Cleveland Park Station - DC Metro
Red Line - station in Washington, DC.
About Cleveland Park station
Cleveland Park is a shallow Red Line station in the middle of the Connecticut Avenue NW commercial strip, distinctive because its two platforms sit on either side of the tracks rather than sharing one island. That detail matters in practice: you choose your direction at street level. Three entrances open onto Connecticut Avenue among the shops, restaurants and the landmark Uptown marquee. The station is a common alternative approach to the National Zoo, whose upper grounds lie a downhill walk to the south, and it also serves the residential streets of one of northwest Washington’s more established neighborhoods.
The area around Cleveland Park
Cleveland Park is a comfortable northwest Washington neighborhood of large detached houses, apartment buildings from the 1920s and 1930s, and a short but lively commercial stretch on Connecticut Avenue. Rock Creek Park lies just to the east. Riders are residents, embassy and university staff, and visitors heading to the zoo. The pace is noticeably calmer than the downtown stations, with heavier weekend than weekday leisure use.
What is near Cleveland Park station?
The free national zoo, whose grounds run down the hill toward Rock Creek; the Connecticut Avenue entrance is south of the station.
12 min walkA landmark single-screen movie palace on Connecticut Avenue with its original marquee, a fixture of the streetscape.
2 min walkThe rebuilt DC public library branch on Connecticut Avenue, with reading rooms and community space.
3 min walkA compact commercial strip either side of the station, with cafes, a bookstore and neighborhood restaurants.
1 min walkThe large wooded park east of the neighborhood, with trails and picnic areas reached down the side streets.
12 min walkFirst and last trains at Cleveland Park
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 | 5:26 am | 11:57 pm |
| Mon-Thu | Shady Grove | 5:36 am | 12:18 am |
| Fri | Glenmont | 5:26 am | 1:57 am |
| Fri | Shady Grove | 5:36 am | 2:18 am |
| Sat | Glenmont | 6:26 am | 1:57 am |
| Sat | Shady Grove | 6:36 am | 2:18 am |
| Sun | Glenmont | 6:26 am | 11:57 pm |
| Sun | Shady Grove | 6:36 am | 12:18 am |
Travel times and fares from Cleveland Park
| To | Time | Weekday to 9:30pm | Late night & weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Center | 9 min | $2.30 | $2.30 |
| Gallery Pl-Chinatown | 11 min | $2.40 | $2.40 |
| L'Enfant Plaza | 19 min | $2.75 | $2.50 |
| Union Station | 15 min | $2.75 | $2.50 |
| Smithsonian | 17 min | $2.60 | $2.50 |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | 29 min | $4.10 | $2.50 |
| Washington Dulles International Airport | 67 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
| Pentagon | 24 min | $3.45 | $2.50 |
| Shady Grove | 27 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
| Glenmont | 40 min | $6.65 | $2.50 |
Travel times and fares published by WMATA. Fares valid July 2026.
Changing lines at Cleveland Park
Cleveland Park is served by the Red Line only.
Parking at Cleveland Park
Tips for using Cleveland Park
- This station has separate platforms for each direction – check the direction sign before you go down, because you cannot switch sides below ground.
- For the National Zoo, Cleveland Park means walking downhill on the way there and uphill on the way back; Woodley Park is the alternative.
- There is no Metro parking here, and Connecticut Avenue street parking is limited and time-restricted.
Cleveland Park station FAQ
Both work. Cleveland Park is a downhill walk of roughly twelve minutes to the Connecticut Avenue entrance, which many visitors prefer on the way in. Woodley Park is a similar distance from the same entrance but climbs on the return. Either is a reasonable choice.
It is one of a small number of Metro stations built with side platforms rather than a single central island. Each direction has its own platform reached from street level, so you need to pick the correct entrance before going down – there is no crossover below the faregates.
Cleveland Park is on the Red Line. Trains run south toward Woodley Park, Dupont Circle and downtown Washington, and north toward Van Ness, Tenleytown and Friendship Heights before continuing into Montgomery County.
No Metro parking is provided. The station sits in the middle of a walkable commercial strip on Connecticut Avenue where street parking is metered and time-limited. Most riders arrive on foot, by bus along Connecticut Avenue, or by bike.