Maryland MARC Train launches direct Montgomery County to Baltimore service September 28

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Maryland commuters will soon have a new, direct weekday rail connection between Montgomery County and Baltimore, with the Maryland Transit Administration's MARC Train service launching the expanded route on Monday, Sept. 28.

The new service creates a transfer-free ride through central Maryland, connecting Brunswick, Point of Rocks, Barnesville, Germantown, Metropolitan Grove, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Kensington, Silver Spring, College Park, Laurel and Baltimore. One train will travel to Baltimore in the morning, with one returning in the evening.

Until now, riders did not have a one-seat connection across those major destinations. The change comes without additional annual operating costs, achieved by adjusting existing service.

"This expansion of our MARC train service will further the Moore-Miller Administration's priority of connecting people to opportunity," MTA Administrator Tony Bridges said. "Baltimore and Montgomery County are home to millions of residents as well as, major employers, educational institutions and medical centers. Providing a direct link between these communities will help build a stronger and more sustainable Maryland."

The new service will reduce commute times by up to 60 minutes for many morning and evening commuters. Among the improvements:

• A MARC train ride from Silver Spring to Baltimore Camden Station will be cut nearly in half, from 118 minutes to 57 minutes.
• A ride from Germantown to College Park, which currently takes 90 minutes, will be reduced to 46 minutes.
• A ride from Gaithersburg to Baltimore Camden Station, which currently takes 137 minutes, will be reduced to 78 minutes.

MTA says rail travel times between those destinations will now be competitive with drive times.

To accommodate the new service, several Brunswick and Camden Line train schedules are changing. Riders can download updated timetables for the Camden Line and Brunswick Line on the MTA website.

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