Penn Line
| Company type | Commuter rail service |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore, Maryland , United States |
Area served | Washington, D.C., Maryland |
Key people | Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), Amtrak (operator) |
| Products | Passenger rail service |
| Parent | Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) |
| Website | mta |
Penn Line
The Penn Line is a MARC passenger rail service operating between Union Station in Washington, D.C. and Perryville, Maryland, traveling along the southern portion of the Northeast Corridor. While most trains conclude their routes at Baltimore's Penn Station, this line stands out as MARC's sole electrified service, although the majority of trains continue to run on diesel power. With maximum speeds reaching , it holds the distinction of being the fastest commuter rail in the United States. The line is operated by Amtrak under contract with the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). MARC oversees the scheduling, station management, and fare collection, whereas Amtrak owns and maintains the track infrastructure, operates the trains, and handles rolling stock upkeep. The Penn Line experiences the highest ridership among MARC lines, offering twice as many trains and carrying double the passengers compared to both the Brunswick and Camden lines combined.
This service continues a legacy of commuter rail between Washington and Baltimore that dates back to 1881, initially run by the Pennsylvania Railroad, followed by operations under Penn Central and later Conrail. Between 1978 and 1983, Amtrak also provided a commuter train called the Chesapeake connecting Washington to Philadelphia.
In 1983, Maryland took over responsibility for its commuter rail services alongside other Northeastern states. After acquiring the right-of-way from Penn Central, Amtrak managed the former Pennsylvania Railroad commuter operations under the AMDOT (Amtrak/Maryland Department of Transportation) banner. That same year, due to low patronage and overlap with AMDOT services, Amtrak discontinued the Chesapeake. By 1984, all Maryland commuter rail operations were unified under MARC.
Due to frequent train movements by both MARC and Amtrak, the Northeast Corridor segment between Washington and Baltimore ranks among the busiest rail corridors in the United States.
Rolling stock
The Penn Line employs a combination of electric and diesel locomotives. During peak hours, most diesel trains alongside electric ones consist of 6 to 8 cars, predominantly Kawasaki bi-level coaches. Daytime services utilize shorter consists of 4 to 6 cars featuring MultiLevel bi-level cars or single-level diesel equipment borrowed from Brunswick and Camden lines. On weekends during spring and summer seasons, trains include a single-level Bike Car specifically designed to accommodate bicyclists.
Trains operate in a push-pull arrangement with the cab car oriented toward Washington. Stations between Washington Union and Penn Station (excluding West Baltimore) are equipped with high-level platforms; beyond Penn Station toward Perryville, platforms are low-level.
Service
On weekdays, MARC runs 58 Penn Line trains. Of these, twenty-nine cover the 39-mile stretch between Union Station (Washington) and Baltimore; five operate between Union Station and Martin State Airport; eleven traverse the entire 77-mile route to Perryville. Additional limited services also serve Perryville and Martin State Airport. Unlike other MARC lines, the Penn Line offers service throughout the day extending late into the evening.
Weekend operations commenced in December 2013 with nine round trips on Saturdays and six on Sundays, primarily running between Penn Station and Union Station, with some extending to Martin State Airport; all weekend trains bypass Seabrook station. In December 2014, Bike Cars were introduced on weekend runs—these are refurbished Sumitomo/Nippon Sharyo MARC IIA single-level cars outfitted with racks for 23 bicycles plus seating for 40 passengers. By 2015, Bike Cars were included on every weekend train at no additional cost. Beginning in 2016, bicycle racks were installed on bi-level cars as well as select single-level coaches; weekday bike rack service was launched in January 2019 on most rush-hour trains, free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.
