Are you kidding me. Was told The circulator ran every 15-20 minutes. We only braved this for a handful of segments. Waits were never under 20 minutes. One wait was an hour and a no show. The next worst was 45 minutes in the blazing sun. Avoid avoid avoid!! read more

This service has been discontinued. Do not plan on using it. Check out alternate WMATA bus or metro options.

45 MINUTE WAIT FOR THE UNION STATION CIRCULATOR IN RUSH HOUR AND THE BUS NEVER CAME!!!! I live 19 blocks from where I work and it took me a hour and half to get home on DC Metro public transportation. After the circulator never came, I resorted to foggy bottom train. This meant I would need to take 3 trains to get home - Orange-Red-Green. But of course, the red line per usual was DELAYED!!!! WHY O WHY DID YALL VOTE FOR THIS JOKE OF A MAYOR WHO CANT EVEN GET PUBLIC TRANS BACK ON TRACK POST COVID?!?!?! Her and her mother should be required to stand in the cold to be abandoned by public trans system like all of the taxpayers who pay for her free car service! read more

I was attending an event in Georgetown and wanted to find a way to get there without doing a lot of walking. I decided to look up the website for the DC Circulator and found there was a bus going from Dupont Circle and passing through the heart of Georgetown. The bus I caught was the Dupont Circle - Georgetown - Rossyln one. Their website provided the stops, so I knew where to catch the bus at. As I got out of the Dupont Circle Metro (south exit), I walked maybe a block and a half to the stop on 19th Street, but before N Street (each bus bay they stop at has the DC Circulator red sign along with a stop number). Their website stated the bus comes every 10 minutes and so by the time I got to the bus bay, the bus had arrived within 5 minutes. This was on a weekend. We left that stop (19th Street and N) about 8 minutes after it arrived. When I was at the bus bay, I had noticed a number on the DC Circulator Sign and so I noted that stop # down. I got curious and decided to look up the stop number online and used a future stop as a cross reference and it gave me an indication on when the bus would arrive. You can also check their website for something called NextRide to see the next available times for the bus (they provide it in minutes - example 3, 13, 23) that the bus will be at your location. I had a map with me to see the different stops they made, so I knew when to get off - just press the yellow button (you will see it next to one of the windows or elsewhere on the bus) and it will alert the driver that you want to get off at the next stop. When it was time to head back home, I used the NextRide piece (under Rider Tools) from the website and it let me know when the next bus would arrive - I also saw where the bus pick up spot was located as well (they do have several stops in Georgetown). I do like that the cost to ride is now free. The only thing I though was strange was that if you ride in the last seats of the bus (in the back), the two corner seats are facing 2 other seats so close to each other - meaning if you sit in any one of those seats, you have to really know each other as the space between folks back there is so tight (almost like sitting on top of the person in front of you - as they face you) - weird. read more

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I used the DC Circulator to get to and from Union Station to my hotel near the convention center and it wasn't bad. On the pro side, when I used it, it was free. Otherwise, it costs a dollar, which is still a great deal. Also, I just missed one as I was heading back to the train but another one came in less than five minutes. On the downside, I had to wait 20 minutes for a bus when I took it on Friday at rush hour, which isn't awful but for something that is supposed to run every 10 minutes, it's not great. The real problem (if you're picking it up at Union Station) is that the signage is almost non-existent. On the website, it says to go where the buses are at Union Station, but if you've been there, you know it is a major bus depot. There is clear signage for all of the other lines but for the Circulator, I found one tiny sign in the middle of the garage. I'm used to using public transit so I kind of guessed it would be closer to H Street and that's where I got the bus, but for less savvy bus riders, I can see them wandering around in circles looking for it. My recommendation, just add some signs and arrows to let people know where to go. read more

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Great service to hop on and off at the majority of the attractions around DC. There are announcements of what stops/ attractions are upcoming and the drivers were very helpful as well. There is a National Mall loop where you can just sit and see the attractions as you drive by. There's also a Georgetown loop taking you to that section of the city as well as a couple more I think. It was free at the moment but even when there's a charge, it's only a buck. Great value for anyone traveling and site seeing, alone or with a family. read more

