DC Metro Red Line Map: All 27 Stations, Route, Hours & Rider

The DC Metro Red Line Map has 27 stations that operate about 31 miles along the route between Shady Grove in Montgomery County, Maryland,, to downtown Washington, D.C., and stations from DC to Glenmont in Montgomery County, Maryland. It is the oldest, longest, and most utilized line in the Metrorail system. Metro stations along the Red Line include Metro Center, Gallery Place-Chinatown, and Fort Totten.

DC Metro Red Line Overview

The backbone of the Washington DC Metro is The Red Line. The Red Line was one of the original services of the Metro, opened in 1976, and follows a U-shaped path across the northwest suburbs of Maryland, before going underground through the center of downtown Washington DC, and is then resurfaced in northeast Maryland at the terminus at Glenmont. It has a length of about 31 miles (51 km) and has the highest number of daily riders of all Metrorails.

The Red Line has no tracks with any other lines, unlike the other five lines, and cannot be cut over to the Yellow or Green lines without passing through Gallery Place or Fort Totten. All riders on the Red Line use Red Line infrastructure only - making it the most closed and reliably predictable path in the system.

Red Line Route: Shady Grove to Glenmont

The Red Line originates at Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland, and runs southeast along the suburban corridor of Montgomery County. It runs through Rockville, White Flint, Bethesda and Friendship Heights and then into Northwest DC of the neighborhoods of Tenleytown, Cleveland Park, Woodley park and Dupont Circle. It then runs through downtown at Farragut North, Metro Center, Gallery Place, and Union Station,, and curves northeast through NoMa, Brookland, and Fort Totten and terminates back in Montgomery County at Glenmont.

The Red Line is also the only line of the Metrorail that starts and stops only,,in  in Maryland with no entry to Virginia.

How Many Stations on the Red Line?

The Red Line has 27 stations total. The full end-to-end journey from Shady Grove to Glenmont takes approximately 47–50 minutes.

Complete List of DC Metro Red Line Stations

Red Line Stations: Shady Grove Branch (Maryland → DC)

1. Shady Grove – Montgomery County terminus; large park-and-ride facility; above ground
2. Rockville – Rockville Town Center; shops, restaurants, government offices
3. Twinbrook – Suburban residential; above ground
4. White Flint – Pike & Rose mixed-use development; above ground
5. Grosvenor–Strathmore – Strathmore Music Center; Marriott hotel; above ground (Closed Jul 6–Sep 6, 2026 for track work)
6. Medical Center – NIH campus, Walter Reed National Medical Center; underground (Closed Jul 6–Sep 6, 2026)
7. Bethesda – Bethesda Row; restaurant row; shopping; underground (Closed Jul 6–Sep 6, 2026)
8. Friendship Heights – Upscale retail (Mazza Gallerie, Chevy Chase Pavilion); underground (Affected by 2026 summer work)
9. Tenleytown–AU – American University; underground
10. Van Ness–UDC – University of the District of Columbia; underground
11. Cleveland Park – Quiet neighborhood; close to the National Zoo; underground
12. Woodley Park–Zoo/Adams Morgan – National Zoo access; Adams Morgan dining; underground
13. Dupont Circle – Vibrant nightlife, embassies, cafes; underground
14. Farragut North – Downtown business district; White House nearby (0.5 miles); underground
15. Metro Center ⬛ Transfer: Red, Blue, Orange, Silver – Busiest transfer hub; underground
16. Gallery Place–Chinatown ⬛ Transfer: Red, Green, Yellow – Capital One Arena; Penn Quarter; underground
17. Judiciary Square – DC Superior Court; FBI; underground
18. Union Station – Amtrak, MARC, VRE rail connections; shopping; underground
19. NoMa–Gallaudet U – NoMa neighborhood; Gallaudet University; elevated
20. Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood – Northeast DC; above ground

Red Line Stations: Glenmont Branch (DC → Maryland)

21. Brookland–CUA – Catholic University of America; Basilica of the National Shrine; underground
22. Fort Totten ⬛ Transfer: Red, Green, Yellow – Northeast DC; underground/above ground
23. Takoma – Historic Takoma Park; above ground
24. Silver Spring – Downtown Silver Spring; Maryland Film Festival venue; above ground
25. Forest Glen – One of the deepest Metro stations; no elevator (escalators only); underground
26. Wheaton – Longest single-span escalators in the Western Hemisphere (230 feet); underground
27. Glenmont – Montgomery County terminus; park-and-ride

⬛ = Transfer station with other lines

Red Line Transfer Stations

The Red Line has three transfer stations, allowing connections to all other five Metrorail lines:

Farragut Crossing is a unique feature on the Red Line: riders can transfer between Farragut North (Red Line) and Farragut West (Blue/Orange/Silver) by exiting one station and walking to the other — a free transfer with a valid SmarTrip card within 2 hours.

DC Metro Red Line Hours and Train Frequency

Red Line Peak Hour Frequency

During weekday peak hours (5:00–9:30 AM and 3:00–7:00 PM), Red Line trains run every 4–6 minutes. This is the most frequent service on the entire Metrorail system, reflecting the Red Line's status as the busiest route.

Red Line Off-Peak and Weekend Frequency

Red Line Travel Times (Key Station Pairs)

Parking at Red Line Stations

Several Red Line stations in Maryland offer park-and-ride facilities:

Most DC-area Red Line stations (Dupont Circle, Farragut North, Metro Center, etc.) do not offer Metro-operated parking. Parking in downtown DC is available commercially but expensive.

Accessibility on the Red Line

Each of the 27 Red Line stations is ADA-compliant and has elevators up to the platform level. But Forest Glen station is an exception of independent accessibility - it has escalators to the extremely deep platform but has traditionally had a poor record of elevator reliability. Before traveling to Forest Glen, riders having mobility requirements should verify the status of elevators.

The Red Line has other accessibility features:

• Strips of warning that are felt on all platform edges.
• Preferential seating in all rail cars.
• Current elevator and escalator up-to-date at wmata.com/service/elevators-escalators.

FAQ: DC Metro Red Line

Q: How many stations does the DC Metro Red Line have? 

A: There are 27 stations on the Red Line of the DC Metro, which runs between Shady Grove in Montgomery County, Maryland to Glenmont, also in Montgomery County.

Q: What is the first and last station on the DC Metro Red Line? 

A: The Red Line passes through Shady Grove (northwest end) and Glenmont (northeast end), both in Maryland.

Q: How long is the DC Metro Red Line? 

A: The Red Line is 31 miles (51 km) long and can be ridden between 47-50 minutes.

Q: Where can I transfer off the Red Line? 

A: Metro Center (Blue/ Orange/Silver lines), Gallery Place-Chinatown (Green/ Yellow lines),    and Fort Totten (Green/ Yellow lines).

Q: Is the Red Line the busiest Metro line? 

A: Yes. The oldest and busiest line of the Metrorail system is the Red Line, which has the largest number of daily riders.