Metro Adding Trains for 2017 March for Life Rally on Friday

WASHINGTON, DC — Huge crowds are expected for the annual March for Life in D.C. this Friday, and WMATA is adding extra Metro trains to accommodate them.

Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld announced Monday that there would be "enhanced midday rail service" on Jan. 27 to assist with March for Life, according to a statement from Metro.

During the midday hours on Friday, Metro will run trains every eight minutes on each line, resulting in service every two to four minutes at stations in the downtown D.C. area. Metro will also run more eight-car trains, which is the longest train possible, and the agency will cancel all midday track work and provide additional staff to assist visitors.

"If possible, March participants are encouraged to travel outside of the traditional rush hour periods when trains are most crowded," the statement notes. "In addition, March participants are urged to purchase and load their SmarTrip cards in advance to avoid potentially long lines at Metro entrances. Each rider age 5 and up needs his or her own card to enter and exit the Metrorail system."

Regular fares and parking fees will be in effect on Friday.

The March for Life rally will begin at noon on the grounds of the Washington Monument, and then make its way down Constitution Avenue toward the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court.

The annual rally is held around the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade on Jan. 22, 1974, which legalized abortion. The march draws thousands and possibly hundreds of thousands of people, so expect significant congestion in downtown D.C. during the midday.

Image via WMATA