'''Metrorail''', often referred to as the Metro, is the public subway system in [[Washington, D.C.]], owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), a government agency established by [[compact|interstate compact]] between [[District of Columbia|the District of Columbia]], [[Maryland]] and [[Virginia]] with the approval of [[Congress]]. It is governed by a Board of Directors whose members are appointed by the [[Council of the District of Columbia|D.C. City Council]], [[the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission]], and the [[the Washington Suburban Transit Commission]].
Metrorail began operations in 1976. The subway system consists of five "lines": the Red, Orange, Green, Blue, and Yellow lines. WMATA also operates a bus system known as [[Metrobus]].