Brookland-CUA Station - DC Metro
Red Line - station in Washington, DC.
About Brookland-CUA station
Brookland-CUA sits on the Red Line beside the campus of the Catholic University of America, and the station name reflects how tightly the two are linked. Three entrances connect the platform to Michigan Avenue, the campus edge and the Monroe Street Market development built directly alongside the tracks. The Metropolitan Branch Trail runs past the station, making this one of the better stations in the system for arriving by bike. Students, faculty and hospital workers make up a large share of riders, joined by residents of Brookland’s quiet rowhouse streets. The Basilica of the National Shrine, whose dome dominates the skyline here, is a short walk across campus.
The area around Brookland-CUA
Brookland is a settled Northeast Washington neighborhood of detached and semi-detached houses, large church and university institutions, and a low-key commercial strip along Twelfth Street NE. The presence of Catholic University and several religious orders gives the area an unusual concentration of seminaries, monasteries and campus green space. Riders skew toward students and institutional employees, with a strong residential base.
What is near Brookland-CUA station?
The largest Catholic church in North America, with an enormous dome, mosaic-covered chapels and free entry.
7 min walkA large leafy campus beginning right at the station, with the Hartke Theatre and university galleries open to visitors.
3 min walkA mixed-use development beside the station with artist studios, cafes and a covered pedestrian arts walk.
2 min walkA monastery with replica shrines and extensive formal gardens open to the public, northeast of the station.
13 min walkBrookland s neighborhood main street, with local restaurants, a hardware store and small shops.
6 min walkA paved bike and walking trail running beside the tracks from Union Station toward Silver Spring.
1 min walkFirst and last trains at Brookland-CUA
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 | Glenmont | 5:34 am | 12:22 am |
| Mon-Thu | Shady Grove | 5:17 am | 11:53 pm |
| Fri | Glenmont | 5:34 am | 2:22 am |
| Fri | Shady Grove | 5:17 am | 1:53 am |
| Sat | Glenmont | 6:23 am | 2:22 am |
| Sat | Shady Grove | 6:17 am | 1:53 am |
| Sun | Glenmont | 6:23 am | 12:22 am |
| Sun | Shady Grove | 6:17 am | 11:53 pm |
Travel times and fares from Brookland-CUA
| To | Time | Weekday to 9:30pm | Late night & weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Center | 12 min | $2.45 | $2.45 |
| Gallery Pl-Chinatown | 10 min | $2.35 | $2.35 |
| L'Enfant Plaza | 18 min | $2.75 | $2.50 |
| Union Station | 6 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Smithsonian | 20 min | $2.75 | $2.50 |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | 28 min | $4.25 | $2.50 |
| Washington Dulles International Airport | 70 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
| Pentagon | 23 min | $3.65 | $2.50 |
| Shady Grove | 48 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
| Glenmont | 19 min | $5.20 | $2.50 |
Travel times and fares published by WMATA. Fares valid July 2026.
Changing lines at Brookland-CUA
Brookland-CUA is served by the Red Line only.
Parking at Brookland-CUA
Tips for using Brookland-CUA
- The Metropolitan Branch Trail runs right alongside the station, which makes Brookland an easy bike-and-ride point.
- For the Basilica, use the entrance on the Michigan Avenue side and walk west across the edge of campus.
- There is no Metro parking here, so if you are driving to a campus event look for university or street parking instead.
Brookland-CUA station FAQ
It stands for the Catholic University of America, whose main campus begins a few minutes walk from the station. The university is the largest single generator of trips here, and the station serves as the main transit access point for students, staff and campus visitors.
Brookland-CUA is the closest Metro station. The walk is roughly seven minutes, heading west along Michigan Avenue past the edge of the Catholic University campus. The Basilica dome is visible for most of the route, so it is difficult to get lost.
No Metro park-and-ride facility is provided at this station. Brookland is a walk-up and bike-up station with good bus connections. Visitors driving to campus events should look at university parking or metered street parking in the surrounding blocks.
Yes – the trail passes directly beside the station, so you can step off a train and onto it within a minute. It runs south toward Union Station and NoMa and north toward Fort Totten and Silver Spring, and it is one of the best bike connections in the city.