This is a list of bus routes operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), branded as Metrobus in Washington, D.C. Many are the descendants of streetcar lines operated by the Capital Transit Company or its predecessors.

Numbering As of WMATA's Better Bus Redesign beginning on June 29, 2025, all DC routes start with a D or C designation, which applies to Downtown or Crosstown routes respectively, followed by two digits. The second digit identifies the corridor or neighborhood served, generally following a counterclockwise pattern in the style of the old streetcars. For example, the D10 follows Pennsylvania Avenue SE to Southern Avenue SE, and the D90 follows Massachusetts Avenue NW to Tenleytown. The third digit is simply a means of distinction between routes in one corridor; routes ending with X indicate express service.

Formerly, most Metrobus routes in DC were named with a letter followed by a number or double-digit numbers. Historically, the pattern was that:

Double-digit numerical routes indicated former interurban streetcar lines. (70, 54, 43, etc.) Letter-number indicated routes primarily servicing DC. (S9, X2, H4, etc.) Letter-number-number indicated routes primarily servicing Maryland. (F14, T18, etc.) Number-letter indicated routes primarily servicing Virginia. (7A, 5A, etc.)

Odd-numbered routes were typically part-time variants of even-numbered routes. At one time, odd-numbered routes were express routes, but that distinction was later abandoned. Most odd-numbered routes operated during rush hours and/or limited stops with a few of them running into the off-peak hours and weekends.

History Many current routes operate under former streetcar routes. The streetcars provided the main transportation in the Washington, D.C. area from the 1800s to the 1960s. At Google Books. DC Transit would also operate on the former streetcar routes when the Streetcars ended service. In 1973, WMATA acquired DC Transit along with other bus companies to form its current Metrobus system.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, service was mostly reduced to Sunday service schedules during the weekdays with select routes suspended from March 18 until August 22, 2020. Routes 54, 70, 90, A6, A8, B2, H4, S4, V4, W4, and X2 were the only routes that ran during the weekends with the rest of the routes suspended. On August 23, 2020, more routes came back during the weekdays and weekends returning Metrobus service to 75%. Most service and routes resumed on September 5, 2021.

In 2023, WMATA approved 24-hour service on 14 routes serving DC: A6, A8, B2, H4, S2, V2, W4, X2, 32, 33, 52, 70, 80, and 92.

On November 21, 2024, WMATA approved its Better Bus Network Redesign plan, which began development in 2022. Under the plan, all routes would be renamed with easier-to-understand route designations and would modify most of its existing routes to make the bus system easier to use, faster, and more reliable. The Better Bus Network went into effect on June 29, 2025.

Routes Most DC Metrobus routes operate inside the Washington DC borders. However, some routes would venture into small parts of Montgomery County and Prince George's County to connect to various stations in the Hub-and-spoke system via the old Streetcar routing.

