GENERAL INFORMATION

MARC Train Service is operated under contract with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) and CSX Transportation.

While every effort is made to maintain published schedules, the train schedules, fares and other information shown in MARC timetables and this brochure are subject to change without notice. Neither the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), Amtrak, nor CSX Transportation assume responsibility for inconvenience or damages resulting from missed stops, canceled or delayed trains, failures to make connections, or shortages of equipment.

Your comments and suggestions regarding the quality of our service are important to us. Please write directly to: MTA Office of Customer Information, 6 Saint Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21202-1614 or MARC@mtamaryland.com.

 MTA E-Mail News & Update Service

Want to stay on top of important MTA Bus, Light Rail, Metro Subway and MARC news? Plus, get critical information on schedule changes, delays and cancellations conveniently on your home or office computer? Registration is easy and free. Go to www.mtamaryland.com and click on "Sign Up for E-mail News & Updates."
 
Onboard Ground Rules

Security

• Passengers will not be allowed to board trains at Washington until train crews are aboard trains. We ask that you cooperate with train crews and ushers by remaining within the station waiting area until the train is ready for boarding.
• Keep your personal belongings with you at all times.
• Be alert to other passengers and remind them if they leave any parcels behind.
• Report any suspicious individuals or behavior to your conductor or a station agent.
• Unattended baggage and packages are subject to search and possible destruction. We ask your cooperation in making sure you have all your personal possessions when leaving the train.
 
Train Conductor

The conductor is in general charge of the train. Please be governed by the instructions of the conductor while riding any MARC Train, and feel free to contact the conductor regarding any service problems. Persons needing assistance should contact the conductor in advance of their deboarding station.
 
Baggage

Only items which can be safely and easily carried by the passenger may be brought on the train. There is no checked baggage on MARC Trains. The following items are not permitted on trains: non-folding baby carriages, bicycles (except folding bikes), surfboards, skis, and any items which can cause safety hazards or inconvenience to other passengers. For safety reasons, folding bicycles and hard-sided luggage are not allowed in the overhead racks. Lockers for bikes are available at many stations. Call 410-767-8749 for details.
 
Lost And Found

Lost items may be turned in at any endpoint location, so passengers should call the appropriate origin or destination Lost and Found offices to check for lost articles and tickets. See MARC website at  www.mtamaryland.com   for more details.
 
MARC Station Lost And Found Offices

Washington Union Station    202-906-3109
Baltimore Camden Station    410-354-1093
Baltimore Penn Station         410-291-4267
Brunswick Station                301-834-6380
Frederick Station                  301-682-9716
Martinsburg Station             304-263-3376
 
Quiet Cars

Most rush hour MARC trains have a Quiet Car, which is located next to the locomotive at the north end of the train. These trains are noted with a “Q” at the top of the column in the current MARC timetable. Passengers in the Quiet Car must not use cellphones and must keep all audio devices, such as laptops, PDAs and pagers turned off or in a silent mode. Passengers may speak, but only in low whispers.  Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.  Note: Quiet Car is a registered service mark of Amtrak.
 
Pets and Service Animals

Only small pets, confned in closed carriers, are permitted on MARC Trains. Service animals accompanying passengers with disabilities are welcome onboard.

Standees

For safety and consideration of other passengers, please do not stand in aisles when seats are available. Standing is never allowed on stairs or in vestibules. Conductors will direct standing passengers to seats when available or to space on the train where standing will not inhibit the flow of traffic to and from the doors. Please remain in your seat until shortly before arriving at your station for your own safety and as a courtesy to others.
 
Smoking

Smoking is not permitted on MARC Trains, inside stations and waiting rooms, nor on the platforms at Washington Union Station.
 
Courtesy Considerations While Riding

No seats are reserved on MARC Trains. Please do not inconvenience others by holding seats or blocking seats with parcels or items of   
clothing. Each train has one or more cars equipped to handle the special travel needs of passengers needing securement of   mobility devices.

Please do not place feet, food or beverages on seats, even when protected by newspapers or other coverings. Maryland law requires that any audio device must be used with a headset, and the volume kept to a level that will not disturb others, while in public areas and onboard trains.
 
Please help keep MARC Trains clean by depositing trash in designated receptacles on the train or on platforms. 
 
Unruly Passengers
 
Improper conduct, intoxication, offensive actions or language that is objectionable to other passengers and disruptive to the safe operation of the train is not permitted. Passengers displaying disorderly conduct will not be transported and will be asked to leave the train. No refunds will be made to passengers who have been removed from the train under these circumstances.
 
Unaccompanied Children

Children under 8 years of age may not travel unless accompanied by a parent or guardian (16 years of age or older).
 
