M is for Metro; The "How To" Guide

Ask anyone who talked to me before the beginning of this summer about D.C. and they will all tell you the one thing I was most worried about: the Metro.  Born and raised in a small, rural city in Southern Indiana, I was not familiar with public transportation, especially not a train with a color as a name that races from place to place underground. You should have seen my anxiety the first time I went to the metro station to do a test run for my internship.  Now, most of you don't have the same metro knowledge deficiencies that I did, but for those of you who have never been, here's your official
"how-to" metro guide!

Welcome to the Platform!

The first thing to know about the metro is that when you buy your ticket, you should be prepared (as in, you should have small bills as well as a debit/credit card on hand).  I found it easiest to buy a Smartrip card, which works well for daily riders as well as long term users of the metro.  For a one-time trip, however, it might be best to look up your fare costs and get a fare card.

Once you've gotten through the turnstile, especially in rush hour, it is incredibly important that you know which direction you are going.  This can be particularly challenging for someone (like me) who is directionally challenge.  Each color metro line is set up and named by the two stations at either of its end.  This helps riders navigate the direction of each track, as well as which side to wait on.  In other words, you don't actually have to know the cardinal direction that you want to go, you just have to know which line to get on. How neat! After riding the metro for a week, I already had most of these end stations memorized, so I can get on at almost any stop and still get to where I need to go.

What a view!

When navigating the station to get to your correct track, it is important to be aware of others, many of which are hurrying around just as much as you are.  If you have a piece of rolling luggage, or simply want to ride the escalator from one level to another, it is important that you stay to the RIGHT.  Riders wishing to walk (or sometimes run) up or down the escalator will go to the left.  This is sort of like the common courtesy of walking to the right of someone you pass on the street.  I've noticed that people from different countries tend to go to the left (which makes sense because of their driving rules), so always be watching where you're going.

Switching line is something I thought would be quite terrifying, but surprisingly, it is on of the coolest parts about the metro.  Riders can switch lines at various locations, and it is fun to figure out the quickest way to get from one place or another (there could be multiple).  In the mornings, I have to switch from the green/yellow line to the red line.  I can do this at two different stations.  It's fun to switch up my morning commute, see different stations and scenery, and even to try and beat the crowd (which sometimes is impossible).

Other than the obvious reminders of being safe, keeping track of your belongings, and arriving on time, this "how to" guide has covered most of the interesting tips and tricks that I've learned.  It might not seem like much to someone who is familiar at the metro (a metro pro, for short), but for a newcomer to public transportation, I hope this guide makes your internship a little less stressful and prepares you a little more. I sure wish I would have had a guide like this to ease my worry post-internship!

Inside the station!