Rich Dalton, CEO of VRE, emphasized the potential benefits of the state acquiring the Norfolk Southern Line. "Conceptually, it's a great thing for VRE. It opens our potential operating windows up even further than they are now," Dalton said. The acquisition would allow VRE to expand service times, including midday, late-night, and weekend operations.
The new shuttle service between Manassas and Alexandria aims to fill the gap in VRE's current schedule, primarily during morning and evening peak hours. "That's an opportunity for us," Dalton noted. He highlighted the potential for providing reliable, scheduled service throughout the day if the state purchase goes through, much like Metro train.
This article is exclusively for our Locals Only members. Please Sign In or upgrade to become a Locals Only Member today!
Your support helps us continue delivering more in-depth community news that matters to you.
Effective July 1, 2024, the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) will update its fare structure for the first time in five years, alongside a new policy benefiting children. Passengers aged 18 and under will travel for free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Adult fares will see a five percent increase. For example, travelers from Spotsylvania Station to Union Station in Washington, D.C., will pay $0.65 more for single-ride tickets and $18 more for monthly passes.
Additionally, VRE’s fiscal year 2025 budget introduces a flat $5 fare for trips within and between zones 1 (Union Station and L’Enfant), 2 (Crystal City and Alexandria), and 3 (Franconia-Springfield and Backlick Road).
The policy for free youth travel includes specific requirements: accompanied children aged 18 and under do not need identification. Children aged 11-18 traveling alone must have a valid school, state, or VRE Reduced Fare ID, which can be obtained online. Children under 10 must travel with a paying adult.
VRE operates two lines—Manassas and Fredericksburg—connecting Central and Northern Virginia with Washington, D.C., serving 19 stations, including key stops like L’Enfant and Union Station. For more information on fares and schedules, visit www.vre.org.
The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) and Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) services are set to strengthen their collaboration. The VRE Operations Board is expected to vote on Friday, June 21, to restore an agreement that allows VRE riders to board MARC trains and vice versa. This move has been speculated as a step toward providing non-stop service between Maryland and Virginia.
The recommendation from the VRE Operations Board requests authorization for the Chief Executive Officer to amend the Passenger Tariff to reflect the MARC/VRE Cross-Honor Agreement Terms. The summary indicates that VRE and MARC will reinstate their cross-honor agreement on July 1, 2024, allowing passengers to ride either service with a valid ticket from the other.
This article is exclusively for our Locals Only members. Please Sign In or upgrade to become a Locals Only Member today!
Your support helps us continue delivering more in-depth community news that matters to you.
Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is optimistic about increasing its ridership by introducing Saturday service.
The commuter railroad's CEO, Rich Dalton, told Potomac Local News that he anticipates adding 5,000 and 7,000 new passengers once the Saturday service starts later this year. While the agency budgeted for the new service late last year, its Operations Board is set to vote on its implementation next month.
This article is exclusively for our Locals Only members. Please Sign In or upgrade to become a Locals Only Member today!
Your support helps us continue delivering more in-depth community news that matters to you.
Howdy, folks! It’s that time of year again when the good folks over at OmniRide and Prince William County are dusting off their bikes and gearing up for Bike to Work Day! Yeehaw!
Partnering up with the sharpshooters at Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, this annual hootenanny aims to rustle up some awareness about pedaling to work instead of hoofing it in your trusty automobile.
Now, listen up, cowpokes! The first 15,000 riders who mosey on over to one of their pit stops scattered across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia will nab themselves a free T-shirt and some grub to fuel their journey. Ain’t that a deal sweeter than a slice of homemade apple pie?
Roundin’ up the local pit stops for ya:
- Dumfries – Swing by the Simpson Community Center on Main Street from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- Manassas – Head on down to George Mason University, Freedom Center Boulevard & University Boulevard, from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
- Manassas – Swing by the Manassas VRE station on West Street, bright and early from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- Manassas Park – Don’t forget the Manassas Park VRE Station on Manassas Drive, open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- Woodbridge – If you’re in Woodbridge, hit up the Rippon Landing VRE station or the Chinn Aquatics and Fitness Center, starting at 6 a.m.
- Woodbridge – Or hitch your wagon to the Woodbridge VRE station, Tackett’s Mill Park & Ride Lot, or Minnieville Rd, all from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
OmniRide’s hitchin’ their wagon to the Rippon Landing Pit Stop, and their folks’ll be hanging around the Downtown Manassas VRE station, ready to lend a hand.
But hold onto your hats, folks, ’cause the fun don’t stop there. OmniRide’s rustlin’ up a whole month of Bike Exploration! Throughout May, they’re spreadin’ the word about mixin’ bikes and buses like peas and carrots.
They’re showin’ folks how to hitch their trusty steeds to an OmniRide bus and roll into work with the wind at their backs. Them buses even come equipped with bike racks, so you can keep your wheels close by at no extra cost.
In a bold move to accommodate the region’s growing transportation needs, Virginia Railway Express (VRE) has unveiled extensive expansion plans that will transform the commuter railroad landscape by 2050.
