Editor’s Note: This article includes new information from D.C. officials, as of 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18. Expect updates as WTOP learns more about local road closures, transit plans and festivities.
D.C. is gearing up for one of its most pompous and time-honored traditions. Monday is Inauguration Day, but a giant wrench was thrown into the plans Friday when officials announced President-elect Donald Trump’s swearing-in would be moved indoors due to forecasts of frigid temperatures.
The Rotunda is prepared as an alternative for each inauguration in the event of inclement weather. However, the move will have a massive ripple effect on arrangements for the day and it change’s full impact isn’t yet clear.
Alternate plans are required for the more than roughly 250,000 guests ticketed to view the inauguration from around the Capitol grounds and the tens of thousands more expected to be in general admission areas or to line the inaugural parade route from the Capitol to the White House.
Trump said some supporters would be able to watch the ceremony from D.C.’s Capital One Arena, but that only has a capacity of about 20,000. As of Saturday evening, it is unclear who will be invited to the venue for Monday’s event.
On Saturday, city officials also announced updated road closures. Additional updates will be posted on the District’s inauguration website, according to city officials.
Also on Saturday, Metro announced several service changes for Sunday and Monday:
- Metrorail will open at 5 a.m. Monday, instead of 4 a.m. It will now run on a normal weekday schedule.
- The Gallery Place Metro station will be transfer-only on Sunday and Monday. Passengers can change train lines at the stop but will not be able to enter and exit the station. Metro recommends that customers headed to Capital One Arena enter and exit via the Metro Center station.
- The Yellow Line will not run to Greenbelt, Maryland, as previously planned.
- Q:
How can I see the swearing-in ceremony?
- A:
Now that the swearing-in has moved inside, only dignitaries and notable guests are likely able to view the swearing-in from inside the Capitol Rotunda. According to a notice from the House Sergeant at Arms, the majority of ticketed guests will not be able to attend the ceremonies in person.
“With the exception of tickets in sections three (3) and four (4), House Members of JCCIC recommend that your offices relay to constituents that their tickets will be commemorative. A decision on the seating of ticket sections three (3) and four (4) is still in development,” the notice reads.
The U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement, “The ticketed areas outside, on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, will now be closed to ticketed guests.”
On Saturday, the National Park Service announced that viewing screens on the National Mall were being removed and would not be available to visitors trying to view the swearing-in ceremony.
- Q:
What about the inaugural parade?
- A:
There will be no inaugural parade due to the weather, according to the National Park Service.
Trump said Friday he would visit Capital One Arena after his swearing-in and host a modified inaugural parade there. It is still unclear as of Saturday evening who will be allowed to attend this event.
Anyone who wants to watch the motorcade travel from Capital One Arena to the White House via Pennsylvania Ave. will be allowed to do so. Those who want to participate will have to enter at designated checkpoints and be subject to screening.
- Q:
Will things still be open on Inauguration Day?
- A:
As of now, a number of popular destinations near the Capitol will still be closed for security reasons for the inauguration.
All the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall will be closed, along with the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, its Renwick Gallery and the National Postal Museum. The National Zoo, however, will remain open. Other places near the Capitol, such as the Library of Congress, will also still be closed, so check and confirm a facility’s operating status before visiting.
Due to the inauguration’s move indoors, all monuments and memorials will be open to the public Monday, except for the Washington Monument, according to the National Park Service.
- Q:
What roads will be closed for the inauguration?
- A:
Police have announced a slew of road closures and parking restrictions, many of which will be in place for multiple days. These road closures were updated on Saturday. View a full list of closures here.
- Q:
Who’s performing at the inauguration?
- A:
Country artist Carrie Underwood was set to be the headline singer at the inauguration, and was scheduled to perform “America the Beautiful” during the ceremony. Other performers included groups such as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Combined Choirs, the U.S. Marine Band, the Armed Forces Chorus and the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club.
Now that the swearing-in will take place indoors, it’s unclear what sort of performances will take place, or if those performers will move to Capital One Arena.
- Q:
Can I take the Metro to the inauguration?
- A:
You can, and should, use public transportation to get to inauguration events, due to aforementioned closures and expected heavy traffic. Metrorail will now open at 5 a.m., instead of 4 a.m., and it will no longer run increased service. It will operate on a normal weekday schedule.
Due to the planned events at Capital One Arena, the Gallery Place Metro station will be transfer-only on Sunday and Monday, meaning that passengers can change train lines at the stop but will not be able to enter and exit the station. This is for security reasons, according to the Secret Service.
Metro recommends that customers traveling to Capital One Arena on Sunday and Monday enter and exit via the Metro Center station.
A handful of stations will be closed from Sunday at 8 p.m. to Tuesday at 5 a.m. for security reasons. The closed stations are McPherson Square, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, Mt. Vernon Sq.-Convention Center, Archives-Navy Memorial and Pentagon.
The Yellow Line will not run to Greenbelt, Maryland, as previously planned.
Some Metrobus routes will be detoured around road closures Monday, and buses will bypass the Pentagon Transit Center.
If Metro announces additional changes for the modified, indoor festivities, this FAQ post will be updated.
- Q:
Are there any planned protests?
- A:
The People’s March is planned for the Saturday before the inauguration. It’s scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and begins near the Washington Monument. Find more information on the march’s website.
On Inauguration Day, which also happens to be Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Rev. Al Sharpton will lead a march from McPherson Square to Metropolitan AME Church, followed by a rally. The event is hosted by the National Action Network.
- Q:
What other inauguration-related events are taking place?
- A:
The day before the inauguration, President-elect Trump is hosting a rally at Capital One Arena in Downtown D.C. Tickets are free and available on the Inaugural Planning Committee’s website.
There are also a series of balls the night of the inauguration. Trump’s inaugural committee has announced three official inaugural balls — the Commander in Chief Ball, Liberty Inaugural Ball and Starlight Ball — all of which Trump will deliver remarks at. Traditionally, there are also numerous unofficial inaugural balls.
- Q:
Can I visit public, unticketed viewing areas on the National Mall?
- A:
Because inauguration ceremonies have moved inside the Capitol, the National Mall will be open to the public, according to the National Park Service.
- Q:
What can I bring with me to the Capitol grounds?
- A:
The list of items prohibited on the Capitol grounds during the inauguration is long, and includes items such as alcohol, any bags larger than 12-by-12-by-5 inches, balls, camera cases, seat cushions, strollers and umbrellas.
Find the full list of banned items on the U.S. Capitol Police website.
More inauguration stories:
- ‘Very, very cold’: Inauguration temperatures will be lowest since 1985
- What’s open, what’s closed: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Inauguration Day 2025
- Security agencies face challenges at Trump’s inauguration
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