As one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities, Washington, DC, added the DC Streetcar, a network of overground trolleys that offers residents and visitors another public transportation option. This system, which opened in February 2016, currently has a line starting in 2017, with plans to add more. Once fully expanded, the streetcar system will cover 37 miles and cover all eight halls. If you are visiting the District and taking public transportation, here is some useful information for using the streetcars.
Goals of the DC Streetcar system
The tram system was developed to do the following:
- Make it easier for residents to move between neighborhoods, unlike the Metrorail
- Offer more extensive transportation options for residents.
- Reduce traffic congestion, parking demand, and air pollution.
- Promote economic development and affordable housing along the streetcar corridors.
Modern trams
DC Streetcars operate on fixed rails on public streets. They run in mixed traffic or have a separate right-of-way. Electric motors power the streetcars, which collect power from electrical cables 20 feet above the rails used by the streetcars. As the system expands, the trams will be powered wirelessly.
The trams have air conditioning and low floors that make it quick and easy to board. They are about the length of an articulated bus, but have more passengers, 144 to 160 seated and standing. The trams accommodate wheelchairs, bicycles, and strollers.
DC Streetcar Fast Facts
- Streetcars are free to travel until the District Transportation Department changes its fare policy.
- Advances are between 10 and 15 minutes, which means that you will never have to wait more than 15 minutes to board, unless bad weather, traffic or accidents affect the schedule.
- Trips from east to west take an average of 20 minutes.
- The police visit the stations and the security personnel are on board the trams.
- The number of monthly passengers is currently more than 100,000 passengers.
- The most popular stops are currently Union Station, 8th St / H St and 13th St / H St.
DC Streetcar Hours of Operation
- Monday to Thursday: 6 am to midnight
- Friday: 6 am to 2 am
- Saturday: 8 am to 2 am
- Sundays and holidays: 8 am to 10 pm
H Street / Benning Road NE Line
The first line of the DC Streetcar system, the H Street / Benning Road NE segment, is 2.4 miles with eight stations. It serves passengers from Union Station in the west to the Anacostia River in the east. Eventually, it will go past the Anacostia on the Benning Metro to the Georgetown waterfront.
Expansion lines
Expansion will focus first on the first 22 miles of the proposed 37-mile plan. These are the new lines under consideration:
- Anacostia Extension : Between the Anacostia Metrorail Station and the 11th Street Bridge, through Historic Anacostia
- Anacostia Initial Line : Connects Anacostia Subway Station to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), via Firth Sterling Avenue and South Capitol Street
- Benning Road Extension – Across the Anacostia River, connecting to Benning Road or Minnesota Avenue subway stations
- M Street SE / SW : Along the southwest shore from 12th Street SE to 14th Street SW and from the Southwest / Southeast Freeway south to the Anacostia River / Washington Canal
- North-South Corridor – A 9-mile north-south corridor that begins in the Buzzard Point / Southwest Waterfront area and runs through Takoma or Silver Spring
- Union Station to Georgetown : west of Union Station to the Georgetown coast
History of streetcars in Washington, DC
Streetcars were a common form of transportation in the District from 1862 to 1962. The first streetcar was horse-drawn and ran from the Capitol to the State Department. In 1888, the first electric streetcar was put into service and overhead cables were laid around the city. By the mid-1890s, there were numerous streetcar companies operating in the District and lines that extended to Maryland and Virginia.
In the first half of the 20th century, the streetcar network included more than 200 miles of track. As bus service became more prevalent, the popularity of trams waned and the service was abandoned in January 1962. Trams are now making a comeback to fill gaps in city traffic.
