Trains to and from Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI)

Baltimore-Washington International Airport, along with the Ronald Reagan National Airport and the Washington-Dulles Airport, serves the large metropolitan area of Baltimore and Washington, in the US state of Maryland. It is a busy airport, handling approximately 22 million passengers per annum, and is recognised by its IATA code of BWI. The airport’s full name is the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. This American airport is one of those with its own train station, and therefore offers a variety of railway transportation options for its passengers. By train is always considered as a quick and cost-efficient way to travel to or from an airport.

The BWI Airport receives its passengers in five terminal buildings, which are also referred to as the Concourses A, B, C, D and E. All international flights, besides those from airports with pre-clearance facilities, arrive at Concourse E, while the other concourses are used for domestic flights. Passengers arriving at the airport have many options for ground transportation. There are several public and private bus services available, as well as taxis in the taxi stand area outside of the baggage reclaim halls. The Baltimore-Washington International Airport trains are also very popular. There are several types of trains available, all travelling to a wide variety of stations in the area. There are also two stations which are used at the airport. One is found at Concourse E, while the other is about a mile from the terminal buildings.

The following rail options are available from and to the Baltimore-Washington Airport: Amtrak, MARC and Light Rail.

Light Rail Services at Baltimore-Washington Airport

The station at Concourse E is used by the light rail trains, operated by the MTA, or the Maryland Transit Administration. The train stop is just outside of the international terminal, and is convenient for all passengers of the airport. The Light Rail trains travel to a variety of destinations, including to areas in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City and Baltimore County. There are also connections available to the Baltimore Metro Subway and to both of MARC’s Baltimore terminals.

The Light Rail trains of the airport depart approximately every twenty minutes during busier hours, and about every half an hour in off-peak hours. From Monday to Friday the trains run from 06:00am to 11:00pm, on Saturdays they are available from 07:00am to 11:pm and on Sundays the trains operate from 11:00am to 07:00pm. The trip to downtown Baltimore will take about half an hour. Passengers who would like to reach Penn Station will need to exit the train at Mt. Royal Avenue, and continue their journey on the Penn Station Light Rail. Train tickets cost $1.60 for a one-way journey. Further details are available online at http://www.mta.maryland.gov/light-rail.

MARC Trains at Baltimore-Washington International Airport

In order to catch one of the MARC trains, passengers will take a free shuttle bus to the train station located about a mile from the terminal buildings of the airport. The buses run from 05:00am to 01:00am every day and every twelve minutes, and from 01:00am to 05:00am they are available every twenty-five minutes. The shuttles accommodate luggage, as well as passengers with disabilities. The shuttle stops of the airport are found on the lower level of the terminal roadway, between door numbers 1 and 2, 8 and 9, 14 and 15 and 17 and 18. There are also signs that lead the way, or passengers can obtain help from one of the airport volunteers. Once at the BWI Marshall Rail Station, passengers can board MARC trains to Washington, Baltimore City, Prince Georges County, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Harford County, Cecil County.

The trains are available in the opposite direction as well, for passengers departing from the airport. The following stations should be used to board MARC trains to the airport: From Washington, DC – Union Station at Massachusetts Avenue, from Baltimore City – Penn Station at 1500 North Charles Street, from Prince Georges County – New Carollton (4300 Garden City Drive), Seabrook (Lanham Severn Road) and Bowie State (Laurel-Bowie Road). In Anne Arundel County the Odenton Station can be used at 1400 Odenton Road, and from Baltimore County, passengers will use the Martin State Airport Station on Eastern Boulevard. In Harford County, the following stations are used: Edgewood (Old Edgewood Road) and Aberdeen (US Route 40 East). From Cecil County board the trains on the Penn Line at Perryville Station, at Broad Street and Harford Avenue.

Passengers can find out details regarding MARC train schedules by calling 800-325-RAIL, or they could go online to http://www.mtamaryland.com. There is also a new service available that helps passengers to determine the location and status of each MARC train at http://www.MARCTracker.com.

Amtrak Trains at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport

The Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains are available from the BWI Airport Station, which is accessed by the same free shuttle buses that take passengers to the MARC trains. On Amtrak trains, passengers travel to Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Alexandria. In the alternative direction, board Amtrak trains at Union Station in Washington, DC, at the station on 30th and Market Streets in Philadelphia, at the station at M. L. King Boulevard and French Street in Wilmington and at the station at 110 Callahan Drive in Alexandria. The trains will take about 35 minutes to travel to Washington, DC, and depart at least once an hour, seven days a week. More frequent departure times are also available during the airport’s busier hours. Details regarding Amtrak are available at http://www.amtrak.com.

Taking one of the Baltimore-Washington International Airport trains is a very convenient way to travel to or from the airport, and is often preferred to buses and taxis.