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Student iRide SmarTrip Card

All Arlington County students in grades K-12 are eligible to participate in the Student iRide Program. By joining the Student iRide Program, students will be provided a free Student iRide Card for free fares on ART and selected Metrobus routes in Arlington.

iRide SmarTrip card design

    How to Get a Student iRide Card

    Arlington students in grades K - 12 can get a Student iRide SmarTrip card at any Commuter Store. Commuter Sores are located at the following Metro Stations: Ballston, Rosslyn, Crystal City, and Shirlington. The iRide card can also be picked up at a Mobile Commuter Store which makes regularly scheduled stops throughout Arlington. Arlington Public School students can also get an iRide card from their school's Transportation Coordinator (TC) located onsite at their school.

    Students seeking to register to the iRide Program must complete the registration form below.

    Registration Form (PDF) -- Please print and fill out the registration form ahead of time and bring it with you to the Commuter Store or your School Transportation Coordinator. You will also be asked to show your student ID (or other proof of student enrollment) when obtaining the card. 

    Have questions? Check out the iRide SmarTrip Card FAQ for more info.

    Terms & Conditions

    • Students must be an Arlington County resident enrolled in K-12 school to get the card. 
    • The card is good until the student graduates from high school. The bearer is subject to being carded by authorized transit employees or police. If carded, presentation of a student ID, with proof of age, must be produced on demand.
    • One card per student. The Student iRide card is the student's responsibility and will have a limited amount of replacements available.
    • Card must be registered with WMATA when the student receives it. APS will register the card for APS students through an APS account. Students will not be able to add iRide cards to Apple Wallets at this time.
    • Card must be tapped on the farebox for bus entry.
    • Card cannot be exchanged for cash. All monies added to an iRide SmarTrip card are the responsibility of the card holder, not APS. If a card is lost with additional monies loaded, all monies are lost for the card holder. APS will not replace or reimburse any additional monies added by a card holder if the card is lost or stolen.
    • The iRide discounted fare is only available on Arlington Transit (ART) buses and select Metrobus routes. Cards used on disallowed Metrobus routes are subject to card cancellation and removal from the iRide Program.
    • Stored value may be added to the card to be used on other regional transit systems, Metrorail and noneligilbe Metrobus routes.
    • Card can only be used by the student registrant. Card cannot be used by family or friends.
    • When used on Metrorail, card is used for both entry and exit only if stored value is on card.
    • SmarTrip contains sensitive electronics, do not bend, perforate or expose to extreme temperatures.
    • For information about SmarTrip or to report a problem with your card, please call 1-888-762-7874 (TDD: 1-703-620-8782).
    • If found, please return to: Arlington Transit, 2100 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 900, Arlington VA 22201
    • SmarTrip logo is a registered trademark of WMATA.

    iRide for Arlington Students Quick Links