Monday marked the first weekday commute during a planned six-week shutdown of the WMATA stations south of National Airport. The Blue and Yellow line stations are closed so Metro can integrate the new Potomac Yard station in Alexandria.

Free shuttle buses replaced the trains and things seemed to move smoothly for commuters, albeit slower than if riders were able to take to the rails.

Genara Gonzalez of Alexandria knew the shutdown was coming, but she still wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Well, for me, it has been a really bad day,” she said waiting for a shuttle. She usually takes the Yellow Line but now with the shuttles, it’ll take her longer to get between work and home. “The Yellow Line is just shorter… and I don’t really know exactly how much traffic we’ll hit.”

But overall, it seemed like the shuttle operation, which runs every six to 12 minutes, went a lot more smoothly compared to a similar shutdown in the area in 2019 when shuttle buses bound for the Pentagon ended up on the wrong side of the Potomac River. The shutdown affects about 9,000 trips in the area, compared to about 17,000 back then. The number of people still working from home has lowered rush hour demand on the Metro system.

New WMATA General Manager Randy Clarke said shuttle operators are well-trained and helpers around the station were prepared with signage and helpful directions. He and Metro board chair Paul Smedberg were at the King St.-Old Town and Crystal City stations Monday.

“I’ve been very impressed by the planning and the team we’ve put together,” Clarke said. “Most of the customers I’ve talked to have all said ‘this is much better than what happened in 2019.’ So that’s good. It shows Metro is a learning organization.”

Clarke said Mondays are usually quieter, so he expects more riders Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Smedberg is one of those riders. He lives closest to King St. station.

“I’m going to have someone drop me off at Crystal City… just come up Route One or the Parkway and get to Crystal City easily,” he said. “Or I’ll take the DASH bus to get to the shuttles.”

Some Metro riders have found even better commutes because of the shutdown.

Kenny Gartner of Lorton used to drive to Metro, park, and take the train into D.C. But a few weeks ago, he gave VRE commuter rail a shot – it’s free during the shutdown. Now he takes the VRE train from Franconia-Springfield to downtown D.C. and changes to Metro there.

“It’s going to be more convenient for me in the long run,” he said. “Honestly, I think I’ll stick with this. Less driving, the parking’s free, and the fares are comparable. It will actually be cheaper since it means less mileage on my car.”

He did have one bad experience his first time riding VRE: “a lengthy delay and I was hungry… Now I know you can eat on VRE, so I started packing extra snacks, just in case.”

Journalist Michelle Goldchain, who wrote the book “D.C. By Metro” also found solace and a new experience on VRE. “The railcar is clean. There are plenty of seats available. And there are toilets available onboard? Honestly, traveling by VRE seems like a better option than the Metro,” she wrote on Twitter.

My first day riding the VRE as an ALX, VA-to-D.C. commuter! Now that everything south of National Airport is closed on the Metro, I and many others have to adapt. Thankfully, the VRE is going fare-free during the shutdown. #silverlinings pic.twitter.com/iECYzF5asU

— Michelle Goldchain (@goldchainam) September 12, 2022

Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson found refuge in a former bus route that was discontinued.

During the last @wmata shutdown, the Metro Bus 11Y was consistently packed as it got Alexandrians directly into DC. Unfortunately this route did not survive the pandemic.

On the first commuting day of this latest shutdown, I’m riding Shuttle Route 3, the return of the 11Y! pic.twitter.com/x4Q1bAZ75H

— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) September 12, 2022

We have worked closely with @wmata and our regional partners to ensure all Alexandrians can continue to get around during this important infrastructure work.

Check out all of the options available:https://t.co/RDzRhbvb7m

— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) September 12, 2022

And others in the region benefited from service changes to the Blue Line which now also parallels the Orange Line all the way to New Carrollton, and the Green Line, which had service double to every eight minutes.

“I was very surprised to ride a Blue Line train from Cheverly this morning,” Jamison Moore wrote of his commute on Twitter. “My wife is also suddenly able to take a no-transfer trip to and from National. It’s unsettlingly convenient!”

Even after these six stations reopen for the Blue Line on Oct. 23, woes will continue for people who depend on the Yellow Line. Metro is doing rehabilitation work on the tunnels and bridge across the Potomac. Yellow Line train service won’t return until May.

“There isn’t a perfect time to ever do a shutdown, right?” Metro GM Clarke asked. “But part of this is creating a system that’s going to be good for people’s kids and grandkids for decades to come. I think most of our customers are very understanding and realize we’re all about safety, reliability, and building a great system for the community.”