VRE to eliminate fares during WMATA closures

The Virginia Railway Express will eliminate fares during September and between certain stations in October due to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s temporary, partial shutdown of its Blue and Yellow lines during major construction.

With the fare elimination beginning Sept. 10, VRE aims to pick up WMATA riders as an alternative during the construction period. Fare-free rides throughout September will be systemwide, while fare-free rides in October will be limited to travel between the six VRE stations most impacted by Blue Line station closures – Backlick Road, Franconia-Springfield, Alexandria, Crystal City, L'Enfant and Union stations, VRE officials said in a press release.

WMATA is also considering offering free parking at the Franconia-Springfield parking garage while its station is closed. VRE already offers free parking at most of its stations.

"VRE will be a major contributor to mitigation efforts in the region during the first part of the [WMATA] shutdown," said VRE CEO Rich Dalton. "The temporary elimination of fares will maximize VRE's usage."

Both lines, located south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, are undergoing construction and maintenance projects requiring large portions of the lines to be closed for service, dcist.com reported.

One project involves connecting the new Potomac Yard station to the current rail line that will cause a closure between Sept. 10 and Oct. 6. Service between the Pentagon station and L’Enfant Plaza will pause for seven to eight months beginning in September.