Crystal City Metro Station

It’s a typical Metro station. However, it directly connects to the Crystal City Shops underground mall so you can walk to and from the Metro for several blocks without having to go outdoors if the weather is bad.

Bottom Line: Another adequate Metro Station serving the Blue and Yellow lines that attaches to the Crystal City Shops.
Most Metro stations are the same but this one is a little different because it conveniently connects to the Crystal City Shops. Even if you don’t like what the shops offer, its nice to have an indoor route to the various Crystal City office buildings. Additionally, this Metro station is a transfer point to the Virginia commuter train — the Virginia Railway Express or VRE.

Well, the underground shops are cool, I miss the Safeway that used to be around the corner, BUT as for the station itself, why the hey do people think they can run like maniacs around blind corners, slamming into unsuspecting commuters, just to catch a train??? Metro Security — if you are there, how about ticketing them???

I work in Crystal City so I use this station every day. It’s a Metro station, you pretty much know what you get: The waffle ceilings, the dim lighting on the platform, the smell of break dust and urine. You get on a Metro train and, if they don’t immediately off-​load you, you are swept to your destination – provided the train doesn’t break down, of course.
The platform can be treacherous in the morning. A lot of tourists stay in Crystal City and will crowd the platform in the AM. Being generally clueless of how the Metro works, they’ll just stand around wherever and not pay attention. This makes trying to weave through them to get to the escalator a frustrating experience. Especially school groups. Those are just the worst.
There seem to be a lot of survey-​takers at the entrance during rush hour, too. One got especially pushy the other day when I told him I didn’t have time.

I love the Crystal City metro station, it has all the underground shops, perfect for those last minute necessities and it’s also clean!

I’m giving this a 5-​star rating because you can go shopping right in the metro station – you don’t even have to go above ground! But the mall around it (Pentagon City Shops) sucks huge. It’s gross, it’s full of miserable pasty skinned consultants who look like they are a Hamburger Hamlet or Dunkin Donut away from keeling over, and it smells bad. But nevertheless, this area does have everything. So while it has a 1980’s feel, this metro stop is a cut above most of the other ones in town.

This was my first time at this station and it’s basically your normal underground, semi-​sketchy Metro station. Both lines come through the same platform, which is convenient, but you do have to know which direction you are going. There is only one entrance/​exit to this station. There was some construction going on outside the station, but it didn’t make it difficult to exit. Nothing great about this station, but nothing bad either.

This is a clean and safe metro stop there are no bums hanging around or odd characters. It is inside the mall.

I have been to all 86 metro stations. I even did a 9 month long goal where I started from where I lived and ran to all 86. So metro stations have a different meaning to me, I like them all and each one was a small part of my goal (which I admit, is. different). They are all four star at worst because of that. Any way, even with all that said, this is, without a doubt, one of the coolest ones I had run to or otherwise been to. It was neat, I like the little underground city, or, the underground portion of crystal city connected with the metro, which is a neighborhood of Arlington. After a long run (from Fship Heights) it was neat to just walk through the halls and enjoy the art and explore since it was my first trip to this particular metro. Not sure if the art is still up but I reckon it is still a cool place even without the art and plenty of places to choose from for my much needed water. This is probably the coolest metro station of the 86.

Crystal City Metro. Yellow Line. Blue Line. Transfer point to the VRE.
There’s some good and some bad to the Crystal City Metro Station. The good is that it is a convenient transfer point from the VRE to Metro in the morning, and there are a number of quick-​service places to stop and get a bite to eat or a cup of coffee before boarding the train. There are very few stops where this is a possibility.
The bad is that the underground «mall» can be a bit of a maze, and it’s signage could use some work. Recently, coming off the Blue Line I had 13 minutes to make it over to the VRE and get a ticket. I got so turned around in there looking for the right place to exit … I finally made it out, but was at the wrong door. I twisted my ankle running to the VRE station. And then the machine wouldn’t work while I was trying to print a ticket. With the last train leaving for Manassas in front of me, I jumped on, then spoke to the conductor who gave me the dreaded VRE fare evasion ticket.
That’s part my fault, and part the fault of the VRE system, but I’m going to let Crystal City Metro Station take some of my wrath as well.

