Transportation

West Anne Arundel County has the good fortune to be home to one of the region’s three major airports, and bordered by a number of major highways that make auto access throughout the area easy. Our area is also served by numerous commuter options, with more being developed in conjunction with the expansion at Ft. Meade.

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

BWI is one of three major airports serving the Baltimore-Washington region. An international transportation hub, the airport is located 9 miles south of Baltimore City in Anne Arundel County and regularly receives awards for its accessibility and customer satisfaction.

Commuter Resources

A complete listing of commuter options is available at www.bwipartner.org/transportation/commuter-resources, and the Fort Meade Alliance offers a downloadable Regional Transportation Map. TRIPTransportation Resource Information Planner - is a one-stop website for all things transit in the Baltimore metropolitan region. The TRIP hotline for immediate assistance is 1- 877-331-TRIP (8747).

The Maryland Transit Administration is Central Maryland’s largest transit system, and its services include MARC commuter trains, light rail and bus connections. You will also find an interactive trip planning tool on their website at mta.maryland.gov/regional-transit.

MARC - Maryland’s Commuter Rail

The MARC commuter rail operates two lines between Baltimore and Washington, DC’s Union Station that serve West Anne Arundel County. The Penn Line operates between Baltimore’s Penn Station and Union Station in Washington, D. C. Stops include Baltimore City, BWI Airport Train Station, Odenton, and Bowie State University. In addition, there are 4 stops north of Penn Station [Martins Airport, Edgewood, Aberdeen, and Perryville] located in Harford County, Maryland. The Camden Line operates out of Camden Yards in Downtown Baltimore City and travels to Union Station in Washington D.C. Stops include Dorsey, Laurel, Savage, and College Park.

Baltimore Light Rail/

The Light Rail operates at street level, traveling on bridges to cross several bodies of water. There are 33 station stops along the system with vending machines, as the Light Rail is a “barrier free” system. Purchase a ticket from the ticket vending machine before boarding Light Rail. The Light Rail network consists of a main north-south line that serves 28 of the system's 33 stops; a spur in Baltimore city that connects a single stop (Penn Station) to the main line; and two branches at the south end of the line that serve two stops apiece. The system connects Baltimore's Penn Station and BWI Airport. The light rail operates 6:00 a.m.–12:00 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m.–7 p.m. on Sundays.

Bus Connections

Depending on where you live, and where you are going, there are various bus options to serve you. For service from the Annapolis and Baltimore region, and local bus routes and commuter bus service, visit www.mta.maryland.gov/regional-transit.

For those commuting from the Washington region, Washington Metro Area transit Authority (WMATA) offers the B–30 bus, a direct connection between the Greenbelt METRO station and BWI Airport (www.wmata.com).

MTA Commuter Bus Service

Maryland has 40 Park & Ride lots where commuters to Baltimore and Washington, DC can leave their car and board a coach bus to their destination. Local routes include Laurel to Baltimore and Davidsonville to Washington, DC.

Central Maryland Regional Transit / tel: 800-270-9553


Central Maryland Regional Transit (CMRT) provides travel training services to assist riders experiencing disabilities.  They also run a call center and website portal enabling Marylanders to plan trips using any combination of transit systems in the state.



Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA) 

The Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA) is an organization made up multiple jurisdictions to establish a more effective and efficient public transportation system across Central Maryland.  RTA partners include Anne Arundel County, Howard County, Northern Prince George's County and the City of Laurel.  The RTA has combined the management and administrative functions of all jurisdictions to reduce operating expenses and provide a better customer service experience for riders.  (http://transitrta.com/) Annapolis Transit offers bus service within Annapolis (www.annapolis.gov), and Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Authority (ARTMA) can connect your commute from Annapolis to DC or Baltimore as well as within Anne Arundel County (www.artma.org).


AMTRAK

The BWI Rail Station serves both rail commuters and airport passengers. A shuttle takes you between the rail station and the passenger terminal. For connections to Washington, DC via Amtrak, or to see Amtrak’s full Northeast corridor schedule, visit the AMTRAK website.

If you are arriving at the BWI Station, The Airport Shuttle offers convenient reservation shuttle service to homes, hotels, and businesses in Annapolis and throughout Maryland. The Airport Shuttle tracks the actual status of each train, and their van is waiting when a passenger arrives. Reservations are available online at http://www.airportshuttle.com/ or by calling 800-776-0323.

Rideshare, Carpool & Vanpool Coordination

The BWI Business Partnership, through the Commuter Connections website, offers an online ride-matching system for travelers in the greater metro Washington area, including Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, and other regions within the state. Developed by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, this system is powered by Google Maps API and provides comprehensive information about transit options, telework centers, and other necessary information for the regional commuter. For employees of member organizations who use car/van pools or public transit to get to and from work at least three (3) days a week, the BWI Business Partnership also offers a Guaranteed Ride Home Program that will provide transportation home in the event of an emergency.

MeadeRide

MeadeRide is a one-stop travel information resource connecting commuters to Ft. Meade with information about transportation choices, and matching those who want to “share getting there” with vanpools and commuter buses. Ft. Meade, the National Security Agency, incoming Ft. Meade agencies, the State of Maryland, local counties, and the Maryland Department of Transportation are all working together on transportation issues – whether it’s a new shuttle bus route or a highway improvement project. These entities have all joined together to support MeadeRide.

Metrorail (Washington, DC)

From Linthicum or Odenton, commuters can take the MARC train to New Carrollton where they can connect to Metrorail, a 5-line subway system that serves Maryland, DC, and Virginia.