VRE - Virginia Railway Express

Commuter Trains From Virginia to Washington DC

By
Rachel Cooper
Rachel Cooper
Rachel Cooper
Rachel Cooper is a travel writer who has lived in the Washington, D.C., area for more than 25 years. She is also the author of several books covering the capital and mid-Atlantic regions.
TripSavvy's editorial guidelines
Updated on 04/30/19
Lorton VRE Station
Lorton VRE Station.

Becky Dutiel

VRE, the Virginia Railway Express, provides commuter train service from the Northern Virginia suburbs to downtown Washington, DC. VRE connects to Union Station in Washington, DC via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow, Virginia. The rail service is concentrated during peak commuting hours and operates Monday through Friday only. Weekend service is not available.
Rail Time Interactive Map
VRE General Schedule

VRE Fares

  • Single Ride – Tickets are priced by fare zones.
  • Day Pass - Good for round-trip travel between the fares zones indicated on the ticket.
  • Ten-Ride Ticket - 8% Savings. Good for ten one-way trips between the fare zones indicated on the ticket.
  • Five Day Pass - 20% Savings. Good for unlimited travel for five consecutive VRE service days from activation within the zones indicated.
  • Monthly Ticket - 34% Savings. Good for unlimited travel between fare zones indicated on the ticket during a calendar month.
  • VRE-TLC (Transit Link Card) - 34% savings off single ride fare plus Metro Ride Monthly Cost. Joint-use fare card allows unlimited travel on VRE and Metrorail for one calendar month. Not available from ticket vending machines.
  • Amtrak Step-Up Ticket - Must be used in conjunction with multi-ride VRE tickets for one-way travel on Amtrak. They are available for at the platforms.
  • Discounted Tickets - 50% savings available for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and youths (ages 21 and under).
  • Children – Ages 6 and younger ride free when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.

Parking at VRE Stations

VRE offers free parking at some of the stations. Parking is not available at Alexandria, Crystal City, or L’Enfant. Union Station has a large parking garage available for a fee. A Metro parking facility is available at Franconia/Springfield. (SmarTrip card is required). Parking at Manassas requires a permit. Fredericksburg station has 644 free parking spaces within a few blocks of the station.

VRE Connections

VRE connects to other transportation systems to provide commuting options to many locations around the region. VRE has cross honor agreements with Amtrak and MARC that offer free or reduced fares for commuters. Many bus connections are free with a valid VRE ticket. Free transfers are provided to all regular Metrobus routes (excluding express routes but including REX.) VRE also connects with Metrorail at Franconia-Springfield, Alexandria (King Street), Crystal City, L'Enfant, and Union Station. The Metrorail fare is not included in your VRE fare unless you hold a Transit Link Card.
Read more about VRE connections.

Guaranteed Ride Home Program

VRE participates in Commuter Connections "Guaranteed Ride Home" (GRH), a special service that can get you home in case of emergency. This program is free and available to all VRE passengers.
VRE is a transportation partnership of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC).

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