Free Shuttle Bus and Travel Alternatives for Summer Red Line Closures

Starting June 1 through Aug. 31, five Red Line stations will close for Purple Line construction and maintenance, with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation providing alternate routes for passengers. 

The temporary closure includes the Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glenn, Silver Spring and Takoma stations.

The main alternatives for the closures are a free shuttle bus service, metro bus routes and pop-up dedicated bus lanes. 

Seven miles of pop-up dedicated bus lanes will reduce traffic and travel times for the shuttle bus service. The lanes include segments along Georgia Ave., Veirs Mill Road, Colesville Road and East-West Highway. 

The Takoma station reopens on June 29 before the other four stations. 

Here are some alternate travel routes:

Free shuttle service lines: 

• Local: Local service approximately every 4-8 minutes between Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Takoma, and Fort Totten
  • Estimated travel time: 61 minutes
• Limited 1: Limited-stop service approximately every 4-8 minutes between Glenmont, Wheaton, and Fort Totten
  • Estimated travel time: 37 minutes.
• Limited 2: Limited-stop service approximately every 4-8 minutes between Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Fort Totten
  • Estimated travel time: 25 minutes.
• Express (weekdays only): Express service approximately every 4-8 minutes between Silver Spring and Metro Center
  • Estimated travel time: 39 minutes.

Metro Bus alternatives:

Glenmont

• Metrobus Y2, Y7, Y8 between Medstar Montgomery Medical Center and Silver Spring Station
  • Weekday service from 4:30 a.m. to 1:40 a.m.

Wheaton

• Metrobus Q2, Q4 between Rockville/Shady Grove and Silver Spring stations
  • Weekday service from 4:30 a.m. to 1:40 a.m.
• Metrobus Y2, Y7, Y8 between Medstar Montgomery Medical Center and Silver Spring Station
  • Weekday service from 4:30 a.m. to 1:40 a.m.

Forest Glen

• Metrobus Q2, Q4 between Shady Grove and Silver Spring stations
  • Weekday service from 4:30 a.m. to 1:40 a.m.
  • Stops on Georgia Ave at Forest Glen Rd
• Metrobus Y2, Y7, Y8 between Medstar Montgomery Medical Center and Silver Spring Station
  • Weekday service from 4:30 a.m. to 1:40 a.m.
  • Stops on Georgia Ave at Forest Glen Rd

Silver Spring

• Ride On 18 between Silver Spring Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center
  • Saturday service between Silver Spring Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center. 
  • Sunday service between Takoma Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center.

Takoma

• Ride On 18 between Silver Spring Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center
  • Saturday service between Silver Spring Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center. 
  • Sunday service between Takoma Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center. 

“I think it’s really important because there are thousands of people who ride that train, and if there is no train to ride, they will be back in cars,” said County Executive Marc Elrich during a press conference on Tuesday. “We all know the experience on Georgia Ave., the thought of all those folks, having to add to the cars on Georgia Ave. would have been a serious problem.” 

For more information on travel alternatives, click here.