The Maryland Transit Administration has unveiled a comprehensive strategy to guide the expansion of MARC commuter rail over the next decade, responding to an unprecedented surge in ridership this year. The MARC Growth and Transformation Plan lays out phased service scenarios—spanning five-year, ten-year and unlimited-funding options—detailing the infrastructure projects, estimated costs and timelines needed to accommodate growing demand and enhance regional connectivity.
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MARC ridership has climbed sharply in 2025, with total boardings up 58 percent since January. Line-specific gains include a 52 percent rise on the Penn Line, a 66 percent increase on the Camden Line and an 85 percent jump on the Brunswick Line. Comparing January–May 2025 figures with the same period last year, overall ridership grew by 23 percent, driven by a 20 percent boost on the Penn Line, a 46.5 percent rise on the Camden Line and a 24 percent uptick on the Brunswick Line.
The new plan envisions all-day, weekday and weekend service improvements to make rail travel more accessible and frequent, with expanded peak-hour trains and new connections to underserved areas. Recommendations include synchronizing schedules with local transit, Amtrak and airport services to deliver competitive journey times and support transit-oriented development along Maryland’s major corridors.
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To roll out these enhancements, the plan calls for a phased approach that aligns key stakeholder agreements with a robust funding strategy. Governor Wes Moore’s recent transportation investments enable early work on priority projects, such as dedicating $3 million to design a new station track at Silver Spring—one of the busiest Brunswick Line stops—and allocating $13.7 million toward planning the Penn-Camden Connector in Baltimore.
MARC Train Service, operated by MTA, comprises three lines—Brunswick, Camden and Penn—linking suburban Maryland communities with Baltimore, Washington, D.C., BWI Airport and intercity rail and bus networks. While the Camden and Brunswick Lines run on weekdays, the seven-day-a-week Penn Line will especially benefit from the proposed enhancements, helping Maryland commuters, visitors and businesses enjoy faster, more reliable rail options.
The full plan is available at the MTA website.
Article by multiple contributors, based upon information from the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration
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Well-researched opinion piece. Don’t waste money that won’t reach the desired result. RTM
I’m very glad to see that the final plan abandoned any rail line to Hagerstown, and instead embraced bus connector as I recommended. -Ken, President/Editor