Metro has launched two buses and a six-car train decorated with cherry blossoms to celebrate spring

Cherry blossom season is almost here, both for D.C. residents and Metro. To celebrate the season, Metro debuted two buses and a six-car train wrapped in a blossom pattern Friday.

Both buses, wrapped in pink and white, as well as the six-car pink train display the words “the blossoms are calling.” The train will run on all of Metrorail’s lines during the season, and the buses will be used around the region.

In their announcement, Metro indicated that the transit system’s live bus and train tracker will have a “special edition” tab showing exactly where the blossom train and buses are; the special edition tab had not been launched as of this article’s writing.

Cherry blossom season also means higher ridership for Metro, as tourists flock to D.C.’s Tidal Basin to see the blooms. Extra trains and buses will be requisitioned for crowd control.

Maintenance work will also be pushed back, starting after 10 p.m. and overnight for four weeks beginning March 20.

For customers that want a 2023 cherry blossom SmarTrip card, those will be available from machines at the L’Enfant Plaza, Navy Yard, and Metro Center rail stations.

As for the cherry trees themselves, the National Park Service indicated that at least 70% of them had reached the third stage of blooming, the extension of florets, as of Tuesday.