Great way to get around DC. It was free! Drivers are very helpful! Beware if you go to union station for transfer to another line as it's very confusing read more

After much wrangling, the Georgetown Loop deserves special kudos for servicing this area since 2005. There are two routes which covers Georgetown. The Rosslyn Route crosses Key Bridge and passes the Exorcist Stairs and M Street before turning towards Dupont Circle. The Georgetown Route covers Wisconsin Avenue. The eastbound part passes Filomena Ristorte to cover the waterfront and Washington Harbor before turning toward Chinatown and Union Station. One star deducted for difficult transfers at Union Station (especially to Mall Loop) and different eastbound vs westbound waterfront stops. read more

The Circulator is a great route for getting around the heart of DC. I used the Metro more, but this bus helped in areas near the Mall and not so near the Metro. Service is pretty good. Depends on the driver, of course. Some are glad to help, others are just doing their job without much care for their passengers. The buses are clean and easy to get on and off. They stop at all the spots you'd expect. I hear it used to be free, but $1 isn't bad (and I think that is one charge per day, not every time you get on and off.) read more

I usually take the National Mall route. This is a very busy route. On peak days, the traffic is so bad that the bus cannot move. The National Mall route takes you to all of the museums and monuments around the National Mall with a stop right next to the Smithsonian Metro. It used to cost $1 per trip on the circulator. Mayor Bowser just announced recently that it is free. With the convenient stops around the city and free service, yes it is a 5 star. Sometimes the bus is delayed due to traffic. I cannot make any deduction since it is a free service. Tip - Download the circulator map on the phone so you can plan your stops even inside the Metro. It is helpful to have offline maps of the Metro system, DC circulator and an offline map of DC downtown on the phone. Google maps lets you download offline maps to the device. read more

DC Circulator - New bus, free wifi, and FREE. What more to ask for? - Public Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wait, Wait, WAIT! Did you just say it cost ONE DOLLAR to get around the National Mall? Serious, $1? Okay, I'm SOLD! The DC Circulator is the perfect way to get around to see most of the museums around the National Mall. For $1.00 for adults and .50 cents for seniors, locals/tourist can enjoy visiting 15 different stops that include the Union Station, National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Washington Monument, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial, just to name a few. You can essentially "hop on and hop off" for up to 2 hours. The system has several different loops around the City in addition to the National Mall. Here are 5 reasons why YOU should take the DC Circulator: 1. One Dollar Fare; now tell me, which other states can beat that? 2. The bus runs every 10 minutes; Yup, you heard me right, no long waits for the bus to come. 3. It offers FREE onboard WI-FI. Now, you know THAT will certainly come in handy! 4. Getting low on battery? No worries! The Circulator offers USB Chargers on the go! 5. Also, it's an Electric Bus! But wait! It gets better!! Let me explain the Payment options: You can pay with cash or coins, OR, the SmarTrip Card, which is a rechargeable Card used to pay for fares on the Metrorail and Metrobus. You can buy and load the SmarTrip card at any of the Metrorail stations. Children under the age of 5 and free with a paying adult. DC students including elementary and high school are free with a DC One Card. Overall, this is one of the BEST alternative transportation routes when getting around in DC! DC's traffic is insane! But the DC Circulator us an effective and efficient way to travel through the major area of Washington, DC! I would strongly recommend. read more

DC Circulator - The guide map - Public Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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On a recent trip to DC my wife and I found that the routes of the Circulator complemented the use of the metro as a secondary means of transportation. Conveniently enough the routes of the Circulator buses cover some areas that the metro doesn't fully serve or seemingly under serve. Routes into Georgetown, as well as the National Mall route, and the one that includes Columbia Heights/Logan Circle were among the ones that I found quite beneficial. One plus is that service hours for some of the Circulator routes are later than that of metro line service. As of early fall 2019, there was no cost to ride the DC Circulator buses. I experienced no real downsides to the service, other than the buses were not as timely as the metrobuses. As it was free service though, I cannot complain about that! If I were using this bus as part of a commute versus as a tourist to the city, I can definitely see that the lack of timeliness would be problematic. Of the drivers that we encountered all of them were helpful and friendly. The USB charging ports were a welcomed perk and served to be useful. When coupled with the metro, the DC circulator helped us get to places more efficiently. Making the DC Circulator a feasible transit option when compared to taking a Lyft somewhere. Provided the Circulator is still around the next time we are in DC we will surely use it again. read more

