Metro’s Board of Directors approved its 2026 budget of $4.96 billion on Thursday, which hopes to improve and extend service without raising fees again.

The transit agency’s four main goals in its budget are to up security and provide reliable service, recruit and retain employees, engage the community and offer financial and environmental sustainability.

Starting Sunday, June 22, Metrorail will open at 6 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and close at 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Additional trains will also be introduced on the Silver and Red Lines during peak rush hour on weekdays, and will be scheduled to run at least every 4 minutes.

Metro’s 2026 operating budget of $2.5 billion also supports the launch of the agency’s “Better Bus Network Redesign,” which will add 11 new bus routes and expand full-day service to key destinations around the region.

The new network will go into effect June 29, essentially redesigning every bus route around the region to include streamlining, more frequent service or an entirely new route name.

A year ago, Metro was facing a $750 million deficit and was looking at having to make drastic cuts. D.C., Maryland and Virginia all pitched in additional funding to avoid that scenario, but Metro’s long-term financial outlook still isn’t in the clear.

Meanwhile, Metro has taken a number of safety-related measures over the last few years, including putting uniformed officers on trains, barring violent offenders and cracking down on fare evasion .

Metro’s 2026 capital budget of $2.4 billion will allow the transit system to address repair needs and modernize service.

In the past four months of 2025, ridership on both Metro’s buses and trains has grown.

“We’ve now accomplished 48 months of ridership growth with continued increases to service and continuous improvements for customers,” Metro General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said.

There are no fare increases in the budget and MetroAccess service will remain the same.

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