Virginia Railway Express to offer free Friday rides this summer

[mahatmakanejeeves]

VRE to offer free Friday rides this summer

Scott Shenk May 22, 2023

The Virginia Railway Express will offer free Friday rides this summer. ... The VRE’s Operations Board voted to approve the measure on Friday. ... With ridership still drastically below pre-pandemic levels, VRE is looking for ways to entice more people to ride the commuter trains. ... VRE said in a Monday news release that its free ride program, which will run from June 2 through Sept. 1, aims to show travelers that it is an “option for both commuters and day-trippers.”

Fridays are traditionally low ridership days, which VRE said allows its trains to “accommodate additional passengers, including larger groups looking to spend a day in the nation’s capital, or National Landing or Old Town Alexandria in Virginia.”

VRE also hopes the program brings new riders who might not be familiar with the trains or may be intimidated by the ticketing process. The commuter rail provider plans to use the fare-free rides and “how to” videos to help passengers easily learn how the system works.

The free Friday rides promotion is expected to cost VRE between $250,000 and $300,000, according to the staff report, which noted that the cost could be covered by federal pandemic relief funds.

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Scott Shenk: 540/374-5436
[e-mail]

If you read between the lines, you get to take your kids (or someone else's kids) for free train rides.

[EYESORE 9001]

1. I have family members going to Virginia Beach in July

I’ll pass this along as maybe something to do.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. This isn't near Virginia Beach.

The VRE runs from DC to a bit beyond Fredericksburg and Manassas.

Mostly the service runs into DC in the morning and out from DC in the afternoon. Due to a scheduling quirk, though, it's possible to make a round trip run from DC to Broad Run (on the Manassas line) and back in the afternoon. You cannot make a round trip run on the Fredericksburg line.

[EYESORE 9001]

3. Sorry, didn't read that closely

I’m gonna have to take that trip you mentioned