Dupont Circle Station - DC Metro
Red Line - station in Washington, DC.
About Dupont Circle station
Few DC Metro stops feel as much like a neighborhood front door as Dupont Circle. The Red Line platform sits deep beneath Connecticut Avenue, and the two ends of the station open onto very different scenes: the south entrance drops you at the circle itself, ringed by traffic and shaded by old trees, while the north entrance surfaces near Q Street in a quieter stretch of rowhouses and restaurants. It is one of the busiest non-transfer stations on the system, and the mix is unusual – embassy staff, university students, bar-goers, and commuters heading downtown all use the same escalators. The station has no parking, which is fitting for an area where almost nobody arrives by car.
The area around Dupont Circle
Dupont Circle is one of Washington’s most walkable neighborhoods: bookstores, sidewalk cafes, galleries, and rowhouses converted into embassies and think tanks. Massachusetts Avenue runs northwest from the circle as Embassy Row. The area draws a broad crowd – residents, diplomatic staff, students from nearby universities, and visitors looking for somewhere to eat that is not on the National Mall.
What is near Dupont Circle station?
The park at the center of the traffic circle, with chess players, a marble fountain, and heavy weekend foot traffic.
2 min walkIntimate modern art museum in a former private home, best known for Renoir Luncheon of the Boating Party.
6 min walkThe stretch of Massachusetts Avenue NW lined with embassies and historic mansions running northwest from the circle.
5 min walkSunday morning farmers market held on the streets just off the circle, one of the largest in the city.
3 min walkA short, dense run of bars, patios, and restaurants east of the circle, busy in the evenings.
7 min walkFirst and last trains at Dupont Circle
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 | 5:30 am | 12:01 am |
| Mon-Thu | Shady Grove | 5:32 am | 12:14 am |
| Fri | Glenmont | 5:30 am | 2:01 am |
| Fri | Shady Grove | 5:32 am | 2:14 am |
| Sat | Glenmont | 6:30 am | 2:01 am |
| Sat | Shady Grove | 6:32 am | 2:14 am |
| Sun | Glenmont | 6:30 am | 12:01 am |
| Sun | Shady Grove | 6:32 am | 12:14 am |
Travel times and fares from Dupont Circle
| To | Time | Weekday to 9:30pm | Late night & weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Center | 4 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Gallery Pl-Chinatown | 6 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| L'Enfant Plaza | 14 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Union Station | 10 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Smithsonian | 12 min | $2.25 | $2.25 |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | 24 min | $3.30 | $2.50 |
| Washington Dulles International Airport | 62 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
| Pentagon | 19 min | $2.60 | $2.50 |
| Shady Grove | 32 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
| Glenmont | 35 min | $6.60 | $2.50 |
Travel times and fares published by WMATA. Fares valid July 2026.
Changing lines at Dupont Circle
Dupont Circle is served by the Red Line only.
Parking at Dupont Circle
Tips for using Dupont Circle
- The north (Q Street) escalator is one of the longest in the system – if you have luggage or limited mobility, use the elevator instead.
- The two entrances are several blocks apart, so pick the right end before you go down: south for the circle and Connecticut Avenue, north for Q Street and the residential blocks.
- There is no station parking here and street parking around the circle is genuinely difficult, so arriving by train, bus, or bike is the sensible choice.
Dupont Circle station FAQ
The south entrance, at Connecticut Avenue and 19th Street, comes up essentially on the circle itself. From there the fountain park is a short walk across one crosswalk. The north entrance near Q Street leaves you a few blocks further up Connecticut Avenue.
No. Only the Red Line serves Dupont Circle. If you need the Blue, Orange, or Silver Lines, the usual move is to ride south and change at Metro Center; for the Green or Yellow Lines, change at Gallery Pl-Chinatown.
Yes. Massachusetts Avenue NW leaves the circle heading northwest and becomes Embassy Row within a block or two. The most photographed stretch, with flags and historic mansions, begins a five to ten minute walk from the south entrance.
Yes, there are elevators serving the platform. Because the station is deep and the escalators are unusually long, the elevator is often the more comfortable option even for riders who do not need it. Check wmata.com for current elevator status before you travel.