Fall is an exciting time for sports fans, and living in Northern Virginia means you can get to plenty of professional sporting events without having to drive. Taking Metro allows you to avoid game-day traffic, expensive parking fees, and the hassle of securing a rideshare. While there’s a perception that taking transit to a game takes longer, the travel time is often comparable when you factor in traffic before and after the game.
Here are five popular sports arenas and stadiums you can reach from Herndon Metro Station.
Northwest Stadium
Home of the Washington Commanders, Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD.
How to get there: Take the Silver Line towards Largo, get off at Morgan Boulevard. Exit to Garrett Morgan Boulevard, and follow the sidewalk for approximately one mile, or a 23-minute walk, to the stadium.
If you’d rather skip the walk, take the Silver Line to New Carrollton, then ride the P61 Metrobus south to Suitland. Get off at Morgan Boulevard and Ring Road.
Capital One Arena
The home of the Washington Wizards basketball team and Washington Capitals hockey team, Capital One Arena is located in Northwest Washington, DC.
How to get there: From the Innovation Center Station, ride the Silver Line toward New Carrollton and get off at Metro Center. Take the exit towards 12th & G Street and walk for 10 minutes to the arena.
For less walking, continue on the Silver Line to L’Enfant Plaza and transfer to the Green Line toward Greenbelt. Ride three stops to Gallery Place – Chinatown, and you’ll be right next to the arena.
Nationals Park
Nats Park is home to the Washington Nationals baseball team, in Southeast DC.
How to get there: Take the Silver Line towards DC, transfer at L’Enfant Plaza to the Green Line heading towards Branch Avenue. Ride two stops and get off at Navy Yard – Ballpark station. From there, the stadium is a three-minute walk.
Audi Field
Fans of the Washington Spirit women’s soccer team, D.C. United men’s soccer team, or the D.C. Defenders United Football League team can attend games at Audi Field, located in Southwest D.C.
How to get there: From the Innovation Center Station, take the Silver Line towards DC. Transfer at L’Enfant Plaza to the Green Line towards Branch Avenue. Ride two stops to Navy Yard – Ball Park station. The walk to the stadium is about 16 minutes, but many fans opt to take Capital Bikeshare from the Metro to Audi Field. Using the designated bike lanes, the ride is about four minutes.
Pro tip: Nats Park and Audi Field are both near the Navy Yard – Ball Park Metro stop, so check the Nats home game schedule beforehand, as that might affect how busy the trains are.
CareFirst Arena
While the WNBA season has wrapped up, you can still catch exciting basketball action with Capital City Go-Go games at the CareFirst Arena in Southeast DC.
How to get there: Ride the Silver Line and transfer at L’Enfant Plaza to the Green Line towards Branch Avenue. Ride four stops to Congress Heights. Exit towards Alabama Avenue and 13th St. SE. From there, it’s about a nine-minute walk to the arena.
Know Before You Go
Taking transit to the game? Don’t leave your trip to chance. Real-time transit apps can help you check arrivals, track your ride, and keep up with delays so you know what to expect along the way. Check out our guide to real-time transit apps and find the tools that can help make your game-day trip easier, so you can spend less time worrying about the commute — and more time cheering on your team!
Have you ever walked out the door only to miss your train by seconds or found yourself waiting longer than expected at a bus stop? Real-time transit apps remove the uncertainty from your commute, so you can move efficiently and spend less time waiting.