Metro to Charge Rush-Hour Fares on Inauguration Day

[AnnieBW]

Heads up, anyone planning to come to DC for the inauguration!

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Metro-to-Charge-Rush-Hour-Fares-on-Inauguration-Day.html

In order to help pay for moving more than a million people on Inauguration Day, Metro will charge rush-hour rates most of the day and will require people to pay to park.

Jan. 20 is a federal holiday, and usually that would mean no rush-hour rates at all and free parking, but because more than 1.6 million public transportation trips are expected that day, Metro's board approved General Manager John Catoe's requests in order to help meet costs.

"This will be the greatest demand on this system in its entire history," Catoe said.

Metro will open early -- 4 a.m. -- and close late -- 2 a.m. From 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. the system will provide rush-hour service at rush-hour rates.

To park in Metro's lots, drivers will have to pay a flat rate -- expected to be $4 -- and SmarTrip cards won't be accepted. An attendant will be stationed at each lot.

In order to ease the rush off the Mall after the inauguration, Metro recommends visitors take their time downtown and find a nice restaurant or visit a museum.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

1. Yes: "Metro recommends visitors take their time downtown and find a nice restaurant...

or visit a museum." Folks are in for a rude awakening if they all converge on Metro immediately after the festivities. I'm walking in from Communist Arlington!

[williesgirl]

2. This is more than fair since they're providing rush hour service. rec'd

[AnnieBW]

3. They were running 8-car trains this past Sunday

We went downtown for the TSO concert, and they were running eight-car trains on the Green Line (from Greenbelt) on a Sunday afternoon to test the system. Usually they only run four cars on weekends. Six if there's a big event, like a game.