How to Ride for Students

Student riders interested in riding transit in Arlington are encouraged to join the iRide program for discounted rides within the county. This aims to broaden transportation alternatives for any student enrolled in kindergarten to 12th grade who lives in Arlington County and aligns with our ongoing commitment to fostering accessible and economical transit solutions.

• Any student living in Arlington County enrolled in kindergarten to 12th grade can join the iRide program by obtaining a Student iRide SmarTrip card.
• The Student iRide SmarTrip card allows Arlington K-12 students to ride the ART bus and select Metrobus routes at no cost to the student. Students can also ride the Metrorail system for the regular fare. The card works like a regular SmarTrip card, and the fare is automatically deducted when tapped on the fare box.
• Students can get an iRide at any Commuter Store or by contacting the Transportation Coordinator (TC) onsite at their school. You must have a valid Arlington County student ID and fill out the registration form (PDF) at the of pick-up

• The Student iRide card works on all Arlington Transit routes and select Metrobus routes detailed below:

  iRide Card Eligible Routes Below are the allowed metrobus routes for the iRide program starting June 29, 2025. Using routes outside of the allowed routes qualifies for card misuse and can result in iRide card deactivation. Please see the resources below to plan your next trip using the NEW ALLOWED metrobus routes.

  Retired Metrobus Routes

  1A, 1B

  2A

  3Y

  4B

  7A

  10A, 10B

  16A,C,E,M

  22A, 22F

  23A, 23B, 23T

  25B

  26A

  28A

  38B

  MW1

  Better Bus Routes Effective June 26, 2025

  A58, F60, F61, F62

  F50

  A58

  F62

  A27

  A11, A12

  F44, A40, A49, A66

  A71, A66, A25, F20

  A70,A11, A12

  A76

  F26, F44, F20

  F20

  A58

  A1X

   *Metrobus Limited Express routes are excluded from the iRide program, and students will be charged the regular fee for riding. 
   

• Check out the iRide SmarTrip Card FAQs for more info..

Getting to School

Find out how to get to your school using transit, biking, or walking here. Click on the links next to your school to see which bus routes and other car free options are available to you. Search for routes and plan your trip by using the Moovti App, the Transit App, Google, and/or Apple Maps. These resources will also provide real-time arrival, informing you of when the next bus or train will arrive at your stop. For ART-specific real-time arrival click here. For additional information, look for the iRide kiosk at your school and contact your school's transportation coordinator.

Middle Schools

Dorothy Hamm – Car-Free Transportation Options                                                                                                 
Bus Service to Dorothy Ham: ART 53, 55, 56

Gunston – Car-Free Transportation Options                                                                                                           
Bus Service to Gunston: ART 87; DASH: 103, 36A, 36B; Metrobus: A11, A12

Jefferson – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Thomas Jefferson: ART 41; Metrobus A11, A12

Kenmore – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Kenmore: ART 75

Swanson – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Swanson:  Metrobus F50

Williamsburg – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Williamsburg: ART 52; Metrobus A12

High Schools

Arlington Community – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Arlington Community:  ART 41, 42, 45, 74, 77; Metrobus A12, A40

Bishop O'Connell High School – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Bishop O'Connell:  ART 52

Wakefield – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Wakefield: ART 75; DASH 31

Washington-Liberty – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to W-L: ART 42, 51, 52, 56, 72, 75; Metrobus A11, A12, A58

Yorktown – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Yorktown: ART 51, 52, 55

Other Secondary Programs

Arlington Career Center – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to Career Center: ART 41, ART 45, ART 77; Metrobus A12, F44, A40

Langston/New Directions – Car-Free Transportation Options
Bus Service to New Directions: ART 51, ART 52, ART 55, ART 72

The Heights Building (H-B Woodlawn & Eunice Kennedy Shriver Program) Car-Free Transportation Options  
Bus Service to the Heights Building: ART 41,43, 45, 55, 77; Metrobus: A58, F62; Metrorail: Rosslyn, Court House

Quick links

Registration Form
Bring the completed with you to a Commuter Store or give it to your School Transportation Coordinator.

Student iRide SmarTrip Card FAQs
Frequently-asked questions about the Student iRide SmarTrip Card.

Car-Free Near Me
Plan your trip ahead of time with this map-based tool. See bus stops close to your start and end points, and plan transfers with Metrorail and Capital Bikeshare.

PDF Schedules
Get printable schedules for ART, Metrobus and other local bus routes in Northern Virginia.