Crosstown routes RouteTerminals Streets traveled Service notes DivisionsC11S Capitol St L'Enfant Plaza↔National Harbor(St. George Bl & Waterfront St) Eastover Shopping Center (late nights) M St SW/SE Martin Luther King Av SE S Capitol St Indian Head Hwy 24-hour service Part of 20-minute frequent service network Late night service terminates at Eastover Shepherd ParkwayC13MLK Av–Washington Highlands Anacostia↔Eastover Shopping Center Martin Luther King Av SE Wheeler Rd SE 24-hour service Part of 12-minute frequent service network Shepherd ParkwayC15MLK Av–Southern Av Potomac Avenue↔ Southern Avenue Southern Av SE 4th St SE Martin Luther King Av SE Part of 20-minute frequent service network Shepherd ParkwayC17MLK Av–Bellevue Anacostia↔Eastover Shopping Center Martin Luther King Av SE Mississippi Av SE Shepherd ParkwayC21Alabama Av–Benning Rd Anacostia↔ Minnesota Avenue Benning Rd NE/SE Southern Av SE Alabama Av SE 24-hour service Part of 12-minute frequent service networkShepherd ParkwayC23Alabama Av–Division Av Anacostia↔ Deanwood Division Av NE Texas Av SE Alabama Av SE Marion Barry Av SEShepherd ParkwayC25Pomeroy Rd–Skyland Anacostia↔Skyland Town Center(Denver & 30th Sts SE) Sheridan Rd SE Pomeroy Rd SE Stanton Rd SE Alabama Av SE Part of 20-minute frequent service network Shepherd ParkwayC26Stanton Rd–Skyland Anacostia↔Skyland Town Center(Denver & 30th Sts SE) Sheridan Rd SE Stanton Rd SE Alabama Av SE Part of 20-minute frequent service network Shepherd ParkwayC27Congress Hts–Naylor Rd Naylor Road↔D.C. Village(North Parking Lot) Naylor Rd SE Barnaby Rd SE Mississippi Av SE Alabama Av SE Shepherd ParkwayC29Anacostia–Southern Av Anacostia↔ Southern Avenue Southern Av SE Morris Rd SE Alabama Av SE Part of 20-minute frequent service network Shepherd ParkwayC31Minnesota Av Capitol Heights↔ Navy Yard Nannie Helen Burroughs Av NE Minnesota Av NE/SE 24-hour service Part of 12-minute frequent service networkShepherd ParkwayC33Sheriff Rd Minnesota Avenue↔ Sheriff Rd River Terrace Sheriff Rd NE Minnesota Av NE Benning Rd NE Order of terminals (north to south): River Terrace, Minnesota Avenue, Sheriff Rd NE, then reverse BladensburgC35Mayfair–Hillcrest Deanwood↔Fort Dupont Naylor Road Kenilworth Av NE Minnesota Av NE/SE Branch Av SE Weekday and Sunday service is extended to Naylor Road Andrews Federal CenterC37Lincoln Hts–Potomac Av Minnesota Avenue↔ Potomac Avenue Minnesota Av NE Texas Av SE Ridge Rd SE Pennsylvania Av SE Southern Av SE Part of 20-minute frequent service network Shepherd ParkwayC41Bladensburg Rd Anacostia↔Mount Rainier Terminal(Rhode Island Av & 34th St) West Hyattsville 38th Av Bladensburg Rd NE 14th/15th St NE Potomac Av SE Martin Luther King Av SE 24-hour service Daytime trips alternate ending at Mount Rainier or West Hyattsville Part of 12-minute frequent service network Shepherd ParkwayC43Maryland AvCarver Terrace(21st Pl NE & Maryland Av NE)↔ Union Station Maryland Av NE Shepherd ParkwayC51U St–Anacostia Tenleytown↔ Anacostia Martin Luther King Av SE Potomac Av SE Massachusetts Av NE/NW New Jersey Av NW U St NW Wisconsin Av NW Part of 20-minute frequent service network Shepherd ParkwayC53U St–Congress Heights Woodley Park Duke Ellington Bridge (late nights)↔ Congress Heights U St NW Florida Av NW/NE 8th St NE/SE Marion Barry Av SE Alabama Av SE 24-hour service Part of 12-minute frequent service network Late night service ends at Duke Ellington Bridge Shepherd ParkwayC55Union Station–L'Enfant Plaza L'Enfant Plaza↔ Union Station 7th St SW M St SE Every other trip operates between L'Enfant Plaza and Buzzard Point only Shepherd ParkwayC57U St–Capitol Heights U Street↔ Capitol Heights Florida Av NW/NE Benning Rd NE E Capitol St Weekday peak-hour service only Andrews Federal CenterC61Tenleytown–Brookland Tenleytown↔ Brookland Wisconsin Av NW Porter St NW Columbia Rd/Irving St NW Michigan Av NW/NE 24-hour service Part of 12-minute frequent service network BladensburgC63Deanwood-Georgia Av Georgia Avenue–Petworth↔ Deanwood Franklin St NE 14th St NE Michigan Av NE/NW Columbia Rd/Irving St NW Andrews Federal CenterC7118th St–Ivy City Fort Totten↔ Union Station South Dakota Av NE 18th St NE K St NE BladensburgC75Takoma–Petworth Takoma↔ Georgia Avenue–Petworth 5th St NW Kansas Av NW Part of 20-minute frequent service network BladensburgC77Takoma–Fort Totten Takoma↔ Fort Totten N Capitol St Kansas Av NE Eastern Av NW Weekday peak hour service only BladensburgC81Military RdSibley Hospital↔ Fort Totten Nebraska Av NW Military Rd NW Kennedy St NW Part of 20-minute frequent service network BladensburgC83Barnaby WoodsBarnaby Woods(Knollwood Retirement Home)↔ Friendship Heights Nebraska Av NW McKinley St NW Western Av NW Oregon Av NW WesternC85Nebraska Av–FoxhallPinehurst Circle(Western Av & Pinehurst Cir)↔ Foggy Bottom Nebraska Av NW Wisconsin Av NW McArthur Bl NW Canal Rd NW Weekday peak-hour service only WesternC8716th St–Tenleytown Silver Spring(Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center)↔ Tenleytown 16th St NW Military Rd NW Nebraska Av NW Weekday peak-hour service only MontgomeryC91Georgetown–LeDroit ParkGeorgetown University(37th & O Sts NW)↔Howard University(Bryant St NW & #301) P St NW Q St NW Part of 20-minute frequent service network Western

