Tenleytown-AU Station - DC Metro
Red Line - station in Washington, DC.
About Tenleytown-AU station
Sitting under Wisconsin Avenue at the highest ground in the District, Tenleytown-AU is the Red Line stop for upper Northwest — a neighborhood of apartment buildings, retail along Wisconsin, and a notable concentration of schools. American University’s Tenley Campus, which houses the law school, is right by the station, while the university’s main campus is further west and served by a shuttle. It is a deep station with a long escalator run, and it functions mostly as a straightforward commuter stop: residents heading downtown in the morning, students in both directions, and shoppers coming for the Wisconsin Avenue stores. Fort Reno Park, just behind the retail strip, occupies the literal high point of Washington.
The area around Tenleytown-AU
Tenleytown is settled, comfortable upper Northwest — mid-rise apartments and single-family streets on either side of a busy Wisconsin Avenue retail corridor. The area has an unusual density of schools and a public library branch, and the population skews toward long-term residents and students. It is a residential neighborhood that happens to have good shopping, rather than a destination district.
What is near Tenleytown-AU station?
The highest natural point in the District, a Civil War fort site now used as open parkland and a summer concert venue.
6 min walkThe law school occupies AU's Tenley Campus immediately beside the station on Wisconsin Avenue.
3 min walkModern DC Public Library branch on Wisconsin Avenue, a few steps from the station entrance.
3 min walkFirst and last trains at Tenleytown-AU
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 | 5:22 am | 11:53 pm |
| Mon-Thu | Shady Grove | 5:40 am | 12:22 am |
| Fri | Glenmont | 5:22 am | 1:53 am |
| Fri | Shady Grove | 5:40 am | 2:22 am |
| Sat | Glenmont | 6:22 am | 1:53 am |
| Sat | Shady Grove | 6:40 am | 2:22 am |
| Sun | Glenmont | 6:22 am | 11:53 pm |
| Sun | Shady Grove | 6:40 am | 12:22 am |
Travel times and fares from Tenleytown-AU
| To | Time | Weekday to 9:30pm | Late night & weekend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Center | 13 min | $3.00 | $2.50 |
| Gallery Pl-Chinatown | 15 min | $3.10 | $2.50 |
| L'Enfant Plaza | 23 min | $3.50 | $2.50 |
| Union Station | 19 min | $3.50 | $2.50 |
| Smithsonian | 21 min | $3.30 | $2.50 |
| Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport | 33 min | $4.75 | $2.50 |
| Washington Dulles International Airport | 71 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
| Pentagon | 28 min | $4.05 | $2.50 |
| Shady Grove | 23 min | $6.65 | $2.50 |
| Glenmont | 44 min | $6.75 | $2.50 |
Travel times and fares published by WMATA. Fares valid July 2026.
Changing lines at Tenleytown-AU
Tenleytown-AU is served by the Red Line only.
Parking at Tenleytown-AU
Tips for using Tenleytown-AU
- American University’s main campus is not at this station — it is further west, and most students use the university shuttle that runs from here.
- This is one of the deeper Red Line stations, so the escalator ride from platform to street takes a while; the elevator is the alternative if you need it.
- Wisconsin Avenue is the main retail spine; almost everything you would want here is within a few minutes north or south of the station entrance.
Tenleytown-AU station FAQ
It is the designated station, but the main AU campus is not adjacent — it sits further west and most people use the university shuttle that connects from the station. The Tenley Campus, home of the Washington College of Law, is right beside the station.
It is the highest natural elevation in the District, the site of a Civil War fortification, now open parkland behind the Wisconsin Avenue commercial strip. It is a short walk of around six minutes from the station, uphill as the name suggests.
There is no Metro park-and-ride facility here. Wisconsin Avenue has metered street parking and some private garages attached to the retail, but the residential streets nearby are permit-restricted during the day.
It is a straightforward ride on the Red Line through Cleveland Park, Woodley Park and Dupont Circle to Farragut North and Metro Center. No transfer is needed for the downtown core, which makes this one of the easier upper Northwest commutes.