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Old 03-07-2013, 03:03 PM
 
7 posts, read 21,307 times
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Hello,

I am moving up to Owings Mills soon and currently work in DC. I am considering taking the Penn Line MARC train in from BWI Airport to Union Station in DC. Does anyone know how busy this train gets? Will I be able to find a seat? What about parking in the garage at BWI-- does that fill up quickly or will I be able to find a spot still at 7:15?

Thank you!!
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Old 03-07-2013, 03:14 PM
 
Location: NYC
7,305 posts, read 13,463,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleycole23 View Post
Hello,

I am moving up to Owings Mills soon and currently work in DC. I am considering taking the Penn Line MARC train in from BWI Airport to Union Station in DC. Does anyone know how busy this train gets? Will I be able to find a seat? What about parking in the garage at BWI-- does that fill up quickly or will I be able to find a spot still at 7:15?

Thank you!!
That's a big parking garage, I don't think it fills up often.

I don't think it would be any more expensive to park at Penn Station. Much closer.
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Old 03-07-2013, 05:17 PM
 
Location: The Triad
34,090 posts, read 82,611,550 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleycole23 View Post
I am moving up to Owings Mills soon and currently work in DC.
I am considering taking the Penn Line MARC train in from BWI Airport to Union Station in DC.
Do you really plan to drive to the BWI station and then train in? Every day?
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Old 03-08-2013, 08:06 AM
 
132 posts, read 291,868 times
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Default BWI to DC

I have a relative that has been taking the train from BWI to DC everyday for that past 15 years. He is closer to the Penn station but he said driving to BWI cuts off 45 minutes of the train commute.

I dont think it is a big deal to drive to BWI??? I havent done it but like I said, a relative has been doing it for a long time...
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Old 03-08-2013, 08:18 AM
 
Location: NYC
7,305 posts, read 13,463,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by L in sobo View Post
I have a relative that has been taking the train from BWI to DC everyday for that past 15 years. He is closer to the Penn station but he said driving to BWI cuts off 45 minutes of the train commute.

I dont think it is a big deal to drive to BWI??? I havent done it but like I said, a relative has been doing it for a long time...
I guess it's not actually that much further (I was mistaken), but battling the west side of the beltway can be harrowing in the a.m.

It doesn't seem as far-fetched as I originally thought. If leaving early enough, the OP can park at Halethorpe for free (fills up quickly). West Baltimore station is less convenient but they are adding (free) parking there as well.
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Old 03-08-2013, 08:29 AM
 
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Yes, I do plan on driving to BWI then taking the train into DC. It beats trying to drive down 95 to Greenbelt or New Carrollton.

I originally thought of driving down into Baltimore and going from Camden Yards or Penn Station. However, it costs $8/day to park at Camden Yards, and on game days I wouldn't be able to park there. Penn Station is something like $20/day. BWI offers free parking so I'd be willing to deal with the Beltway for that. I'd be leaving my house by 6:30-6:45ish anyways, so I'm hoping the Beltway shouldn't be as bad as it normally is at that time.

I was just curious if anyone else on here did that and whether or not the train is full.
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Old 03-08-2013, 08:51 AM
 
Location: NYC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleycole23 View Post
BWI offers free parking.
MARC Parking Details | Maryland Transit Administration

Looks like there's some extra work involved to get the free parking offered at BWI. Check the bottom of that page before you start making the commute.
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Old 03-08-2013, 09:57 AM
 
8,160 posts, read 13,231,487 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleycole23 View Post
Yes, I do plan on driving to BWI then taking the train into DC. It beats trying to drive down 95 to Greenbelt or New Carrollton.

I originally thought of driving down into Baltimore and going from Camden Yards or Penn Station. However, it costs $8/day to park at Camden Yards, and on game days I wouldn't be able to park there. Penn Station is something like $20/day. BWI offers free parking so I'd be willing to deal with the Beltway for that. I'd be leaving my house by 6:30-6:45ish anyways, so I'm hoping the Beltway shouldn't be as bad as it normally is at that time.

I was just curious if anyone else on here did that and whether or not the train is full.
ALAS.. Im in the same boat.. You will find a seat on the 7:15 out of Penn with no problem.. Also keep in mind that there is a 700am that orginates in Baltimore and there is PLENTY of seating on this train before it rolls out.. The down side is that it stops at every station to New Carrollton while the 715 expresses Bowie and Seabrook.. In reality you dont save that much more time because the 700 is in front of the 715.. What I usually angle for the 700 because if something happens to the 700 then you have the 715 as a back up.. If something happens to the 715 you are now looking at 740 for the next train.. (Note: these are all times out of Baltimore Penn.. I dont know what the actual times are at BWI) Once these trains reach BWI.. there are generally seats available unless they have pulled one of the cars out of service and/or replaced a double decker with a single level car.. which happens every now and then.. When over crowding/standing occurs it generally at Odenton the next stop after BWI....

One trick that you could use.. (I really dont want to tell you but since we are all City-Data folks I will give it to ya) I often park at North Ave Light Rail Station and walk over to Penn. Its about a 10 min walk and if you are a MARC Monthly or weekly ticket holder... its free parking. When I am coming back from DC I then take either the Penn or the Camden Line back to Baltimore.. If I take the Penn Line.. then I just walk back over to North Ave Light Rail Station.. If I take the Camden Line.. then I just take the Light Rail towards Hunt Valley and viola Im at my car.. no pay to park..... If you live way out in OM.. then it may not be to your benefit to come all the way down into the City.. but I live in north Baltimore so it works for me.

Also keep in mind that if you are a MARC Monthly or Weekly ticket holder you can ride the MTA Bus, Light Rail, or Metro Subway for free by showing your pass.. It makes a hell of a difference.
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Old 03-08-2013, 10:32 AM
 
Location: NYC
7,305 posts, read 13,463,927 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlands View Post
Also keep in mind that if you are a MARC Monthly or Weekly ticket holder you can ride the MTA Bus, Light Rail, or Metro Subway for free by showing your pass.. It makes a hell of a difference.
Such a shame the State Center Metro station couldn't be just a little closer to Penn.
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Old 03-08-2013, 02:01 PM
 
5,104 posts, read 6,034,979 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HandsUpThumbsDown View Post
Such a shame the State Center Metro station couldn't be just a little closer to Penn.
Its a shame the Baltimore Metro couldn't have been designed to be a usable system instead of an aborted feel good test project
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