Fare-Free Virginia Railway Express Arrives In September

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Virginia Railway Express, a commuter rail taking passengers between Northern Virginia and DC, will seek to attract more riders through a fare-free initiative beginning Thursday.

After a July vote by the VRE Operations Board, VRE will be free throughout September at all 19 stations and at certain stations in October. The October fare suspension applies to riders traveling between zones 1, 2 and 3, which includes Backlick Road, Franconia-Springfield, Alexandria, Crystal City, L'Enfant Plaza and Union Station. A ticket will not be needed during the fare-free month.

"A fare-free September is also VRE’s way of saying thanks to those passengers who have stuck with usthrough the pandemic, and it’s a wonderful way to celebrate VRE’s 30th anniversary," said Margaret Franklin, VRE Operations Board chair and a Prince William County supervisor, in a previous news release.

The October fare-free initiative is focused on riders impacted by Metro's Blue and Yellow Line projects, which VRE board documents state "could help VRE develop new ridership in a previously underutilized segment of our service area."

From Sept. 10 to Oct. 22, Metro will not have rail service at the Braddock Road, King Street-Old Town, Van Dorn Street, Franconia-Springfield, Eisenhower Avenue and Huntington stations as it connects tracks to the new Potomac Yard station. There will also be no Yellow Line rail service between Pentagon and L'Enfant Plaza from Sept. 10 through May 2023 due to Yellow Line bridge and tunnel repairs.

SEE ALSO: Alexandria Commuters Encouraged To Prepare For Metro Shutdowns

Virginia Railway Express will also seek to build ridership as more employers transition back to in-person work. The estimated cost for VRE will be $1.2 million to $2.3 million in lost fare revenue, according to board documents. VRE could offset the lost revenue with existing federal pandemic relief funds and potential grant funds for Metro shutdown mitigation from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.

Parking is always free at VRE stations, with the exception of Union Station, L'Enfant Plaza, Crystal City, Alexandria, and Franconia-Springfield. Parking will be free at Metro's Franconia-Springfield station from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22. For the rest of the project through May 2023, riders will be charged the $4.95 price rather than the non-Metro rider fee of $8.95. Full-size bicycles are permitted on all VRE trains.