Metro: Out and About

Even many tourists are familiar with Washington, DC’s Metrorail system – it provides convenient access to many places in DC, as well as the northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs. In a city where parking is often in limited supply and expensive, Metro can be an economical way to get where you’re going. That’s great for commuters, but what about your preschooler?

Price. Two children age 4 and under ride free per paying adult. Fares are based on how far you ride, and prices are reduced if you avoid rush hours. Five year olds pay full price, which maxes out at $2.35 during reduced price times.

 

Motion and Changing Scenery. Trains are frequent, and stations are bustling, so there’s a lot to see. People come and go at each stop, so even when you’re underground, the scenery changes fast. The map in each car is bright, large, and colorful, and you can talk about your route and the different color lines with your preschooler. At the stations, there are pillars with a list of stops in order of direction. While you’re waiting for your train, count how many stops you will ride through.

 

Proximity. Once you get to your stop, chances are you won’t have to walk far to get where you’re going. There are lots of stations and they are so close you can sometimes see one from another.

 

Accessibility. All Metro stations are accessible for disabled patrons. After giving them priority, you can use elevators as an alternative if you or your preschooler are uncomfortable with the escalators (see disadvantages), or you are traveling with a stroller.

 

Cleanliness. For a city subway system, Metro trains and stations are very clean and well maintained. One exception would be elevators, which are often dingy and sometimes smelly.

Crowds. Metro adds trains for special events and rush hours, but they can still get full, which can be intimidating for your preschooler. Position yourself on the platform so you can get in a car at the end of the train, they will be less full. Signs in the stations now tell you how many cars are in approaching trains, and how long it will be until the next train.

 

Escalators. Here’s some fun DC trivia for you, the Metro system has more escalators than any other subway system in the country. You may be fine carrying your preschooler or holding their hand for the shorter ones, but some are extremely long and steep, such as the one at the station for the National Zoo. Head for the elevators instead.

 

Entrances and Exits. To enter and exit stations, you put your farecard in a machine and the panels in the stiles open, then close behind you automatically. For adults, the panels are about waist high, making them eye-to-eye for your preschooler. Use the wider stiles that are wheelchair accessible, you can walk through holding your preschooler’s hand if you want, and the panels move more slowly.

With a little planning, the Metro can be a fun, easy, and economical way to get around DC with your preschooler. And speaking of planning, consider a SmarTrip card, even if you ride Metro rarely. It’s a plastic farecard that can also be used for parking at Metro garages (in fact some garages will only accept SmarTrip). The strips on the temporary paper tickets can get damaged easily, especially if your preschooler is playing with it or it’s in a wallet with magnet closure. If that happens, you have to find someone at the station to reissue a ticket and assist you in getting out of the station at your destination. Also, bear in mind that if you purchase a day pass farecard, you cannot use it before 9:30 AM (the end of the morning rush hour).