It’s a big week for SmarTrip cards, leading up to the even bigger week beginning Jan. 4, 2009, when the electronic farecards will be required in order to take advantage of bus-to-bus, rail-to-bus or the new bus-to-rail transfer options within the WMATA transit system.

• Starting today, you can purchase a commemorative Barack Obama inauguration SmarTrip card. The special cards, which cost $10 and come with no value preloaded onto them (or pay $20 upfront and get $10 in value on the card) can be purchased online or at Metro sales offices. The commemorative cards featuring Obama’s face are not to be confused with the special $10 one-day Inauguration paper farecards, which also feature Obama’s face. Those paper cards offer unlimited rides on Metro all day on Jan. 20, and are also available online or at Metro sales offices. The commemorative SmarTrip cards work just like regular SmarTrips, and do not offer any special fare discount or unlimited rides.
• Starting tomorrow, regular SmarTrip cards will be available for purchase at most CVS stores in the immediate D.C. area. Metro has reached an agreement with 190 CVS stores in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia to sell SmarTrip for $10 each, with $5 already loaded on the card. More details available here. Only regular SmarTrip cards, and not commemorative cards, will be sold at the CVS stores. Want to check to see if your closest CVS will carry the cards? Follow this link for a searchable list, and keep an eye out for a decal that says “SmarTrip sold here” that should be posted on the door of each participating store.

Photo by Mr. T in DC