Arlington has Metro, ART buses and Reagan National with its own Metro stop. Parking meters run 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Facts come from Arlington County’s Parking and Paying for Parking pages, Arlington Transit, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s Reagan National Metro and biking and walking pages, county police releases and VDOT project pages.

Arlington is served by Metrorail, two bus systems and its own airport. Metrorail runs through the county’s main corridors, Arlington Transit (ART) and Metrobus fill in the neighborhoods, and Reagan National Airport sits inside the county with its own Metro station. Drivers use I-66, I-395, Route 50 and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. For a parking problem or a car blocking your driveway, call police non-emergency at 703-558-2222; for live traffic, use Virginia 511.

Quick links

Main roads

Road What it does in Arlington
I-66 Interstate through North Arlington to Rosslyn and the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge to Washington
I-395 North-south interstate past the Pentagon to the 14th Street Bridge; exits 10B and 10C connect to the GW Parkway
U.S. 50 (Arlington Boulevard) East-west through the middle of the county to the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge
Route 27 (Washington Boulevard) Links Route 50, the Pentagon area and Clarendon
Route 110 Connects Rosslyn and the Pentagon
Route 1 (Richmond Highway) Runs through Crystal City and Pentagon City
Route 120 (Glebe Road) Crosses the county through Ballston
George Washington Memorial Parkway National Park Service parkway along the Potomac

VDOT has two Route 50 safety and access projects planned; county projects are under construction on Military Road, South Walter Reed Drive, Army Navy Drive and Crystal Drive. See our road construction page, updated weekly.

Metrorail

Metro stations in Arlington include Rosslyn, Courthouse, Clarendon, Ballston, East Falls Church, Crystal City and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Arlington County is building a new east entrance to the Crystal City station at Crystal Drive and 18th Street South, expected in summer 2027, and has expanded the bus bays at East Falls Church. Fares, maps and service alerts are on wmata.com.

Buses

  • ART (Arlington Transit), the county’s own bus system, uses SmarTrip cards and transfers with Metrobus and Metrorail. Arlington K-12 students ride free with an iRide SmarTrip card or school ID, and seniors and riders with disabilities can get discounted SmarTrip cards. ART posts detours and service changes on its site; route 56 is detoured around the Military Road roundabout work, and routes 51 and 55 changed service in October. ART runs Sunday schedules on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
  • Metrobus runs regional routes through Arlington; plan on wmata.com.

Reagan National Airport

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is in Arlington. Its Metrorail station is elevated and connected by two enclosed pedestrian bridges to the concourse level of Terminal 2. For Terminal 1, take the airport bus from the Terminal 2 or garage stops. The station has elevators and fare machines at every entrance.

You can also bike or walk: the airport sits near the Mount Vernon Trail, has free smart bike and scooter racks with charging between Terminals 1 and 2, a Capital Bikeshare station in the Parking 2 garage, and a bike repair shop in Garage 2. Bikes and scooters may not be ridden on the airport’s sidewalks or crosswalks.

Biking and trails

Arlington’s trail network includes the W&OD Trail (open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.), the Custis Trail, the Four Mile Run Trail, the Arlington Boulevard Trail and the Mount Vernon Trail. The county is building protected bike lanes on Army Navy Drive. See our parks and trails guide.

Parking

Arlington County manages more than 5,700 on-street spaces and more than 5,300 parking meters; most of the county’s 100,000-plus off-street spaces are in private garages and lots.

  • Meter hours: in most areas 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Late evenings, Sundays and major county holidays are free. Check the sign or pay station.
  • Rates vary by area; see the county’s meter rate dashboard.
  • Pay with coins or a card at the meter, or with Parkmobile (app, website or 877-727-5730) using the zone number on the green sign. You cannot buy more time once you hit the limit.
  • Disabled plates and placards may park at any meter and pay for up to twice the posted limit.
  • Residential Permit Parking: many neighborhoods require a county permit. Since July 2026 the county has been moving to electronic permits zone by zone; apply or renew through the RPP portal.
  • Tickets: pay online through the county’s CAPP portal or contest a ticket.
  • Snow: metered and residential parking lanes are generally not plowed.

Moving trucks and storage containers on the street need a county right-of-way permit.

Related guides: road construction and closures, moving to Arlington and parks and trails.

Frequently asked questions

When do Arlington parking meters run?

In most areas 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Late evenings, Sundays and major county holidays are free. Pay at the meter or with the Parkmobile app.

How do I get from Arlington to Reagan National Airport on Metro?

Take Metrorail to the airport station, which is elevated and connected by enclosed pedestrian bridges to the concourse level of Terminal 2. For Terminal 1, take the airport shuttle bus from the curb.

What is ART in Arlington?

Arlington Transit, the county’s local bus system. It runs alongside Metrobus and Metrorail, and Arlington K-12 students ride free with an iRide SmarTrip card or school ID. Plan trips on arlingtontransit.com.

How do I get a residential parking permit in Arlington?

Through the county’s Residential Permit Parking program. Since July 2026 the county has been moving to electronic permits by zone group; apply or renew online through the county’s RPP portal.