Metro Trains Arrive at Dulles Airport During Testing Phase of Silver Line Extension
The Silver Line is slowly creeping to Dulles Airport (IAD) in what would be the first rail connection between downtown Washington, DC and Washington-Dulles Airport. Travelers have had to rely on buses or cars for all or part of their journey to the United Airlines hub, which serves more than 20 million passengers per year.
Slated to begin service to the new Dulles Airport station in 2020, the Silver Line already connects nearby Reston, Virginia, to the DC area. Track testing last month failed to cover more than 1,000 feet. However, those hurdles seem to have been overcome based on a recent picture taken at Dulles.
The train wasn't going anywhere quickly, but it's a sign of progress for a much needed public transportation option in the DC Metro area. Even with the airport access road that covers part of the ground between the two airports, transit times can be very unpredictable with traffic and road closures for visiting dignitaries.
When the Silver line station at Dulles Airport opens in 2020, transit times on Metro between Washington, DC and Dulles are expected to be just over an hour with. Once passengers exit the train, less than a five-minute walk will place them in the airport terminal ready to go through security.
