Metro is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the release of five limited-edition SmarTrip card designs highlighting five decades of the transit system’s history, with the first card set to debut Thursday, September 24.
Approximately 20,000 copies of each gold-tinted commemorative design will be released, with a new card arriving every two weeks at select Metro stations. Wheaton is among the stations scheduled to offer the first design.
The September 24 release celebrates the 1970s and features an image of the installation of one of Metro’s iconic pylons, along with a background showcasing architect Harry Weese’s recognizable waffle-vaulted station ceilings.
The 1970s card will be available at Downtown Largo, Friendship Heights, Gallery Place-Chinatown, King St-Old Town, Metro Center, Pentagon City, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Rosslyn, Union Station, Washington Dulles International Airport and Wheaton.
“Metro’s 50th anniversary is an opportunity to reflect on how far transit has come, and the role Metro has played in transforming mobility across the National Capital Region,” Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said. “These commemorative SmarTrip cards highlight key moments from each decade of our history, and we invite customers to join the celebration by collecting them and sharing in the story of Metro’s first 50 years.”
The second card, celebrating the 1980s, will be released October 8 and features construction crews that helped build the crossing beneath the Potomac River.
A 1990s design will follow October 22, highlighting a tunnel boring machine used to carve through rock while constructing some of Metro’s deepest subway stations.
The November 5 release will represent the 2000s, featuring the Metrorail map and recognizing the 2001 completion of Metro’s originally planned 103-mile, 83-station system. The design also includes a Metrobus highlighting the transit system’s regional connectivity.
The final card will be released November 19 and represents the 2010s and beyond. It features a 7000-series train, which debuted in 2015.
Metro said multiple commemorative cards may eventually be available at some stations. Customers can look for signs above fare vending machines identifying which design is being sold from a particular machine.
Metro also plans to sell a special Metro-branded SmarTrip and trading card collecting book during its holiday pop-up shop, allowing collectors to store the anniversary cards together. Card availability can be tracked through Metro’s 50th anniversary website.
