DC Metro Orange Line Map: All 26 Stations, History, Route

The DC Metro Orange Line Map has 26 stations serving Vienna/Fairfax-GMU in Fairfax County, Virginia, to downtown Washington, DC in Prince George’s County, Maryland, covering a distance of about 26 miles. The Orange Line is a historic part of Metro - it was inaugurated on March 29, 197,developments6 as part of the first section of the Washington Metro system.

DC Metro Orange Line Overview

One of the most important lines in the Metrorail network is the Orange Line, which has a very rich history. Its inauguration in 1976 was the start of the whole DC Metro system and thus the grandfather of the contemporary Washington transit. The Orange Line links the suburban areas of Northern Virginia, across the high-density Arlington corridor - the site of one of the most successful transit-oriented developments. ever in the United States - to downtown DC and on to Maryland.

Orange Line Route: Vienna/Fairfax to New Carrollton

It has its origin at Vienna/Fairfax-GMU, one of the largest park-and-ride terminals, in Fairfax County, and travels northeast through Falls Church, the Ballston-Rosslyn corridor in Arlington, across the Potomac River, through downtown DC (which it shares with the Blue and Silver lines between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory), and into the County of Prince George's.

How Many Stations on the Orange Line?

The Orange Line has 26 stations. An end-to-end trip from Vienna to New Carrollton takes approximately 47 minutes.

Complete Orange Line Station List

Orange Line Stations in Virginia

1. Vienna/Fairfax-GMU – Western terminus; largest park-and-ride on Orange Line; George Mason University area
2. Dunn Loring–Merrifield – Suburban Fairfax; Mosaic District nearby
3. West Falls Church–VT/UVA – Virginia Tech and UVA Northern Virginia campus shuttle
4. East Falls Church (shared with Silver Line) – Orange/Silver split point
5. Ballston–MU – Thriving urban corridor; Marymount University
6. Virginia Square–GMU – George Mason law campus
7. Clarendon – Restaurant row; bars; popular DC suburb nightlife
8. Court House – Arlington County government buildings
9. Rosslyn Transfer: Orange + Blue + Silver – High-rise gateway; Potomac River crossing

Orange Line Stations in Washington DC

10. Foggy Bottom–GWU – George Washington University; Kennedy Center
11. Farragut West – White House proximity; K Street corridor
12. McPherson Square – Downtown offices
13. Metro Center Transfer: Orange + Red + Blue + Silver
14. Federal Triangle – IRS, DOJ, National Archives vicinity
15. Smithsonian – National Mall; all Smithsonian museums
16. L'Enfant Plaza Transfer: Orange + Blue + Silver + Green + Yellow
17. Capitol South – U.S. Capitol; Congressional offices
18. Eastern Market – Historic market; Capitol Hill
19. Potomac Avenue – Capitol Hill residential
20. Stadium–Armory Transfer: Orange + Blue + Silver

Orange Line Stations in Maryland

21. Benning Road – Northeast DC/Maryland border
22. Capitol Heights – Prince George's County
23. Addison Road–Seat Pleasant – Seat Pleasant suburb
24. Morgan Boulevard – FedEx Field area
25. Largo Town Center – Suburban Maryland
26. New Carrollton – Eastern terminus; Amtrak + MARC connection

Orange Line Shared Tracks with Blue and Silver Lines

The Orange, Blue, and Silver lines have the same physical tracks between Rosslyn (Virginia) and Stadium-Armory (DC). Moreover, there is a shared line between East Falls Church and Court House in Virginia between the Orange and Silver lines. This combined route offers extremely high frequency of combined trains in downtown DC, but also implies that only the Orange Line is not as frequent as the combined service on the shared portion.

Park-and-Ride Options on the Orange Line

The Orange Line is famous for its park-and-ride commuter culture, particularly on the Virginia end:

Weekend parking is free at all Metro park-and-ride facilities system-wide, including on the Orange Line. Weekday parking requires payment.

Orange Line History: The First DC Metro Line

The Orange Line is blessed with the honor of being the first Metrorail line of its type ever. A 4.6-mile first section of what later became the Orange Line was inaugurated on March 29, 1976, located between Rhode Island Avenue and Farragut West, servingCarrolltonCarrollton only 5 stations. The inauguration of what would come to be one of the great transit systems in America was marked by the celebration of President Gerald Ford and dignitaries.

The line was named after the orange color of the line in the early system maps. The Orange Line was expanded in both directions over the next decades; westward to Vienna in 1986 and eastward to New Carrollton via multiple phases during the 1980s and 2000s.

The Arlington corridor (Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, Virginia Square, Ballston) was one of the most heralded instances of Metro-led urban development in America, as billions of dollars of mixed-use development centered around Orange Line stations in the 90s and 00s.

Orange Line Hours and Frequency

FAQ: DC Metro Orange Line

Q: What is the number of stations on the DC Metro Orange Line? 

A: The Orange Line consists of 26 stations Vienna/Fairfax-GMU in Vienna to New Carrollton in Maryland.

Q: When was the DC Metro Orange Line opened? 

A: The Orange Line was included in the initial Metro, which opened on March 29, 1976, and thus became the first line of the Metrorail in operation.

Q: What is the length of an end-to-end Orange Line trip on the Orange Line?

A: It would take about 47 minutes to ride a full ride on Vienna/Fairfax-GMU to New Carrollton.

Q: Does the Orange Line go to the airport? 

A: Orange Line does not directly serve either of the airports. Metro Center or Rosslyn to the Blue or Yellow Line to the Reagan National Airport (DCA), or the Silver Line to East Falls Church or Metro Center to the Dulles Airport (IAD).,,