Route history Route HistoryC11Combination of the former Route P6 between M Street and Anacostia, and Route A8 between L'Enfant Plaza and South Capitol Street SE with an extension to National Harbor via Indian Head Highway.C13Combination of the former Routes A2, A6, and A7 with an extension to Eastover Shopping Center.C15Combination of a modified Routes A2 and A8 with an extension to Potomac Avenue station. C17Combination of a modified Routes A2, A4, W2, and W3 with an extension to Eastover Shopping Center. C21Existing routing of the former Route V7 route while being extended to Anacostia station.C23Existing routing of the former Route W4 with a modified routing in Anacostia.C25Introduced on December 15, 2024. Partially replaced the DC Circulator Congress Heights–Union Station via Barracks Row line. Modified routings of the former Routes W6 and W8. Was extended to Skyland Center on June 29, 2025. All trips no longer serve Congress Heights Station on December 14, 2025.C26Modified routings of the former Routes W6 and W8. All trips no longer serve Congress Heights Station on December 14, 2025.C27Modified routing of the former Route W1 with an extension to D.C. Village, and terminating at Naylor Road station. C29Modified routing of the former Routes W2 and W3.C31Existing routing of the former V2 with an extension to Navy Yard.C33Existing routing from the former Route U4.C35Modified routing from the former Route U7 with a peak-hour extension to Naylor Road. All weekday and Sunday service was extended from Fort Dupont to Naylor Road station on June 21, 2026. Saturday service operates between Deanwood station and Fort Dupont only.C37Combination of the former Route M6 and Route U5.C41Modified routing from the former Route B2 with an extension to West Hyattsville.C43Existing routing from the former Route X8.C51Existing routing of the former Route 96 between Tenleytown and Union station, and rerouted to Anacostia station.C53Existing routing from the former Route 92.C55Modified routing from the former Route 74 between Buzzard Point and L'Enfant Plaza while being extended to Union station.C57Combination of the former Routes 96 and X2.C61Modified routing from the former Routes H2 and H4 with service through Washington Hospital Center being eliminated.C63Modified routing from the former Route H6 between Brookland and Fort Lincoln with extensions to Washington Hospital Center and Deanwood. All trips were extended from Washington Hospital Center to Georgia Avenue–Petworth station on December 14, 2025.C71Existing routing of the former Route E2 with an extension to Union Station via K Street NE.C75Existing routing of the former Routes 62 and 63.C77Existing routing of the former Route K2.C81Combination of the former Route E4 between Fort Totten and Military Road NW, and the former Route M4 between Military Road NW and Sibley Hospital.C83Combination of the former Route E4 between Friendship Heights and McKinley Street, and the former Route M4 between Nebraska Avenue NW and Knollwood.C85Modified routing of the former Route M4 between Pinehurst and Tenleytown with an extension to Foggy Bottom.C87Existing routing of the former Route D31 with an extension to Tenleytown station and Silver Spring station. All trips to Van Ness station were discontinued on December 14, 2025.C91Existing routing of the former Route G2.

Downtown routes