Potomac Ave Station - DC Metro
Blue Line, Orange Line and Silver Line - interchange station in Washington, DC.
About Potomac Ave station
Potomac Ave sits at the point where the Blue, Orange and Silver Lines emerge from downtown into the eastern edge of Capitol Hill, and it is a neighborhood station through and through. There are no monuments here and no park-and-ride; what there is, is a dense grid of rowhouses, corner restaurants and a couple of genuinely interesting walks – Congressional Cemetery to the east, Barracks Row and Eastern Market to the west. Two entrances put you on Pennsylvania Avenue SE, the spine of the neighborhood. Ridership is residential and steady, weighted toward the morning inbound and evening outbound peaks, with weekend traffic driven by the restaurants along the avenue.
The area around Potomac Ave
Hill East and the eastern reaches of Capitol Hill: brick rowhouses on tree-lined streets, small businesses along Pennsylvania Avenue SE, and a residential character that holds through the evening. It is a quieter, more local counterpart to the Eastern Market blocks a few minutes west. Most riders live within walking distance and commute into downtown or across to Virginia.
What is near Potomac Ave station?
Historic burial ground on the Anacostia founded in 1807, with notable graves and a well-used walking route through the grounds.
9 min walkThe restaurant and shopping stretch of 8th Street SE running down from Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Marine Barracks.
10 min walkThe District's historic public market hall with produce, meat and crafts, plus weekend outdoor stalls; Eastern Market station is closer.
13 min walkLarge residential square northwest of the station with two memorials and heavy use by neighborhood families and dog walkers.
12 min walkFirst and last trains at Potomac Ave
Departure times by direction. Which way you are traveling matters – the last train toward one terminal can be an hour before the last train the other way.
| Day | Toward | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon-Thu | Downtown Largo | 5:49 am | 12:12 am |
| Mon-Thu | Franconia-Springfield | 5:10 am | 11:40 pm |
| Fri | Downtown Largo | 5:49 am | 2:12 am |
| Fri | Franconia-Springfield | 5:10 am | 1:40 am |
| Sat | Downtown Largo | 6:46 am | 2:11 am |
| Sat | Franconia-Springfield | 6:10 am | 1:38 am |
| Sun | Downtown Largo | 6:49 am | 12:12 am |
| Sun | Franconia-Springfield | 6:10 am | 11:38 pm |
| Day | Toward | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon-Thu | New Carrollton | 5:39 am | 12:23 am |
| Mon-Thu | Vienna | 5:15 am | 11:53 pm |
| Fri | New Carrollton | 5:39 am | 2:23 am |
| Fri | Vienna | 5:15 am | 1:53 am |
| Sat | New Carrollton | 6:39 am | 2:24 am |
| Sat | Vienna | 6:15 am | 1:53 am |
| Sat | West Falls Church | 10:11 pm | 10:11 pm |
| Sun | New Carrollton | 6:39 am | 12:23 am |
| Sun | Vienna | 6:15 am | 11:53 pm |
| Sun | West Falls Church | 10:11 pm | 10:11 pm |
| Day | Toward | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon-Thu | Ashburn | 5:18 am | 11:45 pm |
| Mon-Thu | Downtown Largo | 5:43 am | 12:20 am |
| Mon-Thu | New Carrollton | 5:47 am | 12:05 am |
| Fri | Ashburn | 5:18 am | 1:45 am |
| Fri | Downtown Largo | 5:43 am | 2:20 am |
| Fri | New Carrollton | 5:47 am | 2:05 am |
| Sat | Ashburn | 6:17 am | 1:47 am |
| Sat | Downtown Largo | 6:48 am | 2:20 am |
| Sat | New Carrollton | 6:34 am | 2:01 am |
| Sun | Ashburn | 6:17 am | 11:47 pm |
| Sun | Downtown Largo | 6:47 am | 12:20 am |
| Sun | New Carrollton | 6:35 am | 12:00 am |
Travel times and fares from Potomac Ave
| To | Time | Weekday to 9:30pm | Late night & weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Center | 13 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Gallery Pl-Chinatown | 16 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| L'Enfant Plaza | 8 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Union Station | 24 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Smithsonian | 10 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | 23 min | $3.15 | $2.50 |
| Washington Dulles International Airport | 66 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
| Pentagon | 18 min | $2.75 | $2.50 |
| Downtown Largo | 16 min | $4.60 | $2.50 |
| Franconia-Springfield | 46 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
Travel times and fares published by WMATA. Fares valid July 2026.
Changing lines at Potomac Ave
Parking at Potomac Ave
Tips for using Potomac Ave
- Eastern Market station, one stop west, is closer to the market hall itself if that is your destination.
- There is no Metro parking here and residential permit restrictions apply on most surrounding streets.
- The two entrances sit on opposite sides of Pennsylvania Avenue SE, so cross before descending rather than after.
Potomac Ave station FAQ
Not really, despite the name. The station is named for Potomac Avenue SE, the street above it, and the Anacostia River is actually the nearer waterway. The Potomac itself is well to the west, closer to the Mall and Southwest Waterfront stations.
Eastern Market station, one stop west on the same lines, is the closer option at a few minutes’ walk from the market hall. From Potomac Ave the walk is around thirteen minutes along Pennsylvania Avenue SE, which is pleasant but longer.
Yes, in about nine minutes east and then south toward the Anacostia. It is the closest Metro access to the cemetery, which is open to visitors during daylight hours. Check the cemetery’s own site for current opening times before making a special trip.
The Blue, Orange and Silver Lines all stop here. That gives residents direct service through downtown Washington and out to Arlington and Fairfax, as well as eastbound service into Prince George’s County without changing trains.