes or less. Here's a map:

photo credit

I won't go into detail about any of the stops, but comment or email me if you have any specific questions!

I stick to mostly the Red Line, which is the oldest line, and takes you through Bethesda (a really cute neighborhood in Maryland with great shopping), Woodley Park (where Bao Bao and I live), Chinatown (home to Shake Shack and the Spy Museum) Union Station (next to the Capitol and an Amtrak hub), and Silver Spring (another Maryland suburb where a lot of people choose to live). There are plenty of places to check out on the other lines, though: U Street (Yellow/Green), Foggy Bottom (Blue/Orange/Silver), Nationals Ballpark (Green), and more!

So, here are some tips for riding the Metro:

1. Get a SmarTrip card! You buy them at a SmarTrip kiosk, and they are definitely worth the $2. When you use a paper farecard, the Metro automatically charges you an extra $1 per trip (keep this mind if you're visiting and trying to buy a farecard for just a few trips - the prices listed on the kiosks are for the SmarTrip cards). Therefore, if you're planning on taking at least two trips, it's a better deal to get the plastic card! You can keep them in the front pocket of a wallet or something, and you'll never have to even take it out, since you just tap it.

This is a SmarTrip kiosk, from which you purchase the card. The card costs $10, $2 for the physical card itself and $8 of fare already loaded on! photo credit

2. Move efficiently through the turnstiles. If you're having trouble unearthing your SmarTrip or farecard, stand to the side. There is nothing worse than being late for a meeting and getting held up behind a huge group of people who can't find their tickets. If you have a paper farecard, you'll insert it into the slot in front of the turnstile (on your right as you walk through). If you have a plastic SmarTrip card, you'll tap it on the sensor on top of the turnstile. Some possible problems you may face:

• You don't have enough money on your farecard. If this happens, your card will pop up, but the turnstiles won't open. The screen on the top of the turnstile will say something about insufficient fare. If this happens, go buy a new card! 
• You accidentally entered/exited a station without exiting/entering on the other side. If this is the case, the screen will tell you to see a station manager. These are the people in or around the booth who are wearing yellow vests. They'll help you! 
• The turnstile isn't working. The station managers will tell you what to do. They're nice and they know what they're doing. Listen to them!

3. When you get a SmarTrip card, register it online. By doing this, you'll be able to save any balance you have on your card if you lose it. You can also add money online, or set your card up to auto-reload every time your balance dips below $10. This will allow you to travel without worrying about running out of money at an inopportune time! Check here to register your card and reload it.

4. On the escalators, walk on the left and stand on the right. This is not difficult. It is a system that fosters efficiency and makes everyone a happier person - seriously! It's so much better to smile and say "thank you" to someone who moves out of the way than it is to get irritated because someone is in your way.

5. When you get off of the train, move out of the way. No matter how lost or confused you are, it is common courtesy to give everyone behind you space to exit the train and head in the direction they are trying to go. You'll be able to find a map if you just walk a little bit - or feel free to ask someone for directions!

6. Make sure others have space to get on and off the train. If you like to stand near the doors while you're riding the train, be prepared to have many people jostle you as they exit the train. Especially at the more popular stops, you might even want to step off the train while everyone else gets off, and then get back on. The train won't leave without you, don't worry!

7. Sit down if there are seats. Not only does this save your legs for all the walking you'll be doing above ground, but it also keeps the aisles of the trains as clear as possible. You won't get any more steps on your FitBit by standing up, so just take one for the team and pop a squat.

Finally, here is a random trivia fact: Wheaton (Red Line) has the longest escalator, but is not the station that caused someone to have a heart attack when the escalators were out of commission. If you ever feel like you're not able to climb all the stairs, take the elevator!!!