Silver Line Express Airport Shuttle Coming to Wiehle-Reston East

When Metro’s Silver Line opens later this year, it will also bring several changes to the Washington Flyer airport bus service.

The buses that run to Washington Dulles International Airport will get a new name — Washington Flyer Dulles International Airport Silver Line Express.

Instead of running to and from the West Falls Church Metro station, the dropoff and departure points will now be Reston-Wiehle East. That station, at the intersection of Wiehle Avenue and Sunset Hills Road, will be the terminus of the Silver Line for at least five years.

More importantly, the bus from the airport to the Metro will be shorter and much cheaper. The fare will decrease from the current $10 one-way or $18 round trip to $5 each way, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesman Rob Yingling told The Washington Post.

The airport bus stop will remain unchanged.

When Phase 2 of the $5.6 billion Silver Line is completed, the rail will extend all the way to Dulles and into Loudoun County.

There still is no firm opening date for Phase 1 of the Silver Line, which will run from Tysons Corner to Reston. MWAA Officials are currently in the testing phase of the rail line, but have said they expect to turn the project over to Metro this month. The line should open within 90 days after that.

Other changes coming to the airport transport:

• New buses with an interior layout similar to airport shuttles, with seats and large luggage racks.
• A new schedule. Buses currently run every 30 minutes. When the new line opens, they will run every 20 minutes and as often as every 15 minutes during some weekday peak hours, MWAA says.
• Riders will be able to pay with cash or credit cards. The buses will not take SmarTrip cards.