Silver Line Metrorail, bus services operation for a year

One year ago, Loudoun County Transit phased in the largest update to its bus system in over a decade in concert with the opening of the Metrorail’s Silver Line extension, which includes the Dulles International Airport, Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn Metro stations in Loudoun County, and Innovation Center, Herndon and Reston Town Center in Fairfax County. The Silver Line bus service currently runs 21 bus routes and has 156 bus stops, improving overall service to and from Silver Line Metrorail stations. To date, the Silver Line bus routes have provided service for over 72,000 passengers.

In October 2023, a major milestone was reached with Metrorail service topping one million customers at the Dulles Airport Metrorail Station since the Silver Line extension opened. The six new Silver Line stations have provided service to more than three million riders during that time, according to figures from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

How to Use Silver Line Metrorail and Bus Services in Loudoun

Here are four things to know about using Silver Line Metrorail and Bus services in Loudoun:

1. Three Stations: Loudoun County has three Metrorail stations: Ashburn, Loudoun
   Gateway and Washington Dulles International Airport. More information about each
   station, including video tours, may be found at loudoun.gov/silverlinestations.
    
2. Metro Parking: Need to park your car or bike before you hop on a train? The Metro
   parking garages in Loudoun feature electric vehicle charging stations, bike racks, daily
   parking and reserved parking. Loudoun County operates the Ashburn South and Loudoun
   Gateway garages. The Ashburn North garage, which is operated privately, is also an
   option for commuters. Information about parking at Loudoun’s Metro station is online.
    
3. Silver Line Bus Routes: Loudoun County Transit runs bus service that connects riders
   with Metrorail, including to and from Loudoun Park and Ride lots. It costs $1.00 to ride
   all Silver Line bus routes. For additional details about each route, including the location
   of bus stops, times of routes and maps of routes, visit loudoun.gov/silverlinebusroutes.
    
4. Plan Your Trip: Riders can plan their trips with online tools, including Google Maps,
   Transit app, and WMATA’s Metro Trip Planner, which includes Metrorail service and bus
   service to and from Metrorail stations and other regional resources. You can also use the
   planner to calculate your fare, which is based on the service, ride length, day and time
   you ride. Purchase a SmarTrip® card, which is the easiest method to pay Metrorail fares.
   More information about planning your trip is online.
   

Visit loudoun.gov/riderinformation for details about Loudoun County Transit, including
commuter, local-fixed route, Metro connection and paratransit bus services; planning a trip;
service alerts; and how to ride safely.

Everything commuters need to know about accessing and using Metro from Loudoun County is
posted at loudoun.gov/silverline.