Beginning July 21, WMATA will be performing scheduled maintenance work along the Red Line, resulting in the closure of both the Brookland-CUA Metro Station and Rhode Island Ave Metro Station until September 3. There will be no Red Line service between Fort Totten and NOMA Metro stations during this time. To assist you with these commute disruptions, goDCgo has compiled 3 great alternative routes to help you navigate your commute. Try out one of the options below and tag us with #CommuteSmarterNotHarder during the shutdown for a chance to win a free month of Capital Bikeshare! Bike the Metropolitan Branch Trail to Save Time and Money 20-minute commute from Fort Totten to NOMA, $2 per ride with Capital Bikeshare. Take the Metropolitan Branch Trail for an off-street trail (completely separated from car traffic for most of the way) stretching from Fort Totten to Union Station (see picture, right) where you can easily transfer to the Red Line. There is a Capital Bikeshare station at all four affected Metro stops, download the CaBi App to quickly purchase a $2 trip and be on your way in no time! A Capital Bikeshare corral with unlimited parking will be available at 3rd St. NE and M St. NE from 8am-1pm, on Monday - Friday from 7/23 – 8/31, so you can easily drop off your bike. Dockless bikeshare or a scooter are other great alternatives for commuting. Express Buses and Shuttles Commute times will vary depending on traffic but the shuttles are free. Free Shuttles will replace service between Fort Totten, Brookland, Rhode Island Ave, and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations. There will be additional express shuttles from Brookland and Rhode Island Ave to Metro Center, Gallery Place, and Union Station neighborhoods. The MetroExtra G9 usually operates only during rush hour, but during the shutdown will run at all times Metrorail is open. This route connects to Shaw-Howard & McPherson Square Metro stations. It will operate in a temporary dedicated bus lane on Rhode Island Avenue NE to allow buses to avoid congestion. P6 originates at the Rhode Island Avenue Metro Station, with connections to numerous downtown Metrorail stations. 80 stops at numerous Metrorail stations, including Brookland. Check out the map below for additional bus route options and this map for the free express shuttles. Alternative Rail Options MARC train, 30-minute commute and $5 one-way. Green and Yellow lines will be operating additional trains to accommodate riders that transfer between Fort Totten and Gallery Place to avoid the closed stations. The MARC Brunswick Line has a stop in Rockville Silver Spring before reaching Union Station where a connection can be made to Red Line. The MARC Brunswick Line operates on weekdays only. If you have additional questions, please tweet us @godcgo or email info@godcgo.com. WMATA has additional info here....

With Valentine’s Day just a few days away, goDCgo put together a list of DC’s most romantic destinations for you and your Valentine to visit. Not to mention, you can save a few bucks and gas and visit all these places via the Metro....

Beginning January 8, 2018, WMATA’s Metro's fare system will no longer allow customers to carry a negative balance on a SmarTrip card for Metrobus and Metrorail....

Established in 1967, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), or what we informally call the "Metro," was created to plan, develop, build, finance, and operate a balanced regional transportation system in the DC metro area. Metro began building its rail system in 1969, acquired four regional bus systems in 1973, and began operating the first phase of Metrorail in 1976. Today, Metrorail serves 91 stations and has 117 miles of track. Metrobus serves the nation's capital 24 hours a day, seven days a week with 1,500 buses. Metrorail and Metrobus serve a population of approximately 4 million within a 1,500-square mile jurisdiction. And now, it's time for some change. In early 2017, Metro's Board of Directors approved four major changes to the Metro system: a fare increase updated schedule altered hours of operation the renaming of two popular stations...

Metrorail commuters can now purchase an unlimited monthly pass at a wide variety of price points through SelectPass. Riders whose one-way Metro fares typically cost between $2.25 and $4.00 can sign up for a SelectPass and receive unlimited rides for the price of 18 rides at their usual price point. Commuters may save up to 20% on their regular commute costs while getting additional trips for free. What does this mean for commuters and employers enrolled in Metro’s SmartBenefits® program? It takes just a few steps for commuters to use their benefits for a SelectPass. Traditionally, employers allocate most SmartBenefits funds to the "Transit" benefit category, which covers all standard Metro and bus fares. If an employee wishes to join the SelectPass program, the company's account administrator will change the employee's benefit type from “Transit” to “Transit Pass”....

Do you have employees enrolled in the SmartBenefits® program who would like to use their commuter benefits to ride the MARC or VRE train? Taking the MARC or VRE train is especially efficient for commuters traveling to/from Maryland and Virginia. Spanning 187 miles, the MARC Train Service (MARC) is an integral component of Maryland's transportation system. This commuter rail operates Monday to Friday serving three lines between Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD; Washington, DC and Perryville, MD; and Washington, DC and Martinsburg, WV. The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) connects Northern Virginia and Washington, DC with commuter rail service on two lines -- one from Fredericksburg and one from Manassas. Stations are located at Crystal City, L'Enfant Plaza, and Union Station....

Washington, DC’s Summer Restaurant Week is in full swing from August 17 to 23. Now through Sunday, participating restaurants are offering three-course prix-fixe lunches for just $22 and dinners for $35. Don't miss out on this delectable deal! Thrillist DC has compiled a list of “The 16 Most Important Restaurants in DC” based on the restaurants’ impact on the local dining scene. Fortunately for us, seven of those 16 restaurants are participating in Restaurant Week this year....