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L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station: An Overview

Black-and-white photo of a Washington Metro station with a vaulted coffered concrete ceiling, twin tracks running down the center, and passengers waiting along the side platforms.
What is L’Enfant Plaza?

One of the Washington Metro system’s primary transfer hubs. L’Enfant Plaza opened in 1977. It's named for Pierre Charles L’Enfant, the planner of Washington, DC, and sits within the larger L’Enfant Plaza complex of offices, retail, and federal buildings.

L’Enfant Plaza is a major interchange serving the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green, and Yellow lines. Its central position connects Southwest to Downtown DC, Capitol Hill, Northern Virginia, and Prince George’s County. It also provides direct access to the VRE commuter rail and is within walking distance of The Wharf, the National Mall, and several federal headquarters. It's one of the system’s most strategically connected stations.

Is there a food court?

Yes. L’Enfant Plaza has an indoor food court located within the plaza’s retail concourse above the Metro station. You’ll find a simple mix of quick-service and grab-and-go options, including:

  • Sandwich and sub shop (e.g., Subway)
  • American-Chinese quick service (e.g., Panda Express)
  • Fast-casual counters (various grab-and-go vendors)
  • Coffee and snack kiosks
  • Convenience-style food vendors

How do I get there?

L’Enfant Plaza features multiple entrances integrated underneath the larger complex of offices and retail shops, rather than a single standalone headhouse. Its main exterior entrances include:

  • Entrance A — 7th St & Maryland Ave SW (Maryland Avenue side of the L’Enfant Plaza complex)
  • Entrance B — D Street SW between 6th & 7th Streets
  • Entrance C — 9th & D Streets SW (L’Enfant Plaza Mall concourse access)
  • DOT Courtyard entrance — southwest corner off D Street SW

What's Immediately Nearby?

L’Enfant Plaza is best positioned for the L’Enfant Plaza office/retail complex, nearby federal offices in the immediate Southwest Federal Center blocks, and direct access to VRE commuter rail.

Federal Offices & Agencies (Immediate Area)

  • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
  • National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Museums

  • International Spy Museum

Commuter Rail Connection

  • Virginia Railway Express (VRE) at L’Enfant Plaza (direct connection from the station complex)

  • On-site Convenience

  • L’Enfant Plaza’s indoor concourse for quick bites and lunchtime shopping (connected to station entrances)

Metro Lines & System Access

L’Enfant Plaza is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and is one of the system’s primary transfer stations, served by five lines:

  • Blue Line – runs between Downtown Largo in Maryland and Franconia–Springfield in Virginia
  • Orange Line – runs between New Carrollton in Maryland and Vienna in Virginia
  • Silver Line – runs between Downtown Largo and Ashburn in Loudoun County, including Washington Dulles International Airport
  • Green Line – runs between Greenbelt in Maryland and Branch Avenue in Prince George’s County
  • Yellow Line – runs between Greenbelt in Maryland and Huntington in Virginia

Because all five lines intersect here, L’Enfant Plaza functions as a major transfer hub. Riders can move between Northern Virginia, Prince George’s County, Downtown DC, and the Southwest waterfront without leaving the station complex.

Direct Connections & Estimated Travel Times (From L’Enfant Plaza)

From L’Enfant Plaza, riders have direct, no-transfer access across five Metro lines:

  • Federal Center SW – ~2 minutes (one stop east on Blue/Orange/Silver)
  • Smithsonian – ~2–3 minutes (one stop north on Blue/Orange/Silver)
  • Metro Center – ~4–6 minutes
  • Gallery Place–Chinatown – ~6–8 minutes (Green/Yellow)
  • Rosslyn – ~7–9 minutes
  • Ballston–MU (Arlington) – ~13–16 minutes
  • Tysons – ~20–25 minutes (Silver Line)
  • Washington Dulles International Airport – ~45–50 minutes (Silver Line)

Southbound service provides direct access to:

  • Waterfront (near The Wharf) – ~2–3 minutes (Green Line)
  • Navy Yard–Ballpark – ~5–6 minutes (Green Line)
  • Huntington (VA) – ~20–25 minutes (Yellow Line)
  • Branch Avenue (MD) – ~25–30 minutes (Green Line)

Travel times vary by line, dwell time, and peak vs. off-peak service, but as a five-line interchange, L’Enfant Plaza remains one of the system’s fastest cross-river and cross-network transfer points.

Connections Beyond Rail

L’Enfant Plaza isn't a park-and-ride station, and it doesn't have a dedicated Metro parking garage. Its strength is multimodal access within a dense, walkable federal and waterfront district.
In addition to Metro service, the area includes:

  • Virginia Railway Express (VRE) with direct platform connection inside the station complex
  • Multiple Metrobus routes along 7th Street SW, D Street SW, and Independence Avenue
  • Circulator service connecting Southwest, the National Mall, and Downtown
  • Protected bike lanes along 7th Street SW and Maine Avenue linking to The Wharf and Capitol Riverfront
  • Direct pedestrian access to the L’Enfant Plaza office complex and surrounding federal agencies
  • Walkable access to residential buildings in Southwet DC, and the Waterfront neighborhood

The station’s integrated concourse system and street grid connections make it one of Southwest DC’s most practical hubs for commuting, errands, and waterfront access — without needing a car.