Metro to stay open late for Nationals and Mystics home playoff games

The Washington Nationals and the Washington Mystics are both having a moment, charging ahead in the MLB and WNBA playoffs, respectively. When and if they play in town next week—the Nats have a home game against the Los Angeles Dodgers scheduled Sunday, and the Mystics may play a (final) home game against the Connecticut Sun Thursday—Metro says it will run late rail service to help get fans home from the teams’ venues. The transit agency’s commitment extends for the rest of the Nats season, which could last through October 30.

The Navy Yard–Ballpark and Congress Heights stations, both served by the Green Line, will stay open for 20 minutes after the end of any home games, and trains will continue running. Any customers waiting in line to enter those stations will be accommodated, while all other stations will be exit-only, according to Metro. The transit agency put into effect such “flex” service this past Tuesday for the last Nats game; about one in four fans used Metro after it.

“This approach is a bridge to address the immediate concerns of customers until the [Metro] Board can take a fresh look at the policy,” Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld says in a statement. In previous years, the transit agency has relied on funding from outside sources, including Uber and Qatar, to run late-night service for post-season home games. Typically, Metrorail closes at 11 p.m. Sundays, 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11:30 p.m. weekdays.