Fewer people rode Metro on Friday than at least the last three presidential inaugurations, with the transit agency counting just 193,000 riders en route to what appeared to be a lightly attended ceremony. (Compare that with the estimated 513,000 passengers in 2009 for the first inauguration of Barack Obama.) But if these photos shared on social media Saturday morning are any indication, the Women’s March on Washington is making up for the lull in Metro ridership on the day of President Trump‘s inauguration.
As of 11 AM, the transit agency said, about 275,000 people had already boarded. That’s eight times the rate for a typical Saturday, and busier than many weekdays.
Organizers of the Women’s March recently upped their crowd estimate to 500,000, while local officials processed at least four times as many bus-parking permits for the demonstration than they did for the inauguration. These photos Metro stations packed with people headed to the march tell the story even better:
Commuting to the march today via metro? Be sure to follow @Metrorailinfo for updates! #WomensMarch pic.twitter.com/FPZmoGrO1e
— Women’s March (@womensmarch) January 21, 2017
Here’s what today’s Metro crowds look like for the Women’s March on Washington vs. for Inauguration yesterday https://t.co/ARDXo6IgSw pic.twitter.com/XC4Z3RFdVJ
— ((Julia Reinstein)) (@juliareinstein) January 21, 2017
Thousands trying to get to the Women’s March on Washington via metro. Several cheers erupted while waiting #WomensMarch #ICParkInauguration pic.twitter.com/vAR9JsbcIr
— Erin McClory (@ErinMae21) January 21, 2017
Green line trains going to Women’s March this morning are packed @wmata pic.twitter.com/CNL2e3m8Ys
— Kent Boese (@KentBoeseDC) January 21, 2017
A *crush* of people trying to get out of L’Enfant Plaza to the women’s march. Cheering when trains unload dozens more pic.twitter.com/H7a3EdcbLj
— Fenit Nirappil (@FenitN) January 21, 2017
It’s taking 20 minutes to exit D.C. metro stop on day of #WomensMarch. Yesterday, it took 20 seconds. pic.twitter.com/P1ksXk6UQR
— Fernando Hurtado (@fhurtado) January 21, 2017
The line at #Reston metro stop for #WomensMarch! People handing out waters and granola❤ pic.twitter.com/mTMe3qtaY5
— Girls Really Rule. (@girlsreallyrule) January 21, 2017
Long lines at the metro. Mostly women and some wearing pink beanies. pic.twitter.com/ZBvg1JPpzq
— Amanda Jackson (@AmandaJ_TX) January 20, 2017
Huge line at EFC metro for Women’s March. This is a block from the station line went farther. #WomensMarch #wmata @AdamTuss @MartinDiCaro pic.twitter.com/uoLFeho5Wp
— Jen Sinatra (@camdensperson) January 21, 2017
Massive day underway for D.C. #wmata @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/k3xRl6rxge
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) January 21, 2017
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
