A one day rail pass is $7.80 for a day that starts after 9:30AM. It expires at the end of that service day. Depending on how much you plan on using Metro Rail, that price may be rather steep. The fares are higher priced during rush hours. The fares are based on distance traveled. If you re in the Metro DC tourist area, the fares will generally be $1.35 non rush and $1.65 rush. If you are traveling greater distances, the fares will be higher. If spending a few days in the area, I would suggest buying card for say $10 or $20, then adding on if additional funds are needed. Here s a couple links:This one is for daily passes daily passes...http://www.wmata.com/fares/purchase/pass��This one is for computing fares between station: http://www.wmata.com/rail/stations.cfm
If you buy a regular card, you then pay for each trip. The cost of the trip depends on the length of the trip and the time of day. Longer trips are more expensive, and traveling during rush hour is more expensive.If you will be taking a lot of trips, you can get an unlimited pass. One day is $7.80, but you can t use that before 9:30 am.For details, seehttp://www.wmata.com/fares/purchase/pass��Probably the easiest thing is to buy a card for 2 or 3 dollars, then add money as you need it. Ask the managers at the station if you have any questions about how to do that. They are used to helping visitors.