| WMATA Metrorail Rapid Transit | |
| MARC Commuter Rail | VRE Commuter Rail |
MetroRail uses a farecard with a magnetic stripe that stores its value. The same value is also printed on the front of the ticket by either an issuing machine an the exit faregate. The same ticket must be used to both enter and exit the system; fare is calculated upon exit. If the card does not have enough value to exit at the station you choose, you can go to an Exitfare (formerly Addfare) machine and pay the difference.
These are the actual entries into and exits from the system on Friday and Saturday. They will cost as follows:
| Friday | ||
| Enter | Exit | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Rockville | dinner stop | $1.35 |
| dinner stop | most downtown stations | $3.45 |
| TOTAL | $4.70 | |
| Saturday | ||
| Enter | Exit | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Union Station | L'Enfant Plaza | $1.35 |
| L'Enfant Plaza | Largo Town Center | $2.35 |
| Largo Town Center | most downtown stations | $2.35 |
| TOTAL | $6.05 | |
Metro sells a One Day Pass, good all day on Saturday, for $6.50. This is recommended if you plan to do more Metro riding either before or after our official Fest riding on Saturday. One more entry into the system will surpass a total of $6.50, so this might be for you, particularly if you are staying at a hotel far from Union Station on Friday and/or Saturday nights. This pass is good until 3 AM the day following the day it is first used.
VRE's rail fares are based on zones, much like other commuter rail operators. VRE operates on a proof-of-purchase system. Tickets are not collected but you must be prepared to show your ticket to an official when requested.
At all stations, you must purchase your tickets from a ticket vending machine located on or near the platform, and then it must be validated just before departure. It would be advisable to make the round trip purchase in Washington to save time, and then validate one ticket before the outbound trip, and the other ticket before departing Broad Run. VRE's machines are in a specific area at Union Station. Amtrak's Quick-Trak machines do not dispense VRE tickets.
Fares for the trip segments we expect to take are as follows:
| Friday | ||
| Trip | Line | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Broad Run/Airport | Manassas | $6.60 |
| Broad Run/Airport-Washington | Manassas | $6.60 |
| TOTAL | $13.20 | |
MARC's rail fares are based on zones, much like other commuter rail operators. When a ticket office is open or a ticket vending machine is available at the station, tickets must be purchased before riding, and they are collected by a crew member. A $3 surcharge is added to the cost of the ticket purchased from the train crew if a ticket office was open before the train's scheduled departure time or a Quick-Trak machine is present. MARC tickets are not available by mail or internet.
In Washington, DC, you should purchase one way MARC tickets in advance of your trip either from an Amtrak agent, or from Amtrak Quick-Trak machines.
Fares for the trip segment we expect to take are as follows:
| Friday | ||
| Trip | Line | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Rockville | Brunswick/Frederick | $5.00 |
| TOTAL | $5.00 | |