This New Year’s, transportation agencies and companies want you to stay home. Metro won’t be running late-night hours for the holiday as it often has in the past, and Uber and Lyft are nixing their typical New Year’s promotions.
Today Metrorail will operate from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. on a regular weekday schedule, and Metrobus will operate on its regular schedule. In past years, the system stayed open until 2 a.m. or later for New Year’s Eve.
“This New Year’s Eve is unlike any other in recent history due to Covid-19. Federal, state and local health officials are encouraging everyone to stay home and to avoid gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus,” Metro spokesperson Sherri Ly said in an email, also pointing to drastically reduced ridership during the pandemic. “For the health and safety of our employees and customers, Metrorail will operate our normal hours on New Year’s Eve.”
The earlier transportation schedule is one of many signals that this New Year’s will be different from the typical celebration. A recent regional surge in COVID-19 cases has seen many jurisdictions scaling back their reopening plans and encouraging locals to stay home. And the usual midnight parties and concerts are off the table: In the District, restaurants, libraries, and museums are under a three-week closure order that lasts through Jan. 15. Various counties in Maryland have also restricted indoor dining, and Virginia is under a 10 p.m. restaurant curfew.
On New Year’s Day, Metrorail will operate from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. on a Sunday schedule, and Metrobus will also operate on a Sunday schedule.
The D.C. Streetcar is running during its normal hours from 6 a.m. until midnight on New Year’s Eve, and from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday, New Year’s Day.
On Dec. 31 and Jan 1., the D.C. Circulator will run during typical weekday hours on all of its routes except the National Mall route, which is suspended until Jan. 15.
This story has been updated with comment from WMATA.
Julie Strupp