DC Mall Circulator you suck. Do not expect to use this on the Mall between the hours of 3 and 6 pm, or on weekends. How is it that we'd often see three buses together in a row? But when we wanted to hop on, we waited over an hour (luckily at a stop with a place to sit down and we had snacks) and then we decided to walk instead and saw two buses together, but still probably at least 10 minutes from the stop we walked from? We were in Georgetown on a busy weekend and saw the buses non stop, so maybe other routes work better. We did ride once on the mall, waiting at least 30 minutes at a non busy stop in the middle of a weekday. The first time the driver yelled at the crowd I was taken aback. Probably a lot of people on this bus dont know things like the back door is for exit only. Still, she could have been a little nicer. read more

Service to Union Station from Georgetown is unreliable. I don't recommend if you're able to take other transportation.

After a week in DC am a Circulator Pro . The Drivers are so helpful as to which bus I need to ride to get to my location. Right now the bus is FREE. I would pay to ride this bus nothing can bet AC and USB charger on a hot day of touring the city. I would ride it again. read more

When the Circulator was making its mark in DC, I was such a fan. Clean buses. Cheap fares. Felt safe. Routes fit my needs for the most part. Now fast forward. It advertises that buses come every 10 minutes. Ummm.... that has not been my experience AT ALL. The tracker says a bus will arrive in 1 minute. Oftentimes 22 minutes later and still no bus. By their accounts and their tracker, I should have had my pick of more than one bus. I am not sure what the cause is for this discrepancy. Is it the drivers reporting they are at a particular location when, in fact, they are off on break in a different part of time? I think I can speak with some authority since I get off work at the same time. I wish I received a refund for every minute I have wasted standing out in the freezing cold when the buses are awol. If I were grading on schedule reliability alone, I would give the DC Circulator 1 star. The rates will be increasing. I wonder if their reliability will improve. Time will tell... 4/14/18 I lowered it to one star because of their failure to arrive or sometimes even stop. Apparently the only consistent thing about their company is that they run late. Who cares if their customers have to get to work? They don't. My boss, on the other hand, does care. read more

DC Circulator - Handicapped seating. - Public Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Nice way to get around! Only $1 (and free during cherry blossom time!) ... DC traffic can be bad, so if there are delays, you really can't blame them for that. If you are in a rush - this is not for you! If you have limited time, pick your destination and try to use the Metro and walk. If you have some time, a ride around the circulator is fun and relaxing, going all around the tidal basin to give you perspective from various angles. Like what you see? Stop, get off the bus and check it out. read more

When the Circulator actually comes, it's a great $1 ride that goes to many locations. When it comes. During rush hour you had better be patient, because you may be able to walk faster(and my walk to the museum was 30 minutes!) to your destination than wait for a Circulator to show up. And then it's a slug's crawl. Amazingly, the seats are fabric. I guess D.C. folks, having more respect for the tenderness of their tushes, don't shred the seating on their public transport with the gusto New Yorkers do and get to keep their padded seats. For that miracle alone, the Circulator gets an extra star. It's a small bus, never seems too crowded, and is a bargain when you can get one. You can even transfer from Circulator to Circulator for free within a two hour time period. The Mall loop is great for seeing the tourist sites, and you don't even have to get off at the end of the loop. Different Circulator routes have different end times, so if you are visiting, be sure to check yours. The Mall route unfortunately ends at 7 pm, so you don't get to see the great Washington and Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials lit up at night. The Georgetown routes, from either Dupont or by the Mall, are great ways to get there since the closest metro stop still entails a walk. I just wish the windows were cleaner for better viewing. read more

