A modified Sunday schedule and the suspension of the King Street Trolley are just two of the biggest new changes to Alexandria’s DASH bus that take effect Monday.
The bus system announced on Saturday that it will shift to an “Enhanced Sunday Operating Plan” for weekdays and Saturdays in order to add extra protections for its riders and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For those who previously used the King Street Trolley, DASH recommends using the alternate King Street routes AT-2, AT-7 and AT-8, which are free until further notice.
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The bus system also suggests that metro riders who typically use either the Van Dorn or Eisenhower stations, which are currently closed due to inactivity, to use the AT-7 or AT-8 as an alternate route to the still-open King Street Metro.
Earlier this month, DASH said it would switch to an enhanced Saturday schedule. That meant buses would make stops at the roughly 30- to 60-minute intervals found on weekends, as opposed to the 15- to 20-minute intervals that are standard during the weekdays, though some routes provided additional trips to accommodate peak weekday periods.
While most routes will continue to follow their regular DASH Sunday timetables, a news release stated, additional trips and services will be provided, including:
- AT-1 Plus: Sunday Schedule (every 30 minutes), extra trips in the early morning and evening, service available from approx. 5:30 a.m. — 11 p.m.
- AT-2: Sunday schedule, extra trips running every 30 minutes from approx. 5:30 a.m. — 11 p.m.
- AT-2X: No service. Passengers may use the AT-2 as an alternative route between King Street Metro and Mark Center.
- AT-3: Route will operate every 60 minutes during peak periods from Braddock Road Metro to the Pentagon Metro. AT-3 passengers in Old Town can use the AT3/4, AT-7 or Metrobus 10A/10B. Route will not operate on weekends.
- AT-4: Route will operate every 60 minutes during peak periods from Braddock Road Metro to the Pentagon Metro. AT-4 passengers in Old Town can use the AT-2, AT-3/4, AT-5, AT-8 or Metrobus 10A/10B. Route will not operate on weekends.
- AT-3/4 Loop: Sunday schedule.
- AT-5: Sunday schedule from Braddock Road Metro to Van Dorn Metro, extra trips to run every 30 minutes from approx. 5:30 a.m. — 11 p.m.
- AT-6: No service. Passengers may use the AT-5 or AT-9 alternate routes.
- AT-7: Route will operate between Van Dorn Metrorail Station and Lee Center via Eisenhower Metro and King Street Metro every 30 minutes from approx. 7 a.m. — 8 p.m.
- AT-8: Sunday Schedule (every 30 minutes), extra trips in the early morning and evening, service will be available from approx. 5:30 a.m. — 11:30 p.m.
- AT-9: Sunday schedule, extra trips to run from approx. 7 a.m. — 11 p.m.
- AT-10: Sunday schedule, extra trips to run from approx. 7:30 a.m. — 10 p.m.