Metroway

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title: "Metroway" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["metroway", "2014-establishments-in-virginia", "bus-rapid-transit-in-virginia", "transport-infrastructure-completed-in-2014", "metrobus-(washington,-d.c.)-routes"] description: "Bus rapid transit line in Virginia" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metroway" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Bus rapid transit line in Virginia ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox bus line"]

Field	Value
logo	Metroway logo.svg
logo_alt	Metroway logo
image	WMATA Metroway New Flyer XN40.jpg
caption	A New Flyer XN40 bus at 27th & Crystal station.
routetype	Bus rapid transit
system	Metrobus
number	A1X
locale	City of Alexandria, Arlington County
start	Pentagon City station
end	Braddock Road station
stations	17
routes	1
ridership	378,616 (FY 2024)
dailyridership	1,340 (April 2024)
open
predecessors	Metrobus 9S
operator	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
garage	Four Mile Run
vehicle	New Flyer Xcelsior XN40
livery	Metroway
length	6.8 mi
map	{{switcher
{{maplink-road	from
{{Metroway Potomac Yard Line	inline
map_state	expanded
level	Daily
frequency	12-20 minutes
alt_frequency	20 minutes
timetable_link
map_link
time	25 minutes
day	5:30 AM – 10:00 PM (weekdays)
6:30 AM - 10:30 PM (Saturdays)
7:30 AM - 10:00 PM (Sundays)
::

| box_width = | logo = Metroway logo.svg | logo_width = | logo_alt = Metroway logo | image = WMATA Metroway New Flyer XN40.jpg | image_width = | image_alt = | caption = A New Flyer XN40 bus at 27th & Crystal station. | routetype = Bus rapid transit | system = Metrobus | number = A1X | locale = City of Alexandria, Arlington County | start = Pentagon City station | end = Braddock Road station | stations = 17 | routes = 1 | ridership = 378,616 (FY 2024) | dailyridership = 1,340 (April 2024) | open = | close = | predecessors = Metrobus 9S | operator = Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority | garage = Four Mile Run | vehicle = New Flyer Xcelsior XN40 | livery = Metroway | depot = | stock = | length = 6.8 mi | map = {{switcher | Metroway highlighted in blue |Show interactive map | |Show BSicon diagram map | map_state = expanded | level = Daily | frequency = 12-20 minutes | alt_frequency = 20 minutes | transfers = | timetable_link = | map_link = | time = 25 minutes | day = 5:30 AM – 10:00 PM (weekdays) 6:30 AM - 10:30 PM (Saturdays) 7:30 AM - 10:00 PM (Sundays)

The Pentagon City–Potomac Yard Line, designated Route A1X, (previously known as Metroway until 2025) is a bus rapid transit (BRT) line operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) as part of their Metrobus system. It operates in Arlington and Alexandria, Virginia. It opened on August 24, 2014, and was the first bus rapid transit line to open in Virginia and in the Washington metropolitan area. On June 29, 2025, Metroway was renamed as route A1X during WMATA's Better Bus Redesign.

Route

The service runs from its northern end at the Pentagon City south through Crystal City and Potomac Yard before ending at the Braddock Road Metrorail station. The service runs along a bus-only roadway along Richmond Highway (U.S. Route 1) in Alexandria between Potomac and East Glebe stations, as well as a busway in Arlington. The remainder of the service runs on mixed-traffic roadways.

Service

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/WMATA_Metroway_scheme.jpg" caption="NABI 42 BRT]] diesel-electric hybrid buses that were originally in the Metroway scheme until December 18, 2016."] ::

Metroway operates seven days a week with longer hours and more frequent service during weekdays. All runs take place on board the New Flyer Xcelsior XN40 CNG buses with Metroway livery, which replaced the original NABI 42 BRT Hybrid buses on December 18, 2016.

Connections

As a WMATA Metrobus service, Metroway is integrated within the regional transit network, and is subject to the same fares and transfer rules as any other local Metrobus service. The , , , and stations offer service for the Metrorail Yellow and Blue lines. As it parallels the Yellow and Blue lines between Pentagon City and Braddock Road, it can be used as an alternative to Metrorail during service outages on Metrorail.

The Crystal City VRE station is a short distance (0.1 mile; 160 meters) away from the 18th & Crystal station.

Metroway provides connections to the Mount Vernon Trail at the 18th & Crystal station, and the Four Mile Run Trail at the South Glebe station. Capital Bikeshare stations exist at or near several Metroway stations.

Expansions

Metroway has been expanded since its opening in 2014, both in number of stations and length of route. Two new stations opened in Arlington, both in April 2016. Fayette station in Alexandria opened in 2017.

On April 17, 2016, the 33rd & Crystal and Pentagon City stations opened, bringing the total number of operating stations to 15. At the same time, a dedicated transit lane and a peak period transit lane opened in Arlington. While the Fayette and 33rd & Crystal stations are infill stations along the existing route, the addition of the Pentagon City station extended the route north, which changed the northern terminus from Crystal City to Pentagon City. The 33rd & Crystal stop offers two-way service, while Pentagon City, the new northern terminus, is southbound-only.

The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board wants to extend the dedicated transitway in Crystal City North to the Pentagon City Metro station.

