West Falls Church, 5 Silver Line Metro Stations Reopen

UPDATE: East Falls Church Station To Reopen Before Vienna, Dunn Loring

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Metro's West Falls Church station on the Orange Line and six Silver Line stations reopened on Sunday due to progress on construction projects. The transit authority also added more Metrorail service and expanded weekday hours on Monday.

The West Falls Church, McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill, and Wiehle-Reston East stations are now open for rail service. The East Falls Church, Dunn Loring, and Vienna stations remain closed for rail service. East Falls Church will reopen on Aug. 23, and the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will reopen on Sept. 8. Free shuttle bus service connects the Vienna and Dunn Loring stations to West Falls Church, and the East Falls Church shuttle bus service connects to the Ballston-MU station.

The Orange Line stations have been closed for a summer platform rehabilitation project, similar to one that closed six Yellow and Blue Line stations in the Alexandria area last summer. Citing low ridership during the pandemic, Metro added the five Silver Line stations to the closures for connecting to the future phase two Silver Line stations.

Metro previously announced the West Falls Church and five Silver Line stations would open earlier due to progress on the platform rehabilitation project and airport authority contractor's work on the connection to the phase two Silver Line stations.

The transit authority had faced backlash for the sudden decision to add the Silver Line stations to the summer closures. In a Washington Post op-ed, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay, Providence Supervisor Dalia Palchik and Tysons Partnership's Sol Glasner highlighted the negative impact of the station closures on Tysons-based employees and companies.

As of Monday, Aug. 17, weekday Metrorail hours are expanded to 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday hours are 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Red Line trains are scheduled to run every five minutes during peak hours and every 12 minutes during off-peak hours. Other lines are scheduled to run every eight minutes during peak hours and every 15 minutes during off-peak hours. Face coverings are required in stations and trains.

Metro also began platform reconstruction at the Reagan National Airport Station on Aug. 7. The station will remain open with work expected to continue through Dec. 25. The Arlington Cemetery station will reopen on Aug. 23.