Metro and Circulator bus

Looked at the transit website and am I correct with following :

Basic fare cost in main Washington area is $1.35?

You can transfer to circulator bus for .35? How do you prove you were on the metro, save your ticket.

Circulator bus transfers between are free and a transfer lasts for 2 hours?

Do you have to ask for transfers from driver or do machines dispense them?

So say my wife and I expect to ride the Metro 4 times each during the day, I calculate that it is better to just pay the fare than buy a daypass as it is $1.10 cheaper. The pass might be more convenient??

Can I buy a card that can be used over 2 days with the use deducted as I ride?

Any other helpfull suggestions re the Metro would be appreciated.

Metro and Circulator bus

You can buy a SmartCard at most Metro station that stores value - the microchip knows when you%26#39;ve ridden Metrorail and automatically credits you for the $1.00 discount when transferring to a bus (otherwise you%26#39;ll have to obtain a paper transfer coupon when you enter the Metrorail station). It also knows when you%26#39;re transferring from bus to bus for the free transfer (otherwise, you%26#39;ll need to ask the driver for a paper transfer when you board the first bus). Put $10 on each of your SmartTrip cards and let the computer do the calculating. That%26#39;s the simplest way of getting around the city.

Or you can try to do it on the cheap and deal with paper tickets, paper transfers, and remembering where you put the darned things!!!

Also, the daypass isn%26#39;t valid until after 9:30 am, so if you were planning to do any morning travelling, you%26#39;d have to pay the full rush hour fare, thereby eliminating any savings.

Metro and Circulator bus

Agree that buying a Smart Trip card is the best thing. However, the card itself cost $5.00 to purchase (you will need 2 cards) and once you have it you have it. Depending on where you are going you may not need to catch a Metro Bus. But just in case the Smart Trip card is most convenient. You can purchase them at Metro Center depot or at any metro station. There is a box that looks similar to an ATM machine. They take Debit cards, Credit Cards, etc. And cash. I think it only takes $20.00 bills and just your luck there is usually an ATM machine right next to the machine [How Convenient :-)]

Depending on how many days you are planning on being here. You and your wife should probably put as the other post stated at least $10.00-$15.00 on each card.

Getting around on Metro is very easy. It is color coded. The mall area with the museums and monuments is all on the Blue/Orange/Yellow lines (Smithsonian and L%26#39;enfant Plaza metro stations. On metro%26#39;s website www.wmata.com, you can plan your whole trip with the trip planner. Type in your starting point and your destination and it will give you step by step directions on what to do. And give you 2-3 options if possible.

Is the smart card the only way to get multiple rides other than a day pass? No sense in paying 5.00 card fee for 2 people to use for 2 days.

No, you can get the day/weekly pass for metro and the bus. It would actually be $5.00 per card (so $10.00 for the smart trip cards). It%26#39;s convenient for me because I park at a metro station and I have to use it to get out of the station. Some tourist find it convenient only when staying long periods of time (over 5-6 days)

Also, when transferring from metro to the bus once you stick your card through the reader there will be a box that says ';BUS TRANSFER'; you will get a white slip that you would give to the driver and then place your fare in the box. If you get one of those and transfer to a bus it will only cost you $.25 or .$35, can%26#39;t remember, I use my Smart Trip card all of the time and I don%26#39;t even look to see what I am being charged.

How often did you plan to ride the bus? If you would only ride the bus once the whole time, don%26#39;t bother buying the daily/weekly pass for the bus. I can%26#39;t see why you would need to do that anyway. Almost everything in DC is metro accessible except for a few places like the Cathedral and maybe the Georgetown area and some parts of Adams Morgan. But depending on where you are staying you could walk to some of these places once you get to the nearest metro station.