Getting Around DC
DC Bus Guide 2026: Metrobus Routes, Georgetown & What You Need to Know
325 routes, neighborhoods the Metro doesn’t reach, and no DC Circulator anymore — here’s how the bus system actually works now.
Metrobus: The Basics
Metrobus is operated by WMATA — the same authority that runs the Metro. It’s the primary bus system for the DC area, running routes across all three jurisdictions with over 1,500 buses on 325 routes.
Fare: $2.00 flat fare on Metrobus, paid with SmarTrip card. Cash is accepted but you won’t get change — use a SmarTrip card.
Free transfers: Transfer between Metrobus routes within 2 hours at no additional charge with SmarTrip. Transfer from Metro rail to Metrobus within 2 hours for a reduced fare.
How to pay: Tap your SmarTrip card on the yellow reader as you board at the front door. The fare deducts automatically.
Use the Transit app (free, iOS and Android) for real-time bus arrivals — it’s significantly better than the WMATA app for day-to-day use. Or text your stop number to 202-637-7000 for arrival times.
Key Metrobus Routes Worth Knowing
Georgetown — No Metro, These Buses Instead
D80 — Georgetown to Union Station via Wisconsin Avenue NW and K Street NW. WMATA extended and enhanced this route when the DC Circulator ended. Best option for getting from Georgetown to downtown and the Red Line at Union Station.
D6 — Georgetown to Dupont Circle Metro via Pennsylvania Avenue NW. Direct connection to the Red Line from Georgetown. This is the Georgetown transit solution — use it instead of driving.
Georgetown has no Metro station and never will. Your options are the D80 to Union Station, the D6 to Dupont Circle Metro, rideshare, or Capital Bikeshare (multiple docking stations along M Street and the Georgetown waterfront). See our Georgetown parking guide if you’re driving instead.
Adams Morgan — Also Without Direct Metro
Route 54 — Covers the Woodley Park–Adams Morgan–McPherson Square corridor. Connects Adams Morgan to the Red Line at Woodley Park and the Blue/Orange/Silver at McPherson Square.
Route 96 — Also connects Adams Morgan to Dupont Circle Metro.
The 30s Series — Pennsylvania Avenue
Routes 30, 32, 36 run along Pennsylvania Avenue SE and NW — connecting Capitol Hill through downtown and out to Friendship Heights. One of DC’s most useful bus corridors.
The 90s Series — U Street and Shaw
Routes 90, 92, 96 connect U Street, Shaw, and Columbia Heights to downtown. Essential for anyone in the U Street corridor who wants a direct downtown connection without Metro.
The X2 — H Street NE
One of DC’s busiest bus routes — running from Union Station along H Street NE east toward Benning Road. Essential for H Street residents and anyone going to the neighborhood’s restaurants, bars, and the Atlas Performing Arts Center.
The 70s Series — Georgia Avenue
Routes 70, 74, 79 run along Georgia Avenue through Petworth, Columbia Heights, and downtown — the main bus corridor for Northwest DC residents north of the Metro grid.
The 5A — Dulles Airport Express
Runs from Dulles Airport to L’Enfant Plaza via Rosslyn. $7.50 fare. The transit option for Dulles that most people don’t know about — significantly cheaper than rideshare for solo travelers.
Bus vs. Metro: When to Use Which
Take the Metro when: You’re going across the city and speed matters. Any trip where a direct Metro line exists and you need to be somewhere on time.
Take the bus when: Your destination isn’t near a Metro station. You’re heading to Georgetown, Adams Morgan, H Street NE, or other neighborhoods without Metro access. You have a SmarTrip transfer that makes the bus effectively free after a Metro ride.
Practical Tips Before You Board
Get a SmarTrip card before you need it. Available at every Metro station and online at wmata.com. Don’t rely on cash — exact change only on Metrobus and you won’t get change back.
Download the Transit app. Real-time arrivals, route planning, and alerts. Better interface than the official WMATA app for daily use.
Board at the front, exit at the rear. Tap your SmarTrip at the front reader as you board. Pull the yellow cord or press the strip near the windows to signal your stop.
Buses run late at night when Metro doesn’t. Metro closes between midnight and 1am (3am on weekends). Metrobus runs 24 hours on select Owl routes — marked with an owl symbol on WMATA maps. Check which Owl routes serve your neighborhood at wmata.com.
DC Bus Quick Reference
- Metrobus fare $2.00 flat — SmarTrip required for transfers
- SmarTrip card Any Metro station or wmata.com
- Real-time arrivals Transit app or text stop number to 202-637-7000
- Georgetown D80 to Union Station · D6 to Dupont Circle Metro
- Adams Morgan Route 54 (Woodley Park–McPherson Square) · Route 96
- H Street NE X2 from Union Station
- Pennsylvania Ave corridor 30s series (30, 32, 36)
- U Street / Shaw 90s series (90, 92, 96)
- Georgia Ave / Petworth 70s series (70, 74, 79)
- Dulles Airport Metrobus 5A — $7.50, runs to L’Enfant Plaza
- Late night Owl routes run 24hrs — check wmata.com
- DC Circulator Ended December 31, 2024 — no longer operating
🏨 Staying in DC Near Transit?
Hotels near Metro stations and major bus corridors give you the most flexibility for getting around DC without a car. Downtown, Capitol Hill, and Dupont Circle put you within easy reach of both Metro and bus networks.
→ Find DC Hotels Near Transit on Hotels.com
📘 The Full DC Transportation Picture
Buses are one piece of getting around DC. The DC Parking & Towing Survival Guide covers what happens when you drive instead — every zone, every rule, every tow risk.
Bottom Line
The bus is how you get to Georgetown, Adams Morgan, and H Street NE without a car or rideshare. Get a SmarTrip card, download the Transit app, and the DC bus system goes from confusing to genuinely useful within a week.
Getting around DC without a car?
Get the Free DC GuideBus routes and schedules subject to change. Always verify current information at wmata.com before your trip. This post contains affiliate links. If you book through our links we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.