MetroPulse

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

About this app

MetroPulse – The Official Metro Travel App

Navigate mass transit in the Washington region with confidence with MetroPulse, Metro’s official all-in-one trip planning app.

Key Features:

Real-Time Travel Info

See up‑to‑the‑second arrival times for every Metrorail line and Metrobus route. Color‑coded indicators let you check crowding levels and service delays at a glance.

Practical Info On Nearby Stations & Stops

Turn on location access to view the closest stations and stops. Get real-time updates, including elevator/escalator status and first/last train info.

Trip Planner

Enter your destination and get multiple route options that combine rail and bus—along with fare estimates and total travel time.

Live Metrics

Check performance with live route info, service reliability dashboards, and efficiency insights—all at your fingertips.

Service Alerts

Receive notifications for delays, service changes, cancellations, track work, and more—customized to your preferred lines and trips.

Offline Maps

Download Metrorail and key Metrobus route maps for offline use.

Single Sign-In With SmarTrip®

Use your SmarTrip log-in to save your favorite trips, and sync your personalized preferences across your mobile devices.

Online Chat Support

Have a question or an issue? Chat directly with Metro’s customer service from inside the app.

Custom Settings

Manage notifications, set travel preferences, and access customer guides—all from one place.

Why MetroPulse?

MetroPulse takes the guesswork out of riding Metro in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Plan ahead, stay informed, and get where you need to go in less time and with fewer hassles.

Built for Now—and What’s Next

MetroPulse reflects Metro’s long-term vision to enhance the customer experience, increase transparency, and deliver smarter service. Be on the lookout for frequent updates which will include even more personalized features, expanded accessibility tools, and deeper SmarTrip wallet integration.

Download MetroPulse to ride mass transit smarter across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

Ratings and reviews

So the times don't always load accurately when you open the app. You can bookmark favorites, but there's no setting to make them the default thing you see (nor can I find a way to just access my favorites). Also it seems like a bunch of basic functions (e.g. alerts, preferences, etc.) require you to set up a full account. Why?

FLATLINE... difficult to read especially when different routes have very similar identifiers (eg D6X, D5X), alerts are often missing, updates seem to not match timer. I like the idea of more info but this app needs work and the info should be a glance and not a study.

My biggest UI grip so far is the default zoom; I wish it opened to a wider zoom view because I'd like to know if a train is close approaching as i walk to the station. Maybe closer in it's better for bus users, but i think the answer is to have it remember your default zoom. EDIT: bus wait times are hilariously bad. App: "next bus in 19min" [10 minutes pass] App: "oops you missed your bus, next one 32min". either fix it or add an alert for individual buses that tells you it's now early.

What’s new

Updates
- Selected stop info clearing out on stop/location search
- Displaying of next trip prediction of active buses for the other direction
- Stops away for buses that hasn't started the trip yet
- Fixed mobile app ETA time calculation rounding for Rail