Washington DC has a great Metro system. The official name is the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Their website is www.wmata.com. It’s composed of the Metrorail and the Metrobus systems. Locals usually refer to the trains as “the Metro” and the bus system is just referred to as “buses” or by their specific route, like “the H2” or “the G8.”
Catholic University’s Law School is located just about 150 yards from the Brookland Metro Station, which is on the Red line. Several bus lines also make stops at the Brookland station and around the campus.
It may seem like common sense, but trains and buses all go two directions. Some trains have separate platforms, depending on which way you are going, but others use the same platform. Bus stops on streets usually have stops for the opposite directions on different sides of the street. Both trains and buses are distinguished by the end point.
When in the Metro system, never be afraid to ask a Metro employee questions. And when you anticipate traveling late at night, check the “last train times” at the entrance booth when you get on the Metro. Unlike other cities, the Metro does close at night.
Two helpful areas on Metro’s website are the Trip Planner and the “Find service near location” features. Trip Planner works like a mapquest for the Metro. The “Find service near location” tool is located under “Maps and Stations” link on the left hand side of the home page. It will allow you to enter a location only and find nearby services.
If you have any other questions regarding navigating the Metro system, send me an email. Again, my email is 83strait@cua.edu.