DC Circulator - Public Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I used to be proud riding this service, friendlier and cleaner than Metrorail and Metrobus, I had no problems with it at all, but ever since the service was "FREE" to the public, the buses and drivers have become TERRIBLE! I mean it was cheaper then metrobus and metrorail to get you where you needed to go. They say it 8 mins. between buses more like 80 mins. I saw 3 buses go by(they have the lostest service) before a circulator finally showed up. I found out another company took over and that would explain some of the driver's appearance also. (Whatever happened to taking pride in where you worked?) Honestly, Yelp needs to add negative stars and the only reason I gave it one is because I'm hoping when it's no longer "FREE" the service will het better.....(Oh well, I can dream can't I?) read more

Buses confuse me. I've never ridden one successfully....until the DC Circulator. Today I broke my years-long curse of not understanding bus schedules. With every other bus I've taken (many cities over the course of five or so years), I either miss it, get on the wrong one, or get on the right one and then find out that it doesn't really go where I expected it to go. The maps are so simple and easy to understand, and they run every ten minutes, so you don't have to check a schedule. The bus itself was really clean and not too crowded, and the bus drivers were really nice and not disgruntled at all. Did I mention that it's only $1? They take cash or SmarTrip, and the transfers are good for 3 hours on other Circulator buses or Metrobus, and you can get the discounted rate if you have a Metro transfer slip. Following the map, I was able to get to the right stop for the right bus. It took the predicted route and dropped me off where I wanted to go. This may not seem like a big deal, but it's the first time this has ever happened to me. God bless the DC Circulator! read more

REVIEW OF NATIONAL MALL ROUTE Other reviewers are correct, this is a clean and inexpensive mode of transportation in the District and Rosslyn. Drivers are courteous, they help handicapped people get on and off, wait for people crossing the street, and even wait for people running to catch the bus. If you want to tour the Mall without a tour guide on weekends or during the midday, the Circulator is for you. However if it is rush hour, and you are trying get to your job near the National Mall on time in the morning, or back to Union Station to catch the Amtrak, MARC or VRE in the evening, this is not for you. The driver I had today on the new National Mall route was extremely slow. read more

Normally I love the circulator but today I am very frustrated because I waited for the bus at Union Station for 30 mins. The buses are supposed to run every ten but during that time there were only two out of service buses. I ended up having to pay for an Uber to get to Georgetown even though I gave myself an hour and a half for the trip, which should have been more than enough time. read more

The $1 fare is a big attraction. The buses are quite nice; clean and with a lot of space. Definitely better than Metro or Rideons. The downsides are that this isn't a very bus-friendly city, and the routes are limited. The Georgetown route moves extremely slow even when it's not rush hour, not because it's doing anything wrong, but because of the lights, traffic, construction, and overall undrivable roads. The routes cover areas that are otherwise hard to traverse, but there's nothing that gets you from Georgetown to Dupont, AdMo, or anything else in Northwest, and there are plenty of other places where we could use a bus route and don't have one (even from the more comprehensive Metrobuses). The Circulator has its uses, if you're going the right way. read more

Stumbled upon this transportation service on Frommer's DC travel guide on the last night of our trip and was so happy that I did!! We already had the SmarTrip card from traveling on the Metro around the DC area, but noticed that there is no Metro train service to Georgetown. Please note, this review is for the Dupont Circle - Georgetown - Rosslyn (in VA) bus route. It seems there are 5 different "Circulator" routes. This bus service route runs every 10 minutes every day, Sun-Thur 7am-Midnight and on Fri-Sat until 2am. The DC Circulator bus was comfortable, clean and safe. It usually costs $1 to ride, but with the SmarTrip card, the discounted rate is .50¢ per ride. There are you other discounts as well (transfer, students, etc). We were staying at the Dupont Circle hotel and the bus and Metro was pretty much across the circle, which was super convenient! I'm not sure if it was just super busy when we were there July 4th weekend, but the traffic in Georgetown slowed the service a little when we went on a Saturday evening. Would highly recommend taking this if traveling to Georgetown from Dupont Circle! This route also travels to Rosslyn, VA (if you plan on staying right across the water in VA). Website for info: http://www.dccirculator.com/Home/BusRoutesandSchedules.aspx read more

