How to Get to Arlington National Cemetery from DC

The quickest way to reach Arlington National Cemetery from downtown DC is the Metro: take the Blue Line to the Arlington Cemetery station, which sits right at the cemetery's entrance. From the heart of the National Mall it's a short, direct ride with no transfers, and the station drops you within steps of the Welcome Center. Arlington lies just across the Potomac River in Virginia, so while it feels like a world apart from the bustle of the monuments, it's genuinely close to everything else you came to DC to see. Below are all your options — from a quick train ride to a scenic walk over the river — along with a few tips for making the most of your visit once you arrive.

Take the Metro (Blue Line)

Arlington Cemetery has its own dedicated Metro station, served by the Blue Line. From the Smithsonian station — the closest stop to the National Mall — board a Blue Line train heading toward Franconia-Springfield and ride west across the river. You'll pass Foggy Bottom and Rosslyn before reaching the Arlington Cemetery stop. Tap in with a SmarTrip card or your phone, follow the signs from the platform, and you'll find the cemetery's Welcome Center a short, well-marked walk from the station exit. Because the Blue Line is the only line that stops at the cemetery, just make sure the train you board reads Blue on the platform signs — not Silver or Orange, which share the same tracks through much of downtown before peeling off in a different direction at Rosslyn. The ride is short and uncomplicated, so even first-time visitors find it an easy trip.

Walk or Bike Across Memorial Bridge

If you're already wrapping up at the western end of the Mall, you can simply walk to Arlington. From the Lincoln Memorial, cross the Arlington Memorial Bridge on foot or by bike — it's one of the prettiest approaches in the city, with the Potomac flowing on either side and the cemetery's green hills rising straight ahead. The bridge leads almost directly to the cemetery gates, and the whole route is flat and well separated from traffic. It's a lovely option on a clear day, and it neatly links the Mall's memorials — which stretch along a roughly two-mile run from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial — with Arlington in a single scenic loop. Cyclists will find the path easy and the views hard to beat.

Drive, Rideshare, or Take a Tour Bus

If you'd rather skip the Metro, a rideshare or taxi from central DC is straightforward and can drop you right at the Welcome Center. There's a paid parking garage on site if you're bringing your own car, though traffic and parking around the monuments can eat into your day, and the cemetery's size means you'll still be doing plenty of walking once you park. The most relaxed option is to let someone else handle the logistics entirely: a guided tour collects you, crosses the river, and times your visit so you actually see the highlights instead of puzzling over a map. If you're traveling with a crowd, our group tours team can arrange transportation and a guide together, which takes the stress out of coordinating a big group across town.

What to Expect When You Arrive

Arlington is far larger than most visitors expect, and the grounds are genuinely hilly, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water in warm weather. Start at the Welcome Center, where you'll pass through security screening and can pick up a map before heading uphill toward the landmarks. The two stops nearly everyone wants to see are the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the John F. Kennedy gravesite with its eternal flame, both set on higher ground with sweeping views back across the river toward the city. Remember that this is an active military cemetery and a place of mourning — quiet, respectful behavior is expected throughout, and certain areas ask for silence. Give yourself at least a couple of hours to do it justice without rushing, and more if you'd like to wander beyond the best-known sites.

See the Changing of the Guard With a Guide

The single most moving thing to witness at Arlington is the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, performed with precise, solemn ceremony every hour on the hour — and every half hour during the summer months. It's worth planning your visit around it. To be sure you reach the Tomb at the right moment and understand the history behind what you're seeing, our Arlington Cemetery Guided Tour with Changing of the Guard (from $69.99, about two hours) walks you through the grounds and tells the stories of those buried here. A guide handles the timing and the route, so you spend your visit absorbing the place rather than backtracking across the hills. You can see full details and current availability on the tour page.

Best Time to Visit

Arlington is worth seeing in any season, but a little timing makes a difference. Spring is especially beautiful, when DC's famous cherry blossoms typically peak from late March into early April and the whole riverfront comes alive — though that's also the busiest stretch, so arrive early. Summer brings the more frequent half-hourly guard changes, but also heat and humidity that the hilly grounds make more noticeable. Fall offers mild weather and thinner crowds, and even winter has its quiet appeal, with rows of white headstones standing in stark contrast to the bare trees. Whenever you come, mornings tend to be calmer and cooler than midday, leaving the afternoon free to cross back over the river for the rest of the Mall.

Pair Arlington With the Rest of the Mall

Because Arlington connects so easily to the western end of the National Mall, it pairs naturally with a day among the monuments. Many travelers visit the cemetery in the morning, then cross back for the Lincoln, Vietnam, and Korean War memorials in the afternoon. If you'd like to see those landmarks with real context, a DC memorials walking tour ties them together on foot, while timed Washington Monument tickets carry you up the 555-foot obelisk for the best view over the whole city. The Mall's memorials stay open 24 hours and are beautifully lit after dark, so a night memorials walking tour is a memorable way to close out the day once Arlington itself has shut its gates. However you build your itinerary, getting to Arlington is the easy part — the Blue Line does the heavy lifting.