I like this station. All the good place to go to pick up grocery before going home. Bus stop are under a building from the weather. Also it has the crystal city walkway to keep out of the wether so you can get to your office. Only thing the draw back that you use the elevator to go out to crystal city underground or the bus stands. You have to go out cross over to the side the building to get out of the weather. If the elevator goes out. You need to go to the airport station or Pentagon City station. Over all it the best for this location.
Always go to the back of the subway stop. there more seat and lest people on the platform.

Nice metro stop, has an underground mall attached. Close to all the Crystal City hotels. Had a bad smell, though.

Owing to the hotel I chose this was my central metro stop for my DC visit so I figured I’d stick my overall review of the system here. I loved it! The SmarTrip card is super convenient and good in Maryland too. As you swipe it look at the top of the passenger control gate to see your card balance. The route network is extensive even going all the way down to Alexandria, VA, and up passed the Catholic University if America! I consider fares cheap and while the cars are old, they have been maintained well and are clean and did not smell. My only con would be the unreliable nature of the lifts /​escalators. I normally at each stop encountered an issue in terms of a stopped escalator either going up or down.

Amazing the number of people buying Metro tickets here. You would think that having 8 machines would be enough, but the second day I was here, there was a busload of tourist kids (wearing matching tshirts) that somehow can figure out how to run an iPhone but can’t work out how to buy a Metro ticket.
Two escalators — one from street level and one to the platform — and you’re on the train. When I was here, the street elevator was broken.
I think it’s hilarious how many billboards that Northrop Grumman operates here, selling their unmanned aircraft and unmanned robots to… tourists?

I think Crystal City doesn’t get the recognition that it should. This metro station services a great area that is putting in a lot of hard work to become more tourist/​resident/​visitor friendly.
Besides Ballston and Pentagon City, I think this is one of the only other few metro stations that pops up into a mall. Granted, when I say «mall», I use the term loosely, but still, there are a ton of shops. (including a Dunkin Donuts, whoop whoop!) However, they do close pretty early and during most of the weekends. I think the mall is geared more towards 9 – 5 workers in the area instead of residents. The underground mall stretches for a good 5 – 6 blocks on either side of the metro exit. It is home to the 1K Beer and Wine walks during the winter, Crystal Couture events in the spring, outdoor movies in the summer, and the Crystal City Wine Festival in the fall. They also have a lot of photography/​art exhibits that hang along the walls. They change on a regular basis and make commuting a tad bit more interesting.
The spot is also very convenient for commuting into DC or hopping a plane at DCA to get outta the city. It is serviced by both the blue and yellow lines, so it’s very easy to get into downtown. It also isn’t that far away from Old Town or Alexandria. I just wish the Target on Rt 1 was closer to the metro station :(but that would really be my only complaint here!

Love all the shops that are easy to get to from the Metro Station.

During the summer the Crystal City Metro Station offers free sauna amenities to metro riders! The air conditioning system is consistently unreliable. So unless you enjoy saunas, consider walking to Pentagon City metro to cool off outside while enjoying the summer breeze instead of hot air inside Crystal City.

My go to metro stop for heading into DC or Old Town. Staff seems helpful to tourists, public restrooms in the «mole mall», and plenty of machines to charge up my smart trip card.

Right next to university of phoenix, walking distance to devry and chamberlain college of nursing. Nice to take on a hot or cold day as you don’t have to step outside and can walk to its connected crystal city shops. Tons of food near it chickafil, mcdonalds and tons of little cafes. I like this metro stop for its convenience of connecting to an underground pathway. Also near a bunch of hotels so if your visiting the dc area stay in crystal city the metro stop is right there.

One of the better metro stops, though not a lot in walking distance. Cleaner and not a lot of creeps like many of the other metro stops, and a ton of bus routes stop here.