The proposal was unveiled at the VRE Operations Board meeting on Friday, March 15, 2024. Backed by financial forecasts and strategic ridership projections, it outlines a comprehensive strategy to enhance service frequency, extend operational hours, and cater to burgeoning populations and evolving travel patterns.
Forecasts indicate a substantial surge in operating costs and revenues by 2050, with projections estimating a 136% increase in operational expenditures and a 63% rise in operating revenues. The VRE Board recommends a significant boost in train frequency, particularly during peak periods on the Fredericksburg and Manassas lines. This initiative is anticipated to attract 21,000 weekday users by 2030, with a further expansion to accommodate 4,500 Saturday riders and 3,700 Sunday passengers.
Under the proposed plan, VRE anticipates adding 116 more trains per day, with 68 trains operating on Saturdays and 60 on Sundays. The Fredericksburg line will extend south of Spotsylvania County with a bus service to Hanover County from Fredericksburg. Similarly, the Manassas line will stretch service beyond the Manassas Regional Airport, with a corresponding bus service from Manassas to Culpeper County.
However, future infrastructure constraints loom large, particularly regarding midday train storage capacity in Washington, D.C. Despite identifying a suitable site capable of housing 13 trains, logistical challenges persist, necessitating careful planning to ensure seamless operations. With every six trains arriving in Washington D.C., four will be required to return to Virginia, highlighting the complexities of managing the expanding network.
Ridership forecasts show exponential growth, with an estimated average of 28,100-weekday passengers and 10,820-weekend travelers anticipated by 2050. This represents a 262% increase in ridership since 2014, underscoring the imperative for phased infrastructure development and strategic expansion initiatives.
VRE officials say their transportation service of choice fosters meaningful connections and catalyzes economic opportunities in a safe, sustainable, and equitable manner. However, questions linger regarding the accuracy of population projections amid evolving telework trends, prompting stakeholders to scrutinize the reliability of regional travel models and their adaptability to dynamic socio-economic factors.
In February 2024, VRE saw 6,900 average daily riders, down from 20,000 in February 2020 (a CEO report for February 2020, the last showing its pre-pandemic ridership numbers, has been removed from its website). By comparison, an average of about 4,400 people choose to ride OmniRide commuter buses.
Sarah Romero documented the VRE Operations Board meeting.
Virginia Railway Express: “The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget received final approval Thursday evening, as the second of its two parent commissions voted to adopt the budget and accompanying six-year capital improvement program (CIP).”
“VRE’s FY 2025 operating budget totals $119.9 million, which includes operations, maintenance, and existing debt service. This is an increase of $11.0 million or 10 percent over the FY 2024 operating budget. The budget includes increases to fares of 5 percent and jurisdictional contributions of 14 percent. Both take effect July 1. VRE’s last broad-based fare increase was 3 percent in FY 2020.”
“The budget allows for the first-ever operation of VRE Saturday service, eliminates fares for those ages 18 and under, and simplifies fare payment options. Agreements with VRE’s host railroads – Amtrak, CSX Transportation, and Norfolk Southern – must be reached before Saturday service can begin.”
Regional transit providers OmniRide and Virginia Railway Express will modify services for the Christmas and New Year holidays.
In observance of the holidays, OmniRide buses will operate as follows:
OmniRide Local and Prince William Metro Express bus services (Eastern PWC routes) will operate regular Sunday service on Christmas Eve, Sunday 12/24
All OmniRide bus services – no service on Christmas Day, Monday 12/25
All OmniRide bus services – will operate as normally scheduled, Tuesday 12/26
OmniRide Local and Prince William Metro Express bus services (Eastern PWC routes) will operate regular Sunday service on New Year’s Eve, Sunday 12/31
All OmniRide bus services – no service on New Year’s Day, Monday, 1/1
OmniRide Express bus service – will operate as normally scheduled, Tuesday, 1/2
The Transit Center lobby will be closed, but Customer Service will be available by phone and email on Sunday, December 24 and Sunday, December 31.
OmniRide Local passengers wishing to schedule an off-route trip for Tuesday, December 26th should call Customer Service by 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 24th.
For off-route trips on Tuesday, January 2, call by 4:30 p.m. December 31.
OmniRide provides commuter bus service for residents in Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, as well as local transit services for people in Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
Meanwhile, VRE will not run trains on Christmas, Monday, December 25, 2023, or New Year’s Day, Monday, January 1, 2024. The commuter railroad will run half its regular schedule from Tuesday, December 26 to Friday, December 29, 2023, running trains on an “S” schedule.
VRE doesn’t operate trains on the weekends yet. As we told you on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, the commuter railroad’s operations board approved its 2025 budget, and in it, for the first time in the railroad’s 31-year history, is a plan for Saturday service on both the Fredericksburg and Manassas lines.
The spending plan attempts to increase lagging ridership and includes Saturday service to Washington, D.C., for the first time since the railroad began operations in 1992. Three round-trip trains will operate on the system's Fredericksburg and Manassas lines. Trains will travel northbound to the capital city in the morning and return south in the evening.
The board also approved VRE’s fare structure changes at its December 15, 2023, meeting at the OmniRide headquarters in Woodbridge. Base fares for FY 2025 will increase by five percent.
