I last used my SmarTrip card maybe three years ago and I’m pretty sure there was still about $25 on it. I registered the card today to find out my balance - and it’s zero! I added some online but understand it might take a day to show up on the card, and also that the amount won’t activate until I touch it to a sensor at the Metro station (or on a bus, etc.).
Would it be a good idea to go to a CVS in the area tomorrow and put some cash on the card? I’m traveling tomorrow but will be near a CVS before the end of the day. If you add cash at a retail outlet, does it show up immediately or is it the same deal with needing a day or so to register?
Also, any idea what happened to my $25? I wonder if I demagnetized the card somehow, or if a set amount is deducted if you don’t use it within a certain amount of time. Or if I just hallucinated about the $25. Many thanks for any help, DC CCers!
My understanding is that D.C. Metro cards will lose value if you don’t use them say everyb30 days or so. That’s what I recall from visiting our S in the area, so we try not to leave too much on the cards when we visit, since S doesn’t catch the metro as often as us tourists. We don’t like to have the money wasted if he forgets to use it
I ride public transportation in several metro areas. It seems they all take away some or all of the value over time. There are also metro areas that phase out the base card and make you buy a new one.
It is convenient to keep the base fare from airport to hotel on your card in case you are running late, but more than $10 means you are likely to lose funds unless you visit frequently.
I just looked at my transaction history. I went about 60 days without using one of my Smartcard and didn’t lose any value. I have another that has had the same amount on it for at least 6 months.
I have added to them before online and did not have any problems using it right away.
Thanks, folks. Their website doesn’t answer the question directly but it makes sense not to keep a ton of money on the card. Hoping I have the same experience you’ve had with being able to use the amount right away, @cap . I appreciate the help!
We had around $2 on our cards for almost a year without use and didn’t lose any value. Good to know your experience so we’ll be sure to keep only a small amount on the cards.
Sometimes the cards demagnetize and need to be replaced. I keep a small amount on my card in case I need it quickly and have never had the balance disappear.
So - Metro did not eat my $25, I’m happy to say. When I touched my SmarTrip card to the sensor on Saturday morning (which took more than 15 minutes to work my way to, because CROWDS), I saw there was more than $50 on it, which included the $25 I’d charged 2 days before as well as the money left from several years ago.
The wmata website could be a lot clearer about this. Apparently it puts your money in suspended animation if you go a certain amount of time without using the card, but you can bring it back to life just by touching the sensor with the card. So it told me I had a “current stored value” of zero last week but it now says I have $50-plus, which will be reported as a “current stored value” of zero again if I go too long without using the card. But the value will still be there, hiding.
However weird their bookkeeping, kudos to Metro for handling the Women’s March crowds so well. It took 25 minutes just to get OUT of the Judiciary Square Station at 9 AM.
Metro can be weird if you purchase fare online and then do not touch the sensor within 30 days. I had purchased $25 online last year - planning to use Metro - but then plans changed and I did not use it. After 30 days, I rcvd an email that my purchase was suspended and that I would need to call to get it reactivated. So odd. But I did call prior to my next Metro ride, had it reactivated, and it was on the card when I used Metro that week. It’s a bit cumbersome for the occasional rider, particularly now that they have done away with the paper farecards. But I was pleased to see things went smoothly this wknd.