Student iRide SmarTrip Card

All Arlington County students in grades K-12 are eligible to participate in the Student iRide Program. By joining the Student iRide Program, students will be provided a free Student iRide Card for free fares on ART and selected Metrobus routes in Arlington.

How to Get a Student iRide Card

Arlington students in grades K - 12 can get a Student iRide SmarTrip card at any Commuter Store. Commuter Sores are located at the following Metro Stations: Ballston, Rosslyn, Crystal City, and Shirlington. The iRide card can also be picked up at a Mobile Commuter Store which makes regularly scheduled stops throughout Arlington. Arlington Public School students can also get an iRide card from their school's Transportation Coordinator (TC) located onsite at their school.

Students seeking to register to the iRide Program must complete the registration form below.

Registration Form (PDF) -- Please print and fill out the registration form ahead of time and bring it with you to the Commuter Store or your School Transportation Coordinator. You will also be asked to show your student ID (or other proof of student enrollment) when obtaining the card. 

Have questions? Check out the iRide SmarTrip Card FAQ for more info.

Terms & Conditions

• Students must be an Arlington County resident enrolled in K-12 school to get the card.
• Card can only be used by the student registrant. Card cannot be used by family or friends.
• Card must be tapped on the farebox for bus entry. All student riders must tap a student iRide SmarTrip card to receive the student fare price.
• The student iRide fare is only available on Arlington Transit (ART) buses and select eligible Metrobus routes.
• Students should purchase, load monies, and register a separate standard SmarTrip card when not traveling on ART bus services or to ride on non-eligible Metrobus routes.
• Student cards used on non-eligible Metrobus routes are subject to card cancellation and removal from the iRide Program.
• All monies added to an iRide SmarTrip card are the responsibility of the card holder, not Arlington Public Schools (APS). If a card is lost with additional monies loaded, all monies are lost for the card holder. APS will not replace or reimburse any additional monies added by a card holder if the card is lost or stolen. Card cannot be exchanged for cash.
• Card must be registered with WMATA when the student receives it. APS will register the card for APS students through an APS account. Previous issued cards must be cancelled before being replaced.
• The card is good until the student graduates from high school. The bearer is subject to being carded by authorized transit employees or police. If carded, presentation of a student ID, with proof of age, must be produced on demand.
• SmarTrip contains sensitive electronics, do not bend, perforate or expose to extreme temperatures.
• Students will not be able to add iRide cards to Apple Wallets at this time.To report lost, stolen card or if there is a problem with your card, please call 1-888-762-7874 (TDD: 1-703-620-8782) to cancel Student iRide SmarTrip cards. iRide cards register through APS can be canceled by contacting the Transportation Coordinator located on site at your school.
• APS Students must notify their Transportation Coordinators (TC) if they lose their iRide SmarTrip card. Replacement cards will only be issued to a student through the TC and students will need to reapply for an iRide SmarTrip card through their TC. Students will be subject to the three-strike rule. Students will be ineligible for the Fare Free Program after being issued three cards. Replacement cards can take up to four (4) weeks to process.