Holiday And Severe Weather Schedules

On Columbus Day, and Veterans' Day holidays, as well as the Friday following Thanksgiving, MARC will only operate trains designated with an S at the top of the column in the current MARC timetable.  Please note that certain trains will make additional station stops when the S (Special Service) schedule is in effect.  These stops are listed in the footnotes for each MARC line. Schedules may also be adjusted during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Please consult the MARC timetables. 
 
During periods of severe weather, MARC may also operate these same schedules in order to maintain a more reliable service.
There is no MARC service on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day,  Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or on weekends.
 
Ticket Purchase Options

Tickets can be purchased with cash, Metrocheks or Commuter Choice Maryland vouchers, at any staffed ticket offce. At Amtrak stations (Washington, New Carrollton, BWI Marshall, Baltimore Penn) and the four Commuter Stores in Virginia, most major credit cards are accepted. Passengers are required to show photo ID when buying MARC tickets at the ticket windows at Washington, New Carrolton, BWI Marshall Rail Station and Baltimore Penn Station. Other MARC stations accept MasterCard and Visa only. One-way tickets may be purchased on the train when no ticket agent is available, with cash only.

Tickets purchased on trains are subject to a $3.00 penalty if the ticket of?ce was open at train departure time. Metrocheks and Commuter Choice Maryland vouchers cannot be accepted in excess of the price of a ticket. Only totally unused Metrocheks are acceptable. Metrocheks used to purchase tickets are non-refundable. Metrocheks are accepted only with redeemable values of $1, $5, $10, $20 and $30. MARC tickets may also be purchased online at www.CommuterDirect.com or www.mtamaryland.com
 
Fares and on-train penalties paid in the absence of weekly or monthly tickets will not be credited or refunded. Children under the age of six may ride free with any passenger paying the full fare (limit of two children per full fare passenger). Additional children will be charged the appropriate full fare.

Senior citizens (age 65 and over), persons with disabilities, Medicare card holders and students are eligible for reduced fares and may be asked for proof of eligibility at time of purchase or aboard the train.
 
Ticket-by-Mail
Regular monthly tickets and TLC tickets are available by mail at no extra charge. You must be signed up by the 10th of the month preceding the effective date. Payment must be received by the third day of the month for which the ticket is valid. Information is available at www.CommuterDirect.com.

Please note that the normal MARC refund policy applies to Ticket-by-Mail purchases. Tickets returned after the start of the effective month will be refunded in the percentage indicated by the
 
MARC refund policy contained in the Riders Guide. The postmark date on any refunded tickets will serve as the basis for refunds. Lost, damaged or stolen tickets will not be refunded or replaced.
 
You will be held financially responsible for all tickets mailed to you. Late payments or returned checks will be cause for termination of participation in the TBM program. The Transit Link portion ($80.00) of a ticket is not refundable under any circumstances.
 
One-Way Tickets

Good for one trip in either direction.  This ticket is non-refundable and good for 6 months. Not valid for travel on Amtrak.
 
Ten-Trip Tickets

Good for ten (10) one-way trips regardless of direction for one rider or multiple riders traveling together. Refundable if before first use and before expiration date. The ticket is valid for 60 days from date of sale. Not valid for travel on Amtrak.

Monthly Tickets

Good for unlimited use during the calendar month for which the ticket is valid. May be used on selected Amtrak trains. See “Refunds” section to determine refund on monthly ticket.
 
Transit Link Card (TLC)

The Maryland Transit Link Card (TLC) monthly ticket is a combination of MARC monthly and WMATA ticket that has unlimited monthly use of the Washington Metrorail system, including weekend travel. Cost is $80.00 added to your MARC monthly ticket, and it is available only through Ticket-by-Mail, www.CommuterDirect.com and Arlington County Commuter stores.
 
Other Uses for MARC Weekly and Monthly Tickets

MARC weekly and monthly tickets can be used to ride Montgomery County RIDE ON buses and MTA Local Buses, Neighborhood Shuttles, Light Rail, Metro Subway, MTA Commuter Bus Route 991 between Frederick and Shady Grove and Frederick TransIT.
 
MARC weekly and monthly tickets can also be used on WMATA’s "DC Circulator" and Metrobus system, good for the base fare on all Metrobuses in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia.
 
Lost Tickets

Lost, damaged or stolen tickets are non-refundable and irreplaceable. Do not laminate tickets as this may make them unreadable.
 
Refunds

One-way tickets are non-refundable. Ten-Trip tickets are refundable if unused before the expiration date. Weekly tickets are refundable if returned no later than 11:59 p.m. the Friday prior to the effective week. Monthly tickets are refundable, based on calendar days, as follows:
 
Prior to effective month      100%
Days 1-5                           75%
 Days 6-10                        50%
Any questions about refunds should be directed to: (410) 767-3999 or 410-539-3497 (TTY)
 
Extension of Tickets

 Passengers holding weekly, monthly, or Ten-Trip tickets wishing to travel to a point beyond their ticketed zone destination must pay the appropriate one-way fare from their ticketed destination zone to their new destination. Passengers holding one-way tickets may pay the difference in fare between their ticketed and actual destination. No penalty will be charged for tickets extended aboard trains.
 
