BALTIMORE — While through-running operation for MARC and Virginia Railway Express trains beyond Washington, D.C., remains a wish-list items for some passengers and both agencies, the two commuter rail operators are now making it a little easier and less expensive for some riders to make use of both services.
A new agreement, announced Thursday and effective immediately, will allow passengers with weekly, monthly, or 10-trip passes to Washington Union Station on either service to transfer to the other operator and continue their trip at no additional cost.
“This agreement represents a significant step forward in regional transit integration,” Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold said in a press release. “We are not only fostering a more connected and efficient transportation network across our states but fueling economic growth by facilitating easier movement of people, supporting tourism and attracting business to the National Capital Region.”
Schedules for the two operations are available here (for MARC) and here (for VRE).
“This agreement effectively expands the geographic footprint of commuter rail service in the region and provides passengers with an affordable two-seat ride across state lines,” said VRE CEO Rich Dalton. “It lays the groundwork for future efforts to better align MARC and VRE operations, which is consistent with our long-range plan to grow VRE from a peak-period, commuter-focused rail service to an all-day, bidirectional transit system that can better meet the transportation needs of a growing region.”
The agreement makes possible trips on a single pass as long as 174 miles, from Perrysville, Md., on MARC to Spotsylvania, Va., on VRE, or 171 miles from Martinsburg, W.Va., on MARC to Spotsylvania.
MARC last year signed an agreement with the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to lay the groundwork for extending service past Union Station to Alexandria, Va. — a prospect contingent on completion of the Long Bridge project that would expand capacity across the Potomac River [see “Maryland agreements will explore MARC expansion …,” Trains News Wire, April 14, 2023]. At the same time, it is exploring the possibility of extending service into Delaware, where it would connect with Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority service from Philadelphia.
