Washington's first public transit service is said to have begun in May of the year 1862, when horsecars operated from Bridge & High Streets (today: Wisconsin & M Streets, N.W.) in the town of Georgetown to William Tunnicliff's Tavern (today: US Supreme Court Building) via M Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. This was the route of the Washington and Georgetown Railway Company - the three-mile trip took 45 minutes (not too far off from today sometimes) with a fare of five cents.


Today's public transit services are provided through a coordinated network of sophisticated subway trains, traditional heavy rail commuter trains, and gasoline, diesel and natural gas buses serving a 1,500-square mile area referred to as the transit zone, which stretches beyond the original definition to include Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in Southern Maryland, the District of Columbia, and the cities and counties of Falls Church, Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria in Northern Virginia.


Optimists see implementations of bus rapid transit, light rail, and even maglev in the future of Washington's transit network. Several extensions of the current Metrorail system are at least in the dreaming phase, and local officials are searching for ways to replace some of the transit infrastructure lost during the Consolidation. Exactly what the future holds for Washington is unclear, but if current trends hold true, we've got some planning to do.

The DC Area Transit Zone is the only comprehensive website that examines the region's transit network from the perspective of those who use it on a daily basis but who also seek enjoyment from the process: the transit fans of the DC area.

Join us as we celebrate the past, present, and future of transit in the Nation's Capital.