Ticket Forfeiture

Alteration or mutilation of any ticket, or obtaining a ticket deceptively for the purpose of fraudulent transportation will result in forfeiture of
 ticket.
 
Display of Tickets

Passengers must allow conductors or any authorized representative to inspect all tickets or cash fare receipts upon request. Tickets may be inspected more than once during a trip. Tickets must be removed from any carrying case if requested by the conductor and, if presented after date of expiration, must be surrendered. Passengers without valid tickets are subject to removal from train.
 
Travel Beyond Washington

Tickets to and from Washington are not valid for travel beyond Washington. Passengers wishing to travel through Washington must have a valid ticket to their final destination. Brunswick Line tickets are not valid for travel to equivalent zones on the Camden and Penn Lines.
 
Cross-Honoring of Tickets

Tickets sold to points on the Camden or Penn Lines are valid to equivalent destinations on the other line as shown below:

MARC via Camden Line	MARC via Penn Line
Washington, D.C. Union Station	Washington, D.C. Union Station
Riverdale, MD College Park, MD Greenbelt, MD	New Carrollton, MD   Seabrook, MD
Muirkirk, MD Laurel, MD Laurel Park, MD Savage, MD Jessup, MD	Bowie State, MD   Odenton, MD
Dorsey, MD St. Denis, MD	BWI Marshall Airport Rail Station, MD   Halethorpe, MD
Baltimore Camden Station, MD	West Baltimore, MD   Baltimore Penn Station, MD

Ticket Cross-Honoring on Amtrak Trains

MARC weekly and monthly ticket holders (Ten-Trip tickets are NOT valid on Amtrak) may ride Amtrak trains that are listed in the MARC timetable at no additional cost. 
 
Travel must be in accordance with the zone/city pairs on the ticket, and only on days when MARC service operates. For example, a Washington/Perryville ticket may be used to ride to Aberdeen, but a Washington/Edgewood ticket could not be used to Aberdeen. Passengers may only ride Amtrak trains between the points indicated in the MARC timetable.
 
MARC weekly and monthly tickets may also be used to ride selected Amtrak “regional” trains on weekends and before and after MARC service hours on weekdays. For details go to www.mtamaryland.com and click on “MARC Service”, then “Fares” and then scroll to "Ticket Cross Honoring on Amtrak Trains."
 
Seniors, People With Disabilities and Student Fares

Proof of age for senior citizens shall consist of a federal or state issued photo identification card with age or birth date, or a combination of such federal cards; or a valid Medicare card; or a senior citizen identification card issued by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), the Maryland  Transit  Administration (MTA), or other transit agency. Identification for passengers with disabilities shall consist of an appropriate disabled association identification card (e.g., Foundation for the Blind), or a disabled identification card issued by a local, state or federal government; or a disabled identification card issued by WMATA, the MTA or other transit agency.
 
Tickets are valid for six months from date of purchase. I.D. for proof of eligibility must be shown at time of purchase and to conductor onboard the train if requested.
 
Discount one-way, weekly and monthly tickets for members of the MARC Train Student  Advantage program are applicable for passengers who present a valid Student Advantge card at the time of purchase, plus a valid college I.D.  Discount available from ticket agents only. The discount is not available for tickets sold by mail nor at Amtrak Quik-Trak self-service ticketing machines. I.D. for proof of eligibility must be shown to conductor onboard the train if requested.
 
TransIT - Frederick County
301-694-2065 www.co.frederick.md.us/ govt/transpor.html 
Downtown Frederick, Monocacy, Point of  Rocks stations
 
Connect-A-Ride/Howard Transit (Corridor Transportation Corp.)
301-725-4000   www.corridortransit.com 
Laurel, Savage, Dorsey, BWI Marshall, Odenton, Muirkirk, College Park stations
 
Montgomery County RIDE ON  240-777-7433
 www.rideonbus.com
Germantown, Metropolitan Grove, Washington Grove, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Kensington, Silver Spring stations
 
The Bus - Prince George's County  301-883-5656  
www.goprincegeorges county.com 
Greenbelt, College Park, New Carrollton stations
 
Harford County Transportation Services  800-924-8646 
 www.harfordcommuter.com   Aberdeen, Edgewood stations
 
MARC timetables are available at all staffed stations, or by calling 1-800-325-RAIL you can have one mailed to you. MARC timetables are usually revised each spring and fall. Please check with a MARC representative for the effective date of the latest timetable.