As Metrorail prepares to reopen six Blue and Yellow Line stations south of Reagan National Airport next week, Virginia Railway Express is extending its discount on Amtrak Step-up tickets until Sept. 30, the commuter service said Tuesday.
Passengers who have monthly, five-day, 10-ride tickets or Transit Link Cards can purchase Step-up tickets for $4 instead of $8 and use any of the 12 Amtrak trains listed on VRE’s schedule.
The discount would have originally expired Aug. 31. It was done in partnership with Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
VRE says Amtrak Step-up sales rose 11% on the Fredericksburg Line and 13% systemwide during the Metro summer shutdown, compared to 2018 data.
Virginia numbers for Metrorail have dropped during the shutdown.
Rail ridership was down 16% at Virginia stations in June compared with the same month last year, with a 12% decline in the weekday average. Metrobus usage in Northern Virginia declined slightly in June.
In July, data provided to the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission showed a 10% drop in overall and weekday Metrorail trips in Virginia. July bus ridership rose 6%, with an increase of 3% on weekdays compared with the same time last year.
WTOP’s Max Smith contributed to this report.
