Metro Pulse

Metro Pulse

Track your bus or train

106 ratings
52 reviews
Free

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • May 16, 2025
  • July 14, 2026

Features

Metro Pulse screenshot #1 for iPhone
Metro Pulse screenshot #2 for iPhone
Metro Pulse screenshot #3 for iPhone
Metro Pulse screenshot #4 for iPhone
Metro Pulse screenshot #5 for iPhone
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About

This app provides real-time transit information for the Washington region, including arrival times, service alerts, and trip planning. It offers practical details on nearby stations, elevator status, and offline maps for convenient travel.

Real-time arrival times
Nearby station information
Trip planner with fare estimates
Service alerts and notifications
Offline route maps
SmarTrip® integration
Online chat support
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What users say

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What's New in Metro Pulse

2.0.3

July 14, 2026

Map stop selection updates address bar Dropped pin used as the default Explore location when GPS is turned off Stops show all directions, including terminal locations Map stop selection shows scheduled data on first click Only one enlarged stop circle at a time Multiple clicks needed to display stop-level arrivals Stops not consistently highlighting or enlarging in Explore view GPS icon should show off when GPS is turned off

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User reviews

Made a bad app worse

Well WMATA has done the impossible. They’ve made the previously glitchy app now entirely inoperable. For one, when you open the screen, it takes a few for the screen to show you a whole song and dance before getting to what you are there for. What a great use of time for all us riders. Second, the app now is unbelievably unreliable as it fails to connect to the internet 50% of the time I try to open it the first time around. Again, great feature for a transit app.
Third and perhaps the worse of it all is that the app does not seems to be designed to help commuters actually gauge information. For trains, you can no longer see multiple trains in your direction of choice when it comes to the countdown. Additionally, the app does a horrendous job indicating the directionality of the trains. As for buses, the app is totally unhelpful bc of these same issues. But to make it worse, this app update seems to have broken the track a bus feature. These issues barely scratch the surface of what’s wrong with this app and people have made their complaints to WMATA to no avail. I highly recommend not relying on this hot garbage until WMATA takes people’s complaints more seriously.
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Response from developer

Thanks for sharing your feedback with us. Can you check if you're using the most updated version of the app? We just recently made enhancements that address some of your concerns. Feel free to chat in the app, so one of our team members can further assist you. - TP

Tired of bouncing between apps

I kept bouncing between Transit and DC Metro & Bus for years but neither of them ever felt fully reliable because they’re pulling data secondhand. Switched to Metro Pulse a while back and the alerts are faster, arrivals feel more accurate, and I can actually chat with someone in the app when something’s off instead of rage-googling. Still has rough edges but it’s the official app and they’re clearly working on it, so I’m sticking with it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
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Response from developer

We're so glad to hear that the app is helping to make travel easier! -KB

Getting better

The app is a lot better, however, if I’m trying to schedule trips to plan my day out, the arrival function isn’t working properly. It will plan me leaving at 11 AM instead of arriving at 11 AM.

Response from developer

We appreciate your feedback. To plan a trip based on when you’d like to arrive (instead of when you leave), you’ll need to adjust the trip settings. Under the destination section, select the “Leave now” tab. From there, you can choose your desired time and switch to the “Arrive” option. This will let you plan trips that get you to your destination by your preferred time. -RT

Update

You updated the whole UI but didn’t fix the issue with Rosslyn not showing blue line trains correctly the way it shows the orange/silver. That would be more helpful then changing the look.

Response from developer

Hi there! Thanks for the feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We've shared your comments with our development team for review as we continue improving the app and rider experience. -RT

Useless

Tried many times to plan a trip on red line from friendship heights to Union station and it didn’t do anything. This is MetroMinus

Developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

3 issues

Old bus route numbers displayed on iPad app

Bug

Location permissions not working

Bug

Inability to switch between train and bus

Bug

Requested Features

3 requests

Ability to plan future trips

Feature

Fare data integration

Feature

Scrollable and closable welcome screen

Feature

FAQ

What does MetroPulse do?

MetroPulse is the official transit app for the Washington region, offering real-time information for Metrorail and Metrobus. It helps users plan trips, check arrival times, receive service alerts, and find nearby stations and stops.

What are the key features of MetroPulse?

Key features include up-to-the-second arrival times, real-time crowding and delay indicators, practical info on nearby stations (including elevator status), a trip planner with fare estimates, live performance metrics, service alerts, offline maps, and SmarTrip® integration.

Is MetroPulse free to use?

Yes, MetroPulse is a free application. The description does not mention any costs, in-app purchases, or subscription fees associated with its use.

What areas does MetroPulse cover?

MetroPulse provides transit information for the Washington region, specifically covering D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.

How can I plan a trip with MetroPulse?

To plan a trip, simply enter your destination into the trip planner feature. The app will provide multiple route options combining rail and bus, along with estimated fares and total travel times.