No, in Washington D.C., two people cannot use the same SmarTrip card (the local equivalent of a MetroCard) for a single journey on the Metrorail. This is because the D.C. Metro uses a "distance-based" fare system; the system needs to "tap in" and "tap out" for each individual rider to calculate the exact cost of the trip. If you try to pass the card back to a second person after you have entered, the gate will display an error because the card is already marked as "in system." However, on Metrobus, you can technically use one card to pay for multiple people if you notify the driver, as bus fares are a flat rate. In 2026, the most efficient "pro" strategy for a pair of travelers is for each person to add a digital SmarTrip card to their own Apple or Google Wallet. This allows both people to use their phones to "tap" through the gates independently and ensures that each rider benefits from the free transfers and fare-capping limits that apply to individual accounts throughout the capital's transit network.