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1. You should do training for your drivers about "humanity" . Basically, some of your drivers, if not all, do not know what humanity means. I just got off from the bus at Anacostia station, and tried to get into the Circulator en route to Union Station. Your driver just pulled out from your bus bay, I signaled if I can hop in the bus. You know what, he just waved his hand and wouldn't let me get in the bus. And yet he's not even a meter away from your bus buy. He has not even crossed the pedestrian lane. 2. I thought your schedule is accurate, it's just the same as the metro buses, it sucks read more

The DC Circulator sounds nice in theory, but for a bus that is supposed to come every 10 minutes, the scheduling is incredibly unreliable. For example, the other weekend I tried to take a bus from Rosslyn to Georgetown. In the time three buses should have arrived, 2 buses came and one bus then went out of service and the driver walked away from the bus. When the second bus arrived, at least the driver let us get on the bus and out of the rain, but he also stepped off the bus and went on a break too! A woman asked and he said he'd be leaving in 8 minutes, which is almost the time for when a fourth bus should be arriving! Why would you schedule it so two drivers go on break at the same time when the schedule is already behind? Moreover, the bus is frequently behind schedule during the week when I try to get on at the stop outside Farragut North and go in the direction of Georgetown. Such that again, multiple buses should have shown up in the time that one finally arrives. The Circulator needs to seriously take a look at its scheduling. At this point it's worse than Metro and that's really saying something because it's hard to be worse than Metro! Update: I reached out to customer service through the Circulator's website and they responded and they investigated my concerns and have assigned operations managers to the route to monitor the arrival/departure times to ensure they provide customers with reliable services and sent me some free passes for the inconvenience, which was a nice gesture. Hopefully I will see a change in the service now that they have taken actions to address the scheduling issues. read more

I love the circulator. I wanted to get my cherry blossoms on without parking issues. I took the #1 stop (on a 15 stop route) on the DC Circulator National Mall Service. I got off on #6 stop (Bureau of Engraving & Printing) near the tidal basin. You can use your Smart card or $1.00 bill. The buses are large, comfy and clean. There are six routes that leave every ten minutes from various places in DC. The red route leaves from Union Station. I enjoyed seeing various DC sights as a passenger that I miss when driving. Plan your own trip at www.dccirculator.com Bonus points for having a red bus. read more

$1 fares (or hop/hop off all day fares for $3) to take you around the entire National Mall/Monument area? Are you kidding me? And that $1 gets you what appear to be VERY new and extremely clean busses, frequent service throughout the day, and friendly, knowledgeable drivers? Seriously, are you kidding me? I don't know about the other routes, and I don't think the leisurely pace required of the bus to travel down Madison Dr. & Jefferson Dr. would work as a commuting option, but if you're a tourist hitting the big DC destinations along the Mall, you'd be a fool to pass this deal up. It was freezing cold and windy today, and the $3 I paid to transport my whole family from the Lincoln Memorial to the Museum of Natural History may be the best purchase I've ever made. read more

Thank you Circulator for giving me a super cheap and easy way to get to/from Trader Joe's. There is no way I can't give this service less than 5 stars because: 1. It is $1. Coming from Metro? 50 cents. Transfering from a Metrobus? Free. And the circulator didn't raise rates like those two have either. 2. It runs pretty consistently and is dependable. 3. On the McPhearson Sq-Woodley Park route, there aren't too many stops so I can get from the Sq up to Columbia Heights very quickly. read more

Wonderful service while exploring DC. Get a map, not all bus stops are circulator stops even on their routes. Very frequent service.