Beginning May 25, 2019, as a result of the Blue and Yellow Lines being shut down south of National Airport for the summer, new stops were added on Potomac Avenue at East Glebe Road near the Kaiser Permanente and the National Institute for the Blind (NIB) Headquarters.

As part of the Amazon HQ2 project, plans were made in 2019 to extend the dedicated transitway to the section between Crystal City and Pentagon City, and add new stops at 12th & Clark Street, 12th & Elm Street, 12th & Hayes Street, and Army-Navy Drive. Construction began in April 2022, with completion expected in April 2023.

Changes

As part of WMATA's Better Bus Redesign beginning on June 29, 2025, the Metroway was renamed into the A1X, discontinuing the Metroway branding. The route remained the same from the former Metroway counterpart.

Stations

There are 17 stations on the route. Twelve of the stations offer two-way service; three of the stations—18th & Crystal, 23rd & Crystal, and Fayette—are northbound-only; and two other stations—26th & Clark and 23rd & Clark—are southbound-only.

The Metroway stations vary depending on location and jurisdiction, though all stations consist of side platforms and sidewalk-level bus stops. ::data[format=table] | Station | Direction | Station type | Connections | Arlington County, Virginia | Pentagon City Station Bus Bay C | Crystal City Station Bus Bay C (North) Bus Bay D (South) | [[File:18th & Crystal Metroway 2016b.jpg|150x150px]] | 18th & Crystal | [[File:23rd & Crystal Metroway 2016b.jpg|150x150px]] | 23rd & Crystal | [[File:23rd & Clark Metroway 2016.jpg|150x150px]] | 23rd & Clark | [[File:26th & Clark Metroway 2016.jpg|150x150px]] | 26th & Clark | [[File:27th & Crystal Metroway 2016.jpg|150x150px]] | 27th & Crystal | [[File:33rd & Crystal Metroway 2016.jpg|150x150px]] | 33rd & Crystal | [[File:South Glebe Metroway 2016.jpg|150x150px]] | South Glebe | Four Mile Run | Alexandria, Virginia | [[File:Reed Metroway 2019.jpg|150x150px]] | Reed | [[File:Potomac Yard Station North Pavilion Entrance 05.jpg|150x150px]] | Potomac Yard Station | [[File:East Glebe and Potomac Metroway 2019.jpg|150x150px]] | East Glebe & Potomac | [[File:East Glebe Metroway northbound 2019.jpg|150x150px]] | East Glebe | [[File:Swann Metroway 2016b.jpg|150x150px]] | Swann | [[File:Custis Metroway 2016.jpg|150x150px]] | Custis | [[File:Potomac Metroway 2016.jpg|150x150px]] | Potomac | [[File:Fayette Metroway 2018.jpg|150x150px]] | Fayette | Braddock Road Station Bus Bay B | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Southbound station, Northbound terminal | Curbside | Washington Metro:
Arlington Transit: 42, 74, 84, 87 Fairfax Connector: 598 Metrobus: A11, A27, A40, A66 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bidirectional | Washington Metro:
Virginia Railway Express (at Crystal City VRE) Arlington Transit: 43 Fairfax Connector: 598 Metrobus: A11, A40 PRTC OmniRide: 972 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Northbound | Virginia Railway Express Metrobus: A40 Arlington Transit: 43 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PRTC OmniRide: 282, 482, 682, 882 Fairfax Connector: 598 | Southbound | Curbside | PRTC OmniRide | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Southbound | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bidirectional | Transitway | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Bidirectional | Curbside | DASH: 33, 34, 36A, 36B | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Washington Metro:
DASH: 33, 34, 36A, 36B Metrobus: A70 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DASH: 33, 34, 36A, 36B Metrobus: A70 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Transitway | DASH: 34 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Curbside | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Northbound station, Southbound terminal | Busway | Washington Metro:
DASH: 30, 31, 103, 104 Metrobus: A11, A12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

References

References

1. "Metrobus FY2024 Annual Line Performance Report".
2. "Crystal City-Potomac Yard Transitway Project". City of Alexandria.
3. (August 23, 2014). "Metroway, the region's first bus rapid transit, to debut in Northern Virginia". [[The Washington Post]].
4. Siddiqui, Faiz. (March 4, 2017). "For Metro riders in Virginia, one last dance with SafeTrack — if all goes to plan". Washington Post.
5. Smith, Max. (April 17, 2016). "New bus-only lanes open along Jefferson Davis Highway". [[WTOP-FM.
6. "Crystal City Potomac Yard Transitway - Projects & Planning". Arlington County Government.
7. (October 18, 2016). "Trains, buses, new lanes for cars and bikes—highlights from the 2016 CLRP Amendment". National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board.
8. "Metrobus Service Changes Beginning Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, June 23, 2019".
9. Chaffin, Gordon. (2018-12-12). "Bus Rapid Transit Expanding in NOVA Thanks to Amazon".
10. Blitz, Matt. (April 6, 2022). "Construction starting on the Transitway extension to Pentagon City". ARLNow.
11. "Metro Board of Directors approves Better Bus Network Redesign, new bus routes to start next summer".
12. "Route {{!}} Metroway". MetrowayVA.com.

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