Amtrak's Acela Express, Northeast Regional, and other services share track infrastructure with the Penn Line. Both Washington Union Station and Baltimore Penn Station rank as the second and eighth busiest stations within Amtrak’s system nationwide. Additional Amtrak connections exist at Aberdeen, BWI Airport, and New Carrollton stations. Under a cross-honoring agreement, MARC monthly and weekly pass holders can access selected Amtrak Northeast Regional trains on weekdays. Transfers to Washington Metro's Orange, Silver, and Red Lines are available at New Carrollton and Washington Union Station; Baltimore's Light RailLink connects at Baltimore Penn Station but has been closed since 2020 for renovation work.
Future MTA plans propose extending the Penn Line northward to Newark, Delaware via Elkton station to link with SEPTA’s Wilmington/Newark Line—potentially restoring direct service to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station along what was once Pennsylvania Railroad’s commuter route until the early 1960s. Currently, MTA funds a bus connection bridging Newark and Baltimore with transfers at Elkton. Delaware legislators have introduced proposals advocating for new commuter rail service connecting Newark to Perryville through MARC-SEPTA coordination; this proposal was scheduled for introduction in 2021.
Long-range development envisions new track construction extending beyond Washington Union Station toward L'Enfant Plaza and into northern Virginia territory. The Purple Line light rail system—expected to open in 2027—will link all three MARC lines with transfer options to the Penn Line at New Carrollton station.
Stations
Penn Line trains serve the stations listed below; however, not every train halts at each stop.
| State | City/Town | Distance (mi/km) from Union Station | Station Name | Available Connections | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC | Washington | 0.0 mi (0 km) | Template:Marc | Template:Rint Amtrak services: Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl; Amtrak Thruway connection to Charlottesville Template:Rint MARC Train lines: Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb Template:Rint Virginia Railway Express routes: Template:Rcb, Template:Rcb Template:Rint Washington Metro access: Template:Rint Red Line Template:Rint DC Streetcar service on the H Street/Benning Road Line Bus connections include Metrobus, MTA Maryland, Loudoun County Transit, OmniRide Intercity bus providers: Greyhound, Megabus, BoltBus, BestBus, Peter Pan, OurBus | ||||||
| MD | New Carrollton | 8.7 mi (14 km) | Template:Marc | Template:Rint Amtrak lines: Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl, Template:Lnl Template:Rint Washington Metro lines: Template:Rint Orange Line, Template:Rint Silver Line Additional bus services by Metrobus and TheBus (Prince George's County) | ||||||
| Seabrook | 11 mi (17.7 km) | Template:Marc | ||||||||
| Bowie | 16.3 mi (26.2 km) | Template:Marc | ||||||||
| Odenton | 22.1 mi (35.5 km) | Template:Marc | Bus service by Anne Arundel County | |||||||
| Hanover | 29.4 mi (47.3 km) | Template:Marc | Template:Rail-interchange Amtrak routes: Acela, Crescent, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Vermonter Shuttle access to Baltimore/Washington International Airport Bus connections via MTA Maryland and UMBC Transit |
- Halethorpe 32.4 mi (52.1 km) || Template:Marc || Bus services by MTA Maryland and UMBC Transit |
- rowspan="2" |Baltimore 37.2 mi (59.8 km) || Template:Marc || Bus service provided by MTA Maryland |
-
40 mi (64.6 km)
Template:Marc || Amtrak lines: Acela, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Vermonter |
-
Middle River
51.7 mi (83.2 km) || Template:Marc || Martin State Airport access |
- Edgewood 60.6 mi (97.5 km) || Template:Marc || |
-
Aberdeen
70.2 mi (113 km) || Template:Marc || Served by Amtrak Northeast Regional |
- Perryville 76.2 mi (122.6 km) || Template:Marc || Cecil Transit bus connections |
External links
- Articles with short description
- MARC Train
- Penn Line
- Railroads in Maryland
- Railroads in Washington, D.C.
- Passenger Rail Services in Maryland
- Passenger Rail Services in Washington, D.C.
- Electric Railways in Maryland
- Electric Railways in Washington, D.C.
- Baltimore Transportation
- Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railroad routes
- Establishments in Maryland in 1834
- Establishments in Washington, D.C. in 1834