If you are still fumbling for cash at a Metro garage, you are officially behind the curve. Metro has rolled out its Tap. Ride. Go. contactless payment system to Metro-owned parking facilities, letting drivers pay for station parking with a credit or debit card or mobile wallet right at the exit gate.
The agency marked the milestone with an April 30 event at the College Park–University of Maryland Station and said the phased rollout actually started in March. Metro officials are pitching the move as another step in making every leg of a commute faster and more flexible, from faregates to parking exits.
In a press release, WMATA called the change part of a "phased, systemwide expansion" and confirmed that College Park is already live. General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said, "Expanding Tap. Ride. Go. to our parking facilities is about making every part of the trip easier for customers." Local TV coverage of the rollout also ran on WUSA9.
How to tap to pay for parking
To get the lower daily parking rate, Metro says riders have to use the system correctly. That means tapping the same contactless credit or debit card or the same mobile wallet at the parking exit that they used for their rail trip, and leaving the lot within two hours.
Metro's Tap. Ride. Go. FAQ also flags the risk of "card clash" when people hold multiple cards or devices over the reader at once. If more than one payment method is in range, the system might charge the wrong one. The agency is also reminding riders that SmarTrip is still the way to go for reduced fares, passes and SmartBenefits.
For full step-by-step instructions and answers to common questions, see WMATA.
Where this fits in the rollout
The parking expansion follows last spring's initial Tap. Ride. Go. activation at rail faregates and a Metrobus rollout scheduled for late 2025. In November, ARLnow reported that Metro planned to bring open payments first to buses and then to station garages, a sequence Metro leaders said would be especially helpful for visitors and occasional riders who do not always carry a SmarTrip card.
What riders should watch for
Metro says parking and fare charges from Tap. Ride. Go. will show up on bank and card statements under "Metro." Riders who want a closer look at their transactions are advised to review receipts through their SmarTrip accounts or contact Metro customer service if something does not look right.
Commuters using employer benefit programs should keep that familiar SmarTrip card handy, since SmartBenefits and reduced fares remain tied to that card rather than to open payment methods. Metro also maintains an online tracker that lists which parking facilities accept Tap. Ride. Go. as the phased rollout continues across the system.
