. It is MARC's busiest and only electric line. Currently the line is the fastest commuter rail line in the country, with trains running at speeds of up to 125 mph. The service is operated under contract by
which supplies employees to operate trains, and maintains the right-of-way and MARC's electric locomotives and passenger cars. The line is administered by MARC, a service of the
(MTA). The Penn Line is the successor to commuter services provided by the
, Penn Central, and Conrail as long ago as the mid-19th century. Additionally, when Amtrak took over passenger service in 1971, the
was installed between Washington D.C., and Philadelphia. In 1983,
, along with a number of other Northeastern states, took control of its commuter railroads and the "MARC" (Maryland Area Regional Commuter) service name was established. The Penn Line became the replacement for Amtrak's Chesapeake.
The Penn Line uses diesel and electric locomotives for powering trains. Most electric trains are 7-9 cars long (usually made up of all or mostly Kawasaki bilevels). Rush hour diesel trains are usually 6 cars long (usually made up of and all or mostly Kawasaki bilevels). During the day shorter 3-5 car single level diesel trains from the
and Camden lines are used on the Penn Line. All trains are operated in
configuration (with cab-car end towards Union Station). All stations
, with the exception of Penn Station, have low-level platforms (Halethorpe is slated to be rebuilt with a high platform). This precludes the use of MARC's ex-
and Penn Station with 12 trains running between Union Station and Perryville and another 5 terminating/originating at Martin State Airport. Unlike MARC's other two lines, the Penn Line operates all day and well into the night. Service is currently operated on weekdays only, although limited weekend service was supposed to start in summer 2008, but has been put on hold due to negotiations with Amtrak and the state's current fiscal problems.
, Northeast Regional, and long distance trains share the tracks with the Penn Line and share stations with MARC at Aberdeen, Penn Station,
. Currently, MARC passengers with monthly and weekly tickets can ride most Amtrak Northeast Regional trains on weekends and select Amtrak Northeast Regional trains during the week. Connections are also available to the
to connect with the Wilmington/Newark Line of SEPTA, and to also extend the line past Union Station into Northern Virginia. The planned Purple Line which will connect all three MARC lines will connect with the Penn Line at New Carrollton.
The following station stops are made by Penn Line trains; not all trains make all stops.
| Town/City |
Station |
Connections |
| Washington DC |
Union StationWashington Union Station is a train station and leisure destination visited by 32 million people each year in the center of Washington, D.C. The train station is served by Amtrak, MARC and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail services as well as by Washington Metro subway trains and local buses...
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AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
: Acela ExpressThe Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
, Capitol Limited, Cardinal, CarolinianCarolinian and Piedmont collectively refers to two state-supported Amtrak services in North Carolina:*the Carolinian, a daily train between Charlotte, North Carolina and New York City...
, CrescentThe Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns, on the same route, as train 20. Most of the route of...
, Northeast Regional, PalmettoThe Palmetto is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak over the from New York City south to Savannah, Georgia via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via Richmond, Virginia, Fayetteville, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina...
, Silver MeteorThe Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South...
, Silver Star, VermonterAmtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
, Thruway Motorcoach to CharlottesvilleCharlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
, VirginiaThe Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
MARCMARC , known prior to 1984 as Maryland Rail Commuter Service, is a regional rail system comprising three lines in the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. MARC is administered by the Maryland Transit Administration , a Maryland Department of Transportation agency, and is operated under contract...
: Brunswick LineThe Brunswick Line is a MARC commuter rail line consisting of a main line running from Washington D.C. to Martinsburg, West Virginia and a branch line from just south of Point-of-Rocks station to Frederick, Maryland. The service is operated under contract by CSX Transportation, but is administered...
, Camden LineThe Camden Line is a MARC commuter rail line that runs between Union Station, Washington, D.C. and Camden Station, Baltimore, Maryland over the CSX Capital Subdivision. Service began along this route in 1835 as part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad , making it the oldest passenger rail line in...
MetrorailThe Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
: Red LineThe Red Line of the Washington Metro is a rail rapid transit service operating between 27 stations in Montgomery County, Maryland and the District of Columbia, United States. It is a primary line through downtown Washington, and the oldest and busiest line in the system...
MetrobusMetrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Its fleet consists of 1,480 buses covering an area of in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There are over 300 bus routes serving 12,216 stops, including 2,398 bus shelters. In fiscal year 2009,...
, LoudounThe Loudoun County Commuter Bus is a public transportation service provided by the Loudoun County, Virginia government. The buses operate from Dulles, Leesburg, and Purcellville to Washington Metro stations as well as directly to Rosslyn, Virginia, The Pentagon, and Washington, D.C....
, OmniRidePotomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission is the public transportation system in Prince William County, Virginia, plus two adjacent independent cities, Manassas and Manassas Park, that together are surrounded by the county. Services provided by PRTC include OmniRide, OmniLink, and...
VREThe Virginia Railway Express is a regional/ commuter rail service that connects the Northern Virginia suburbs to Union Station in Washington, D.C., via two lines: the Fredericksburg Line from Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the Manassas Line from Broad Run/Airport station in Bristow,...
: Manassas Line, Fredericksburg Line
MTA Commuter Bus: 915, 929 |
| New Carrollton, Maryland New Carrollton is a city located in central Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, population was 12,589.New Carrollton is 12.11 miles from central Washington, DC....
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New CarrolltonNew Carrollton rail station is a joint Washington Metro, MARC, and Amtrak station in New Carrollton, Prince George's County, Maryland at the eastern end of the Orange Line and planned Purple Line, and adjacent to the Capital Beltway. The Amtrak waiting room is located beneath the Metro station...
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AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
: Northeast Regional, VermonterAmtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
MetrorailThe Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
: Orange LineThe Orange Line of the Washington Metro consists of 26 rapid transit stations from Vienna to New Carrollton. It has stations in Fairfax County and Arlington, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Prince George's County, Maryland. Half of the line's stations are shared with the Blue Line, and over...
MetrobusMetrobus is a bus service operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Its fleet consists of 1,480 buses covering an area of in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. There are over 300 bus routes serving 12,216 stops, including 2,398 bus shelters. In fiscal year 2009,...
: 84, 88, B21, B22, B24, B25, B27, B29, B31, C28, F12, F13, F14, F4, F6, R12, T16, T17, T18
Prince George's "The Bus"; 15, 16, 21, 21X |
| Seabrook, Maryland Seabrook is an unincorporated community located in central Maryland about east of Washington DC.According to the 2000 census, the population of Lanham-Seabrook is 18,190...
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Seabrook Seabrook is a station on MARC's Penn Line, a commuter rail line conntecting Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, in Seabrook, Maryland. It is located at 6221 Seabrook Road south of Lanham Severn Road in Seabrook, Maryland, although MARC gives the location as being in Lanham, Maryland. The station is...
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| Bowie, Maryland Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
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Bowie StateBowie State is a passenger rail station on the MARC Penn Line between Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD and Perryville, MD. This station is also on the southern section of the Northeast Corridor however, Amtrak does not stop at this station....
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Bowie State UniversityBowie State University , is a public university located on 355½ acres in unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, north of the suburban city of Bowie. Bowie State is part of the University System of Maryland...
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| Odenton, Maryland Odenton is a census-designated place in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. The population was 20,534 at the 2000 census. The town is named after former Governor of Maryland, Oden Bowie. It is bordered by Gambrills to the east, Severn to the north, Fort Meade to the west, and Crofton to...
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Odenton Odenton is a passenger rail station on the MARC Penn Line between Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD and Perryville, MD. The station is located along Amtrak's high-speed Northeast Corridor; however, Amtrak does not stop at this station...
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| BWI Airport |
BWI AirportThe Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Rail Station is an Amtrak and MARC commuter rail train station in Linthicum, an unincorporated area in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States....
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AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
: Acela ExpressThe Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
, Northeast Regional, VermonterAmtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
Baltimore Light RailThe Maryland Transit Administration Light Rail is a light rail system serving Baltimore, Maryland, United States, and the surrounding suburbs.In downtown Baltimore it uses city streets...
via shuttle bus (see BWI Airport Light Rail Stop)
BWI Airport via shuttle bus
MTA MarylandThe Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
: 17, 99Route 99 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in the suburbs of Baltimore. The line currently runs from the Old Court Metro Subway Station in Pikesville, Maryland to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, and serves Randallstown, Windsor Mill, Woodlawn, Catonsville, Arbutus,...
, 201 |
| Halethorpe, Maryland Halethorpe is an unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It is near the University of Maryland, Baltimore County...
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Halethorpe Halethorpe is a passenger rail station on the MARC Penn Line between Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Perryville, Maryland, United States. This station is also on the southern section of the Northeast Corridor; however, Amtrak does not stop at this station....
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MTA MarylandThe Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
: 77Route 77 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in the suburbs of Baltimore. The line currently runs from the Old Court Metro Subway Station in Pikesville, Maryland to the Patapsco Light Rail Stop, and serves Randallstown, Windsor Mill, Woodlawn, Catonsville, Arbutus,...
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| West Baltimore, Maryland |
West Baltimore West Baltimore Station is a station on the MARC Penn Line located in the western part of Baltimore City along the Amtrak Northeast Corridor. It is located at 400 North Smallwood Street at the intersections of Mulberry and Franklin Streets...
