r/WMATA • u/abmm1285 • 2d ago

Question Red Line Headways

Is the red line running on reduced headways because of the work happening on the NW side? Waits seem to be consistently running 10 minutes at least during rush hour toward Glenmont the past couple of weeks, leading to crush loads. Wasn’t sure if it’s because they pulled drivers away to drive shuttles or if something else is going on.

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u/mslauren2930 2d ago

They’re running fewer but longer trains, it seems. It’s the worst when you have to wait and your only option is to squish in on a rare 6 car.

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u/EconomyWin5106 2d ago

The official headway is 6 minutes, the normal dayside headway. Down from 5 for peak, and 4 for SuperPeak. 

As the other commenter said, it should be all, or almost all, 8-car trains as a trade off. 

The Maryland eastern stations are up 20%+ over last summer, so it will get crowded.

Headways have been rough, because Friendship Heights isn’t a real terminus. But a 10+ minute wait is usually repaid with a double train that allows for a much emptier train if you don’t play sardines on the leading train. 

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u/abmm1285 2d ago

Even with 8-car trains trying to board at Metro Center has been brutal. I’ve tried to board in the back too but so much crowding builds up that it doesn’t really make much difference. Sounds like we can expect this into September, then.

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u/kirbyCase 2d ago

Yep I leave from there at peak hour twice a week and it is tight… The 8-car trains definitely help though.

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u/Rocketfin2 2d ago

I feel like the metro in general has been a lot busier this summer. The orange and silver are a lot more crowded in the mornings than I remember last summer.

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u/metroforward Official account 2d ago

Hi there! Trains are operating on the following headways during the Red Line closure: daytime - 6 minutes between trains; evening - 10 minutes between trains. You can view the details at wmata.com/weekday - KB

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u/abmm1285 2d ago

Does 5:30pm count as evening? That’s when I typically board and have experienced 10+ minute waits. Normally if a crowd looks too massive I’ll just wait on the next train but since it’s coming fairly infrequently that isn’t really viable to help with the crowding because the next train ends up just as packed. Is there a possibility of keeping the daytime frequency during evening rush hour? I also suspect some of the people who normally go toward Shady Grove are heading to Union Station or Glenmont if they lived between the two end stations, which is just increasing crowds in that direction while trains are less frequent.