Metro is preparing for one of its busiest periods of the year as the National Cherry Blossom Festival returns to the region, bringing large crowds and increased ridership across the transit system.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) announced that cherry blossom–themed vehicles and commemorative SmarTrip cards will debut March 20 as the festival kicks off. The annual celebration runs from March 20 through April 12 and marks the start of the spring tourism season across the Washington, D.C. region.
Beginning March 20, Metro will roll out specially wrapped cherry blossom vehicles across its system. One train, three buses, and one MetroAccess vehicle will feature bright blue, pink, fuchsia, and white blossom-themed designs and will remain in service through the end of April. Riders will be able to track when the vehicles are in operation by visiting Metro’s live vehicle tracking page and selecting “special edition.”
Metro is also partnering with the National Cherry Blossom Festival to release a limited-edition SmarTrip card featuring artwork titled “America in Bloom” by artist Tim Yanke. The design includes the Washington Monument, abstract cherry blossoms, and butterflies to celebrate the arrival of spring.
More than 20,000 of the commemorative cards will go on sale March 20 at seven Metro stations: L’Enfant Plaza, Metro Center, Navy Yard–Ballpark, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Smithsonian, Union Station, and Washington Dulles International Airport. The cards will be available while supplies last at specially marked fare vending machines.
The National Park Service has predicted peak bloom for the cherry blossoms will occur between March 29 and April 1, which typically brings some of the highest transit usage of the year. Metro officials said the system will operate safe, frequent, and reliable service during the festival and has paused all major track work to help accommodate the expected surge in riders.
Last year, Metro recorded one of its busiest days since the pandemic, with 710,000 rail trips taken on Saturday, March 29 during peak bloom. It was the highest ridership day since 2019 and the second-busiest Saturday in Metro’s history.
Metro will also participate in several official festival events, including the Kite Festival on March 28 on the National Mall, Petalpalooza on April 4 at the Capital Riverfront, and the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade on April 11 along Constitution Avenue. Metro employees will walk in the parade alongside a wrapped Metrobus and MetroAccess vehicle.
For the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler on April 12, Metro plans to open stations an hour early at 5am to accommodate runners and spectators traveling to the starting line.
To help manage the large crowds expected during the festival, Metro will suspend major track work from March 20 through April 18. Limited late-night single tracking may occur after 10pm on select nights along portions of the Red Line.
Metro officials are encouraging visitors to take transit rather than drive to the Tidal Basin area, where parking can be extremely limited during peak bloom. The Smithsonian station is the closest stop to the blossoms, about a 10-minute walk away, but can become extremely crowded. Riders may want to consider nearby stations such as L’Enfant Plaza or Federal Triangle, which are about a 20-minute walk from the Tidal Basin.
