Metro apologized Friday to football fans left stranded without trains the previous evening after a Washington Football Team game, coming months after the transit agency promised this spring that it would help fans get home.

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       People described high fares to call a ride-share vehicle, or walking miles to get home after the game against the New York Giants at FedEx Field ended at 11:41 p.m. — later than the last regular trains operate nearby. The transit agency on Friday cited a change in policy stemming from its pandemic-era hours and said it would have extended hours if the football team had paid for the service.

       “We are reaching out to customers that were unable to get home after the game last night and apologize for any confusion,” Metro said in a statement.

       The agency said some people who attended the game might have been confused because Metro had changed a policy on late-night service.

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       In April, when Metro was ending service about 11 p.m. because of the pandemic, the transit agency announced it would stay open until 30 minutes after the end of sports games, or until midnight. But on Friday, the agency said that policy no longer applies since the system switched in July to closing at midnight.

       Metro’s website lists the last train into Washington from Morgan Boulevard — the closest station to FedEx Field — as running at 11:35 p.m.

       The team has a Monday night home game scheduled against the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 29. Team officials didn’t respond to requests for comment about Thursday night’s Metro service or plans for the November game.

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       “The Washington Football Team was advised of Metro’s policy that allows them to request and pay for additional service for last night’s game,” Metro said in the statement. “They have the same option for the Monday night game as well, if the team chooses to request and pay for it.”

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       Will Reinert, of the District, said he reached the Metro station about 20 minutes after the game ended, expecting to be able to get a train based on the April announcement. He said he waited three hours for an Uber until his phone died.

       He eventually paid a man who lived in a nearby apartment building $200 for a ride home.

       During the Nationals’ 2019 championship run that included televised playoff games at night, the baseball team did not pay and Metro ran late-night service anyway. Transit officials said they did so because they knew some in the region are dependent on transit.