I didn't discover this bus until our last day in DC. Combining the Metro underground with the DC Circulator makes getting around the entire city super easy and affordable. The buses are clean and air conditioned. Bus drivers are friendly and helpful. They come every 10 mins approximately or less. read more

We had a bus driver today who was amazing and should get the award as being the friendliest and the most compassionate man in Washington. His name is Mr. Howard. Apparent he has many every day passengers who love to ride his bus. He greets most passengers with a sincere smile and friendly conversation. He takes the time to assist passengers needing help with directions or physical needs. He is polite to everyone and a pure caring man. He is a man I will never forget and I hope that he is recognized my his management as the true asset that he is! read more

I was visiting DC and had to catch a bus from georgetown. I was amazed that the bus was free. I looked it up and it said the bus was free for the whole month or so for some cause. Great job CIRCULATOR read more

DC Circulator - Public Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was the worst. Real-time map didn't work at all. Driver took a "bathroom break" at Union Station and made us get off the bus for 15 minutes and stand in the 95 degree hot sun while she did that. It looked like there were only 2 busses at a time on the entire route while 3 others were hanging out at union station. Never again. read more

I came here to visit D.C. From Houston we did not rent a car. I used the D.C. Circulator the whole entire visit. I felt the it was a bang for your buck! I got the 3 day pass $7 totally worth it because we used it to get around the national mall, museum and tidal basin! National mall is huge so you need to take it to save your feet. Unfortunately our hotel was closer to union station alway at the other end of tidal basin so it helped a lot after walking all that way to get a bus back to union station. You can get on the bus also if you pay $1 per ride but than that adds up after awhile. D.C. Bus takes u to most of the major attractions you just may have to get off and catch a diff bus. The bus majority of the time was not full at all compared to metro. I strictly used this bus to get around didn't have to add money for metro and rail. Took a bit longer because we had to use diff routes to get where we needed to be but it still worked out for us. read more

DC Circulator - Public Transportation Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Insane! Bus stops and waits for 5min at stops. Better to use Capital Bikeshare unless you're in a wheelchair.

Absolutely horrible experience. Let me first start off with I know it's a free service but we're still paying for it through taxes. Me and my family we're looking to travel from the Washington Monument to the Jefferson Memorial. Our first driver stopped in the middle of the route to "eat lunch" even though it was 3:30. So we all had to get off. Then another bus came and we got on. All was well until a child got there arm stuck in the door. Everyone was screaming at the driver to open the door and the driver got very nasty and screamed at us that it was open even though it wasn't still. Finally the door opens and the family gets out and talks to the driver. (I credit the Father who did for not losing it at the driver) After this the driver had to report the situation so she got out and made a phone call. We all herd her swearing at the family while she made this phone call. A little while later the driver gets off the phone and tells us we all have to get off the bus. One guy who was also in the same situation as us yells "what a joke" the driver hears this and yells at him to "shut up". Because of both of these situations we had wait around 20 minutes for another bus that finally took us there. This service was completely horrible and I will not be talking the DC Circulator again. read more

How handy! For just $1, you can easily get around the Mall area, as well as other areas in DC. We took it to shop in Georgetown and it dropped us off right in the middle of it all. It's just a city bus, but they are very clean and safe. read more

The DC Circulator is fantastic! And one of most underutilized form of public transportation in DC. When I rode it, there were 3 other people on the bus, 2 of which were tourists. The bus is super nice (low floors, wide aisles, big view windows), clean, convenient, and cheap. For the areas it serves, it beats the Metro any day: 1) It costs less than a Metro ride at $1 a pop. They take SmarTrip! And transfers are good for 3 hours. 2) The Circulator will most likely put you closer to your destination than a metro stop. 3) The driver is friendly and helpful. I was pretty disoriented the first time I stepped on, but my bus driver asked where I was going and reminded me when we got to the stop. 4) It is a great way to tour the city! If you don't keep a car, I would recommend taking a ride some time just to see different parts of DC. The Circulator has three routes. They all cross each other and are designed to make transferring easy, so be sure to check the map out before your trip! Lastly, this is great way to get to Georgetown if you don't drive. read more

Sure it sounds like Arnold's out-of-office-rebound movie, or perhaps a Frat house's monthly venereal disease outbreak, but damn I could circulate all day on this bus. And in fact, I did. Cheap, clean and convenient, this bus runs every 10 minutes and will get you from Georgetown to Union Station for $1. Need I say more? read more