What My Metro is and how to use it

My Metro is the online account system run by the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA). It is where you set up a SmarTrip card, load money onto it, check your balance, and see your trip history. If you ride the Metro in Washington, D.C., Arlington, or Alexandria, My Metro is the main place you will manage your payment method.

You do not have to use My Metro to ride — you can buy a physical SmarTrip card at a vending machine in any station and load cash onto it. But My Metro lets you do those things from your phone or computer instead, set up automatic reloads, and track where your money went. Most riders find it faster than standing at a machine.

To start, you create an account at wmata.com/mymtro, give WMATA your email address and a password, and link a payment method — a debit card, credit card, or bank account. Then you can add a SmarTrip card to your account (either a physical card you already own or a virtual card that lives in your phone's wallet) and load money onto it whenever you need to.

Key Takeaways

  • My Metro is WMATA's online system where you load money onto a SmarTrip card and manage your account from a computer or phone.
  • You link a debit card, credit card, or bank account to your My Metro account, and that is the payment method WMATA charges when you add money to your card.
  • Money you load onto your SmarTrip card stays on the card until you use it to pay for a trip; it does not expire, but your account login can be reset if you do not use it for a long time.
  • You can set up automatic reloads so your card refills itself when the balance drops below an amount you choose, which means you never run out of money mid-week.
  • My Metro shows you every trip you took, how much each one cost, and your remaining balance, so you can spot unusual charges or track your spending.

Setting up your account and linking a payment method

Go to wmata.com/mymtro and click "Create Account" or "Sign Up." You will enter your email address, create a password, and confirm your email by clicking a link WMATA sends you. After that, you are logged in and can add a payment method.

Click "Payment Methods" or "Manage Payment" (the exact label varies depending on when WMATA last updated the site). You will see options to add a debit card, credit card, or bank account. Enter the card or account number, expiration date (for cards), and billing zip code. WMATA will charge this payment method every time you load money onto your SmarTrip card, so make sure it is an account you use regularly and can monitor.

If you already have a physical SmarTrip card, you can link it to your My Metro account by entering the card number (printed on the front) and the serial number (on the back). If you do not have a card yet, you can order one through My Metro, or pick one up at a vending machine in any Metro station and link it afterward. Some riders also use a virtual SmarTrip card that lives in Apple Pay or Google Pay instead of a physical card.

Loading money and choosing how much to add

Once your payment method is linked, click "Add Value" or "Load Money" on your SmarTrip card. You will see a box where you enter the dollar amount you want to add. There is no minimum or maximum per transaction, though WMATA may limit how much you can hold on a single card at one time (this limit changes, so check the site for the current number).

Think about how much you ride and how often you want to reload. If you take the Metro five days a week, a typical trip costs between $2.25 and $6.50 depending on distance, so loading $50 to $60 might last you two to three weeks. If you ride less often, you might load $20 or $30 at a time. There is no penalty for loading small amounts frequently or large amounts rarely — it is whatever fits your routine.

After you enter the amount and confirm, WMATA charges your linked payment method right away. The money appears on your SmarTrip card within a few minutes, and you can use it on your next trip. You will see the charge on your bank or credit card statement under WMATA or "Washington Metro."

Setting up automatic reloads so you never run out

Automatic reload is a feature that adds money to your card without you having to log in and do it manually. You set a trigger amount (for example, $10) and a reload amount (for example, $50). When your balance drops to $10 or below, WMATA automatically charges your linked payment method and adds $50 to your card.

To turn this on, go to your SmarTrip card settings in My Metro and look for "Autoload" or "Automatic Reload." You will choose the trigger balance and the amount to reload each time. Most riders set the trigger somewhere between $5 and $15, and reload $25 to $75 depending on how much they ride. You can change these numbers anytime, or turn autoload off if you want to go back to loading manually.

Autoload is useful if you commute regularly and do not want to think about your balance. The downside is that you might not notice if your card is being used by someone else, since the balance will just refill automatically. Check your trip history regularly (see the next section) to catch anything unusual.

Checking your balance and trip history

Log into My Metro anytime to see your current SmarTrip balance. It updates within a few minutes of each trip you take. You will also see your trip history — a list of every time you tapped your card at a fare gate or on a bus, the date and time, the station or bus line, and how much that trip cost.

Trip history is useful for several reasons. If you are not sure whether you loaded money recently, you can see exactly when and how much. If a trip cost more than you expected, you can see which station you exited at and figure out whether you took a longer route than planned. If you see a trip you did not take, that is a sign someone else used your card, and you should contact WMATA to report it.

WMATA keeps your trip history for several months, so you can look back and see patterns in your spending. Some riders use this to figure out whether a monthly pass would save them money compared to paying per trip.

What happens if you forget your password or stop using your account

If you forget your My Metro password, click "Forgot Password" on the login page. WMATA will send you an email with a link to reset it. Click the link, create a new password, and you can log back in. This usually takes a few minutes.

If you do not log into My Metro for a long time (the exact period varies), WMATA may lock your account for security reasons. If that happens, you can still use your physical SmarTrip card to ride — the card itself does not expire. But you will not be able to log in to check your balance or load money online until you reset your password. You can still load money at a vending machine in any station using cash.

Money on your SmarTrip card does not expire. If you load $50 onto your card and do not ride for six months, that $50 is still there when you come back. The only thing that expires is your ability to log into My Metro if you have not used it in a very long time.

Troubleshooting common issues

If you load money onto your card but it does not show up within a few minutes, wait a little longer — sometimes it takes up to 15 minutes. If it still does not appear after 30 minutes, check that your payment method went through by looking at your bank or credit card statement. If the charge is there but the money is not on your card, contact WMATA customer service through the My Metro website or call 202-637-7000.

If your card is not being recognized at a fare gate or on a bus, it might be damaged or demagnetized. Try tapping it in a different spot on the reader, or try a different gate. If it still does not work, you can order a replacement card through My Metro or pick one up at a station. WMATA will transfer any remaining balance to your new card if you link it to your account.

If you see a charge on your linked payment method that you did not authorize, or a trip on your history that you did not take, report it to WMATA right away. Go to the "Contact Us" section of My Metro or call 202-637-7000. WMATA can investigate and may refund the charge or trip cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use My Metro on more than one SmarTrip card?

Yes. You can link multiple physical cards to a single My Metro account and load money onto any of them from the same payment method. This is useful if you have one card for commuting and another for occasional trips, or if you want a backup card. Each card has its own balance and trip history.

What payment methods does My Metro accept?

My Metro accepts debit cards, credit cards, and bank accounts (ACH transfers). You can link more than one payment method to your account and choose which one to charge each time you load money. Some payment methods may have small fees depending on your bank.

Is it safe to link my bank account or credit card to My Metro?

WMATA uses encryption to protect your payment information, similar to what banks and other websites use. Your payment method is only charged when you manually load money or when autoload triggers. You can remove a payment method anytime, and WMATA will not charge it again.

Can I get a refund if I load too much money onto my card?

WMATA does not refund money on SmarTrip cards. However, the money stays on your card indefinitely, so you can use it on future trips. If you have a large balance you will not use, you could transfer it to another card linked to your account, or contact WMATA to discuss other options.

What if I lose my SmarTrip card?

If your card is lost or stolen, log into My Metro and disable it right away to prevent someone else from using it. Then order a replacement card through My Metro or pick one up at a station. When you link the new card to your account, WMATA can transfer the remaining balance from your old card to the new one.