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MTA MarylandThe Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
: 23, 40, 47Route 47 is a limited stop bus route, identified as a "Quickbus", operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore. The line currently runs from the Overlea Loop in Northeast Baltimore to Walbrook Junction, in West Baltimore. Service operates every 15 minutes during rush hour only...
, 51Route 51 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore and its suburbs. The line currently runs from the Rogers Avenue Metro Subway Station to the Patapsco Light Rail Stop, serving the communities of Arlington, Ashburton, Mondawmin, Rosemont, Baltimore, Cherry Hill,...
(1 block east) |
| Baltimore, Maryland |
Penn Station |
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
: Acela ExpressThe Acela Express is Amtrak's high-speed rail service along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast United States between Washington, D.C., and Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York...
, Cardinal, CarolinianCarolinian and Piedmont collectively refers to two state-supported Amtrak services in North Carolina:*the Carolinian, a daily train between Charlotte, North Carolina and New York City...
, CrescentThe Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns, on the same route, as train 20. Most of the route of...
, Northeast Regional, PalmettoThe Palmetto is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak over the from New York City south to Savannah, Georgia via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via Richmond, Virginia, Fayetteville, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina...
, Silver MeteorThe Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City, New York, south to Miami, Florida, via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, D.C., thence via Richmond, Virginia; Fayetteville, North Carolina; North Charleston, South...
, Silver Star, VermonterAmtrak's Vermonter is a 611-mile passenger train service between St. Albans , New York City and Washington, D.C. One trip runs in each direction per day....
MTA MarylandThe Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
: 3, 11, 61, 64
Light Rail: Penn/Camden Shuttle
Charm City CirculatorThe Charm City Circulator is a privately funded, public transit shuttle bus service giving riders free connection to historic sites, parking, and businesses throughout downtown Baltimore for free. The newest system in Maryland was established in 2008, but did not begin inaugural service until...
: Purple Route |
| Middle River, Maryland Middle River is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,958 at the 2000 census...
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Martin State AirportMartin State Airport is a passenger rail station on the MARC Penn Line between Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD and Perryville, MD which serves Martin State Airport and surrounding communities. The station is also on the southern section of the Northeast Corridor however, Amtrak does not stop at...
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Martin State Airport Martin State Airport is a public use airport located nine nautical miles east of the central business district of Baltimore, in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States...
, MTA MarylandThe Maryland Transit Administration is a state-operated mass transit administration in Maryland, and is part of the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is better known as MTA Maryland to avoid confusion with other cities' transit agencies who share the initials MTA. The MTA operates a...
: 24Route 24 is a bus route operated by the Maryland Transit Administration in Baltimore and its suburbs. The line operates hourly between the Moravia loop in Northeast Baltimore and Whispering Woods, just east of Bowleys Quarters.-History:...
, 160Route 160 is an express bus route that operates to downtown Baltimore and Johns Hopkins Hospital from two locations in the Essex, Maryland area: Fox Ridge and Whispering Woods. The line serves the Essex Park-and-Ride lot, then operates via I-95 through the Ft. McHenry Tunnel.-History:Route 160...
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| Edgewood, Maryland Edgewood is a census-designated place in Harford County, Maryland, United States. The population was 23,378 at the 2000 census.-History:Pooles Island Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.-Geography:...
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Edgewood Edgewood is a passenger rail station on the MARC Penn Line between Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD and Perryville, MD. The station is also on the southern section of the Northeast Corridor however, Amtrak does not service this station. However, Amtrak #151 stops at Edgewood to receive MARC...
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| Aberdeen, Maryland As of the census of 2000, there were 13,842 people, 5,475 households, and 3,712 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,166.2 people per square mile . There were 5,894 housing units at an average density of 922.4 per square mile...
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Aberdeen |
AmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
: Northeast Regional
Harford TransitHarford Transit is a public transportation service of the Harford County, Maryland Department of Transportation. It provides six city fixed route services in this suburban Baltimore county...
: 1, 1A, 4, 6, and 6A |
| Perryville, Maryland Perryville is a town in Cecil County, Maryland, United States. The population was 3,672 at the 2000 census. The town is located off Interstate 95, on the north side of the mouth of the Susquehanna River.-History:...
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PerryvillePerryville is a passenger rail station on the MARC Penn Line and along the southern part of the Northeast Corridor however, Amtrak does not service the station. A single Amtrak train—Regional #151—stops at Perryville to board MARC ticket holders. The station is also the northernmost in the MARC...
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Cecil County Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is part of the Delaware Valley. It was named for Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , who was the first Proprietary Governor of the colony of Maryland from 1632 until his death in 1675. The county seat is Elkton. The newspaper...
"The Bus" Perryville Connection |