D.C. Metro rail line extended to Dulles airport

David Hurst, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·1 min read

Nov. 17—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Travelers flying from the Johnstown area to Dulles International Airport and stopping in the capital city can now take a single Washington Metro train ride from the Virginia airport to the heart of Washington, D.C.

In a billion-dollar move decades in the making, the Metro's Silver Line was extended to Loudoun County and the Dulles airport — which has daily flights to and from John Murtha Johnstown- Cambria County Airport through a United Airlines partner, SkyWest Airlines.

For years, the Metro system ended in Reston, Virginia, but the rapid transit system now travels 11 miles further west, officials said at a press conference this week.

Stops in Ashburn, Herndon and Innovation Center in Virginia are also among the stations that debuted this week.

"As we continue to bring visitors back to Washington, D.C., this extension of the Silver Line is a game-changer for our city and region — one that opens up new possibilities for travel and business," D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a media release.

"Dulles was already known for the many direct flights it offers to and from destinations across the country and around the world, and now we finally have a direct and convenient connection from Dulles to downtown D.C."

Officials celebrated the moment at a ribbon-cutting that was livestreamed Tuesday on social media and later shared on the Johnstown airport's Facebook page.

Traffic into the nation's capital is well-known for being slow-moving, making the Metro rail system a popular alternative.

The move "should make it very convenient for passengers," Johnstown Airport Manager Cory Cree said.