VHB continues to advance the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Crystal City Station improvements project, supporting VRE’s efforts to improve fluidity in the corridor, reduce passenger and freight conflicts, enhance safety, and strengthen multimodal connectivity at one of the busiest stations in the system.
Located in Arlington’s Crystal City neighborhood, the station serves the Manassas and Fredericksburg commuter rail lines and is the destination for nearly one in five VRE riders. The existing 400-foot side platform serves a single track, creating operational constraints and limiting boarding to five train cars. The project addresses these challenges by replacing the existing configuration with a center island platform served by two tracks, allowing full-length eight-car trains, reducing bottlenecks, and improving reliability along the CSX Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Potomac Railroad Subdivision.
The redesigned station includes two new entrances connecting Crystal Drive to the central rail platform. The north entrance features stairs and an ADA-accessible ramp leading to a below-grade tunnel, while the south entrance includes stairs and an elevator providing access to an elevated bridge that crosses a service road and connects to a mezzanine with direct access to the platform. The mezzanine has also been designed to accommodate future connections to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and a future Amtrak platform, both part of separate projects.
“We value the opportunity to partner with VRE on a project that plays such a critical role in the region’s rail network,” said Andrew Macpherson, VHB Project Manager. “Our focus is on supporting VRE’s long-term vision by advancing a station design that enhances efficiency, improves safety, and integrates seamlessly with surrounding transportation investments.”
The design team has also coordinated with adjacent projects, including the Alexandria Fourth Track Project, which is aligned with the DC2RVA Final Environmental Impact Statement and the Transforming Rail in Virginia program. Together, these efforts will expand the corridor from three to four tracks near the proposed VRE Crystal City Station, improving operational flexibility and supporting future rail service growth.
Beyond rail operations, the project enhances connections to Metrorail, the Crystal City–Potomac Yard Transitway, local bus and shuttle services, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Together with other VHB-led projects in the area, including the Crystal City Metrorail East Entrance, Long Bridge, and the Crystal City to DCA connection, the station improvements support a more connected, resilient multimodal network for National Landing and the broader region.
Learn more about Transit & Rail at VHB.
