The Metro Silver Line (also known as Dulles Metrorail) is a 23-mile extension of the existing Washington Metrorail system in Northern Virginia, which when completed will run from East Falls Church to Dulles International Airport, continuing west to Ashburn. Silver Line will provide direct ground transportation between Dulles International Airport and downtown Washington DC with 11 new Metrorail stations, including stations at Tysons Corner, Reston, Herndon, Dulles International Airport, and eastern Loudoun County.
The new Metrorail service in the Dulles Corridor will expand the rapid transit service of the existing regional rail system, offer an alternative to car travel, and reduce traffic congestion in the region. For general information about the Washington Metro, see a Guide to Using the Washington Metrorail.
Opening Updates: The first phase of the Silver Line opened on Saturday, July 26, 2014. The Silver Line service now extends to five stations including:
- McLean
- Tysons Corner
- Greensboro
- Spring Hill
- Wiehle-Reston East
Work has also begun on Phase 2 of the project, which will connect the Metrorail system with Herndon, Washington Dulles International Airport and points in Loudoun County, VA. See more details about the phases below.
Parking lot:
The Wiehle-Reston East metro station has a multi-level underground parking garage located on the north side of the station. The station includes a 2,300-space parking lot, a secure and reserved room for bicycles, a 10-bay bus terminal, bus service to Dulles Airport, bus service to the Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum. Parking fees are charged upon departure, from 10:30 am until the Metrorail system closes. Payment is accepted with SmarTrip® cards and credit cards. Parking is free on weekends and federal holidays.
Construction phases
- Phase 1 – Opened July 2014 Construction of the first phase of the Metrorail began in March 2009. Phase 1 branches off the Orange Line and runs from East Falls Church to Wiehle Avenue at the eastern end of Reston. The line merges with the existing line near I-66 and Dulles Connector Road and uses existing Orange Line tracks through Arlington County to Washington DC to reach Armory Stadium station. From that point, Silver Line shares the Blue Line tracks with Largo, MD. Phase 1 includes five new stations: McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill, and Wiehle-Reston East.
- Phase 2 : The second phase will extend the Metrorail from Reston and Herndon to Dulles International Airport and east of Loudoun County. The extension includes a new rail yard on the Dulles Airport property and improvements to an existing rail yard at West Falls Church Station. Construction began in spring 2014, and the project is expected to open in 2020.
Read more about Tysons, Virginia Development
Suggested reading
How to get around the Washington DC area
Public Transportation Guide for the Washington DC Area
Driving times and distances around the DC area
Neighborhoods in the DC Capital Region
An overview of the roads and highways in the Washington DC area
