DASH will change Alexandria bus service beginning Aug. 9

Alexandria riders will see scheduled DASH service changes beginning Sunday, Aug. 9, with the largest expansion on Line 32 and bus-stop changes planned in North Old Town.

Line 32 will operate every 30 minutes, seven days a week, along its full route between King Street Metro Station and the West Alexandria Transit Center. DASH will also adjust timetables on several routes and the King Street Trolley while consolidating stops along portions of three North Old Town corridors.

Line 32 gets full-route, seven-day frequency

Beginning Aug. 9, all Line 32 trips will run end-to-end between King Street Metro Station and the West Alexandria Transit Center every 30 minutes, seven days a week. The change expands on a previous weekday frequency improvement between Van Dorn Metro and the West Alexandria Transit Center.

DASH describes the change as part of its Fiscal Year 2027 Alexandria Transit Strategic Plan update. The agency says the service package is intended to provide more consistent schedules and improve frequency, bus spacing, reliability and accessibility.

An earlier City of Alexandria budget analysis estimated that the full Line 32 expansion could add about 56,000 annual riders at an estimated annual operating cost of $619,920. Those figures were projections for the service scenario, not a report of realized ridership or final operating results.

Several routes will receive timetable adjustments

DASH plans minor timetable changes on Lines 30, 31, 34, 35, 36 and 103. The King Street Trolley timetable will be adjusted as well.

DASH says the FY 2027 update maintains the current overall level of service and is designed to account for traffic patterns, improve bus spacing and better reflect actual arrival and travel times. The changes are scheduled updates; they do not establish that every rider will experience shorter trips or improved on-time performance.

North Old Town stops will be consolidated

Riders in North Old Town should review stop information before traveling. Stops served by Lines 30, 31 and 34 along portions of North Fairfax Street, Madison Street and Montgomery Street will be consolidated to approximately every other block between City Hall/Market Square and Braddock Road Metro Station.

DASH’s published stop plan removes four stops in each direction, adds four eastbound stops and adds one westbound stop. The plan does not remove every stop in the affected area. Depending on the route and direction of travel, some passengers may need to use a different stop or walk farther to board.

What riders should check before Aug. 9

Before making a trip, riders should check the updated DASH timetable, stop IDs and service alerts. This is especially important for North Old Town passengers using Lines 30, 31 or 34, where stop locations will change.

The service package follows the city’s annual transit planning and budget process. DASH’s longer-term goal is to move toward more frequent service across Alexandria, but the results of the Aug. 9 changes will need to be evaluated after implementation rather than assumed in advance.

Sources

• DASH service update announcement
• City of Alexandria FY 27 Budget Q&A #021
• The Alexandria Brief coverage