FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Plan Provides Blueprint for Future Service Improvements
BALTIMORE, MD (June 25, 2025) – Following a comprehensive analysis and extensive stakeholder and community engagement, the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration today announced the publication of the MARC Growth and Transformation Plan. This Plan is a major milestone in advancing future rail initiatives and outlines 5-year, 10-year, and unconstrained service scenarios. The Plan details service opportunities, projects needed to achieve each scenario, associated costs and next steps for Maryland’s passenger rail service. The full plan is available at mta.maryland.gov/marc-growth-plan.
The MARC Growth and Transportation Plan is being introduced when MARC ridership has grown exponentially in 2025. Since January, MARC ridership has seen a significant surge, increasing by 58% overall. Each individual line has experienced substantial ridership growth, with the MARC Penn Line up by 52%, the Camden Line by 66% and the Brunswick Line by 85%. When comparing ridership from January through May 2025 to the same period in 2024, overall MARC ridership rose by 23%. During this time, the Penn Line increased by 20%, the Camden Line by 46.5% and the Brunswick Line by 24%.
“Thanks to Maryland’s additional transportation revenues, MTA has funding to help move MARC Train forward on the track towards growth,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “This plan serves as a roadmap for how MTA can advance MARC into the future and elevate the commuter rail system into a train for everyday life.”
The MARC Growth and Transportation Plan evaluated current service operations, identified opportunities for expanded service and gathered extensive public input to shape recommendations for improving mobility, connectivity and economic development. The Plan proposes more accessible, frequent, all-day service, including on weekends. It envisions expanded weekday peak service hours, improved weekday off-peak and weekend service and service to new areas. Once fully implemented, the Plan will better meet the growing needs of commuters, residents, visitors and businesses by offering competitive travel times, a wide range of trip purposes and a seamless network to other local transit services. The Plan will balance service levels with market demand as well as spur transit-oriented development and economic growth
“Our riders have asked for more frequent and convenient service across the state,” said Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold. “The MARC Growth and Transformation Plan represents an important step forward in a vision for a more connected and sustainable transportation network.”
The MARC Growth and Transformation Plan recommends a phased implementation to allow for attainment of key stakeholder agreements and the essential effort of assembling a funding plan. It provides a strategy to transform the commuter-focused system into a market-oriented service that meets the needs of all riders, while maximizing opportunities in a shared-ownership railroad environment.
As a result of Governor Moore’s investment in transportation, the agency is able to advance early enabling projects identified in the Plan in addition to state of good repair investments in MARC train service. These projects include $3 million towards the planning and design of a new station track at Silver Spring to support service increases at one of the busiest stops on the MARC Brunswick Line, and $13.7 million for the continued planning and design of the Penn-Camden Connector in Baltimore.
MARC Train Service is a commuter rail system comprised of the Brunswick Line, Camden Line and Penn Line. The three rail lines provide direct access to Washington, D.C., along with connections to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, intercity bus services via Penn Station in Baltimore and Union Station in Washington and several direct connections to Amtrak intercity rail service. The Camden and Brunswick Lines operate on weekdays, while the Penn Line operates seven days a week.
The Maryland Transit Administration is one of the largest multi-modal transit systems in the United States, operating systems that include Local Bus, Commuter Bus, Light Rail, Metro Subway, MARC Train Service and a comprehensive Mobility paratransit network. Our goal is to provide safe, efficient, and reliable transit across Maryland with world-class customer service. To learn more, visit mta.maryland.gov, check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/mtamaryland, Instagram at MTA Maryland and follow us on X @mtamaryland and bluesky@mta.maryland.gov.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Paul Shepard
Office: 410-767-3935
Cell: 443-622-4181
pshepard@mdot.maryland.gov
Courtney Mims
Office: 410-767-8367
Cell: 667-392-0157
cmims@mdot.maryland.gov
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