About Forest Glen Station
Forest Glen station opened on September 22, 1990, as part of the Red Line extension into deeper Montgomery County. The station is one of the most unusual in the entire WMATA system — not for its neighborhood, which is a quiet residential area along Georgia Avenue, but for its extraordinary engineering: the platform sits 196 feet (60 m) below street level, making it the deepest station in the Metro system and in all of Maryland.
At that depth, escalators were not a viable option. Instead, Forest Glen uses high-speed elevator towers to connect the street level and the platform. These elevators travel at high speed and reach the platform in approximately 25 seconds — a brief but notable ride that gives passengers a glimpse into the scale of the underground construction. There are no escalators at Forest Glen, period — the elevators are the only option for vertical movement.
The Forest Glen neighborhood above the station is a quiet, tree-lined residential community in the Forest Glen/Wheaton area of Montgomery County. The Georgia Avenue corridor above the station has restaurants, shops, and services catering to the local community. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is located nearby along Georgia Avenue.
Lines & Schedule
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Peak service (Mon–Fri 5–9:30am, 3–7pm): every 6 min. Off-peak and weekends: every 12 min. Last train shortly before midnight on weekdays, ~2am Fri–Sat.
Nearby Attractions
Station Exits
Rider Tips
- There are NO escalators at Forest Glen — only a bank of six high-speed elevators, running at about 17 feet per second down the full 196 feet. During peak hours, small queues can form at elevator banks. Allow an extra 2–3 minutes at Forest Glen compared to a typical Metro station.
- Because access is elevator-only, Forest Glen is completely inaccessible when elevators are out of service. Before travel, check WMATA's elevator status at wmata.com/elevators or via the MetroHero app. WMATA prioritizes elevator maintenance here precisely because it's the only access.
- The surface parking lot fills on weekday mornings. Arrive before 7:30 AM if driving. The lot is slightly less competitive than Wheaton or Glenmont but still fills consistently during the work week.
- Metrorail fares are based on the distance between your entry and exit stations, so trips from this outer Red Line station are among the pricier ones, rising towards the $6.75 weekday maximum. After 9:30 PM and all weekend a flat $2.25–$2.50 applies. A SmarTrip card is essential; paper tickets add a significant surcharge.
Adjacent Stations on the Red Line
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Forest Glen Metro have no escalators?
Forest Glen station is 196 feet below street level — too deep for escalators to be practical or cost-effective. At this depth, the engineering and maintenance cost of escalators would be prohibitive. WMATA instead installed a bank of six high-speed elevators, travelling at about 17 feet per second, as the only link between street level and the platform. This makes Forest Glen the only WMATA station without direct surface access by escalator.
How deep is Forest Glen Metro station?
The Forest Glen platform is 196 feet (60 meters) below street level. This makes it the deepest station in the WMATA Metrorail system and in the state of Maryland. The depth was necessary because building the tunnels closer to the surface, through soft rock, would have been either very costly or impossible.
What happens if the elevators are broken at Forest Glen?
If elevators are out of service at Forest Glen, the station cannot be used — there is no staircase or escalator alternative. WMATA will typically post staff to redirect riders to Silver Spring or Wheaton (the adjacent stations in both directions). Always check WMATA's elevator status before traveling if you plan to use Forest Glen, especially if mobility is a concern.
Is there parking at Forest Glen Metro?
Yes, Forest Glen has a WMATA surface parking lot. Daily parking is paid via SmarTrip card at the kiosk near the lot entrance. The lot fills on weekday mornings — arriving before 7:30 AM is recommended for guaranteed parking. Weekend parking is generally available without difficulty.