DC Streetcar service ends March 31, 2026, marking the final day on H Street corridor

Final runs set for March 31 after decade of operations

DC Streetcar service is scheduled to end on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, closing the District’s only modern streetcar line after roughly a decade in operation. The line, which began carrying passengers in 2016, runs along the H Street NE and Benning Road NE corridor between Union Station and the edge of the RFK Stadium campus.

The District Department of Transportation has said the streetcar will no longer operate after March 31. The agency also implemented service reductions earlier this year as part of the wind-down.

Service reductions took effect in January

Beginning January 4, 2026, Sunday service was eliminated. DDOT also revised operating hours and shifted to 20-minute headways for the remaining schedule:

• Monday through Friday: 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

DDOT held a public meeting in December 2025 to discuss the planned end of service and the transition for riders in the corridor.

Budget decisions and operational limits shaped the outcome

District officials have tied the decision to end streetcar operations to a combination of budget constraints and the line’s long-standing operational limitations. The system has operated primarily in mixed traffic, a factor cited by officials as contributing to service challenges. District leaders have also pointed to ridership levels that did not meet expectations for a project initially presented as the first piece of a larger streetcar network.

The shutdown is occurring earlier than a previously discussed timeline, following fiscal year 2026 budget actions that reduced funding for the service. The decision ends a long-running chapter in District transit planning that included early proposals for a broader streetcar buildout beyond the single H Street segment.

What riders can use instead

DDOT has said it is coordinating with WMATA to provide alternatives for current riders along the H Street corridor. The agency has encouraged riders to plan trips using Metrobus options, including WMATA’s D20 route, and to use trip-planning tools to identify comparable connections to Union Station, destinations along H Street NE, and points farther east.

After March 31, the streetcar will no longer operate, and riders will need to rely on bus service and other transit options for trips along the corridor.

Next steps: disposition of vehicles and longer-term corridor planning

As operations conclude, District officials have indicated the streetcar vehicles are expected to be sold through an auction process. Separately, DDOT has signaled that longer-term planning for transit in the H Street and Benning Road corridor will continue, with the goal of identifying a more financially sustainable service model integrated with the broader regional transit network.