Inaugural visitors — and Metro — tested how crowds fared on the transit system Sunday for the We Are One concert, the official opening of Barack Obama’s inauguration.
The day broke records with 616,324 trips, the highest ridership for a Sunday since the system opened in 1976. It had more riders than for President Bush’s 2001 Inauguration.
Now Metro is gearing up for more people to use the system to attend today’s inaugural events, running 22 hours of unprecedented service. Road and bridge closures mean drivers won’t be able to make it into much of the city, so most attendees will need to rely on such public transit.
Metro will have pressure points with standstill crowds, especially at the end of the swearing in and the parade when crowds try to leave at the same time. Metro officials likely will start and stop crowds from entering stations until traffic clears as they did Sunday evening.
Rail riders should have an alternative plan to wait out the crowds.
Here are some tips for people using the transit system:
What to bring
Metro officials urge riders to carry as little as possible but they urge everyone to bring:
» Metro farecards pre-loaded with enough fare to arrive and return.
» $4 cash for parking at Metrorail stations.
» A map of the transit system, the inaugural security areas and road closures.
» Metro recommends children carry identification with the child’s name, parent’s name, address and telephone numbers.
Metro will not allow:
» Large coolers
» Placards larger than 18 inches square when folded or posts to hold signs
» Bicycles
Riding safely
» Listen to Metro announcements on the trains and in stations.
» Fill railcars at the front and back of trains.
» Do not lean against train doors.
» Stand clear of closing doors. Bags — or body parts — that block train doors from closing prevent the whole train from running. “Train doors are not like elevator doors,” Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said. That can cause the doors to break, then everyone needs to get off the train.
» Beware of pickpockets and keep wallets inside jacket pockets.
Bathrooms
Metro station bathrooms are closed for security reasons but the system has 150 portable toilets positioned outside stations.
Escalators
Metro plans to shut some escalators to help control crowds and prevent pileups onto station platforms, so be prepared to walk down — or up — stairs.
Parking
» Metro station’s parking facilities offer nearly 60,000 spots, but they will likely fill up early. The Minnesota Avenue Metro station parking lot will be closed to the public.
» Parking costs $4, cash only.
» Parking lots open at 3:30 a.m.
» No vehicles with more than 15 people will be allowed to drop off passengers.
Train schedules
» Metrorail is running from 4 a.m. until 2 a.m., with rush-hour trains running until 9 p.m.
» Do not plan to transfer between lines.
Metrobus
» Metro buses will be able to travel on some roads closed to car traffic and cross bridges from Virginia. The regular routes are running on a modified Saturday schedule — with some detours — but the system also will run 23 special routes downtown, with stops at least every 10 minutes until 9 p.m.
» Metro will offer free shuttle service from RFK Stadium to L’Enfant Plaza.
» Riders can take a cross-town connector bus from North Capitol Street to Washington Circle to get around the inauguration events.
» Riders from Virginia will ride for free.
D.C. Circulator
No regular service on Tuesday.
MetroAccess
» MetroAccess, the service for those with disabilities, will operate on a regular schedule, but with no service to inauguration venues and limited door-to-door service, particularly downtown.
How to pay — Metrorail
» During rush-hour service from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m., Metro charges from $1.65 to a maximum of $4.50 depending on distance traveled. The rest of the day Metrorail fares cost $1.35 to $2.35.
» Riders can buy an all-day unlimited farecard for $10, which can be used on buses or trains.
» Commemorative Obama SmarTrip cards are being sold for $10 without any fare included, or $20 with $10 fare preloaded.
How to pay — Metrobus
Metro is offering an all-day bus pass. Metrobus riders can pay with:
» One-way bus fare on a pre-purchased SmarTrip: $1.25
» One-way cash bus fare: $1.35
» All-day unlimited bus pass: $5
» All-day unlimited bus and rail pass: $10.
