Station Review #50: Baltimore Pennsylvania (Amtrak/MARC)

Baltimore-Pennsylvania Station (aka Baltimore-Penn or just Penn) is the main train station of Baltimore, Maryland. This station is used both for MARC trains and Amtrak trains, most notably for the MARC PENN line and Amtrak's Northeast Regional and Acela trains, as well as other Amtrak trains. Baltimore-Penn Station is currently the 8th most used train station in the US.

History

Baltimore Penn Station is the third iteration of the train station in that exact location, and trains stopping here go back to 1873. The first station was a wooden station built by the North Central Railroad, a subsidiary of the PRR. This was demolished, and replaced by the Charles Street Union Station, pictured above. This was then also demolished and replaced by a new Baltimore Penn station in 1910, which is the station that is currently there. 

Historically, all service was run by the PRR, which not only included service up and down the Northeast Corridor but also included service on the Harrisburg Branch between Harrisburg, PA, and DC. This service does not exist anymore, even though the tracks still do. Then, the PRR stopped existing and all service was assumed by Amtrak and Conrail. 

In the 1980s, MARC started running commuter trains to Baltimore from DC after the PRR and Amtrak stopped doing that. Today both Amtrak and MARC run service to this station. 

Services Provided

AMTRAK:

• Acela: Express service from DC to Boston via Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City

• Cardinal: New York City to Chicago via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Charlottesville, Charleston (WV), Cincinnati, and Indianapolis

• Carolinian: New York City to Charlotte via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Richmond, Raleigh, and Durham

• Crescent: New York City to New Orleans via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Charlottesville, Atlanta, and Birmingham

• Northeast Regional: Local version of Acela

• Palmetto: New York City to Savannah via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Richmond, and Charleston (SC)

• Silver Meteor: New York City to Miami via Philadelphia, Baltimore, DC, Richmond, Charleston (SC),  Savannah,  Jacksonville, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami

• Silver Star: Similar to the Silver Meteor except it goes through Tampa as well

• Vermonter: DC to Saint Albans, VT via Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Hartford, Springfield (MA), Brattleboro, Montpelier, and Burlington

MARC:

• Penn Line: Commuter rail from DC to Perryville, MD via Baltimore. May soon be extended to Newark, DE to connect to SEPTA

Location 

An area near the station

The station is located in a terrible spot, far away from the actual downtown of the city, and away from any actual rapid transit lines (not including buses). Sure, the Light RailLink was a few blocks away, but those few blocks meant a lot in that freezing cold morning when I visited the station. To make matters worse, the station is incredibly close to a highway, and that highway isolates the station from areas south of the city many are trying to go to. 

Station Tour

Front of the station, currently under construction

The station is currently being renovated, usually a good sign that people actually care about it.

Back of the station

You can still see the back of the actual station though, through a random nearby parking lot. 

Going inside, there is a lot to see. The station house is divided into multiple chambers, with waiting areas, MARC machines, and two or three stores. There is also a very large departure board there as well

Gallery

The benches wrap around the wall 

Oh, MARC...

Every time I have visited this station, this café was always closed. I wonder when or if it'll ever open

Hallway

Light fixture

One of the platforms

MARC Penn Line train laying over

Amtrak locomotive #636 on train 151, en route to Roanoke

The platforms but in the daytime

Arches

When I last visited, a new platform was in the process of being built

When you look closer at the columns, it shows just how much detail went into this station. 

Winter Festivities

Advertisements for nearby attractions

And who could not forget the memorable (and divisive) art piece in front of the station that I could not get a proper photo of without the sun going directly into my phone camera? 

Transit Connections

CCC bus sign

There are nine bus connections at Baltimore Penn Station. 

CityLink

• Gold: Walbrook Junction to Berea or Canton Junction

• Green: Inner Harbour to Towson

• Silver: Curtis Bay to Morgan State University via John Hopkins University

Note: the CityLink Gold is not directly at the station but rather a couple of blocks north of it.

LocalLink, ExpressBusLink, and Commuter Buses

• LocalLink 51: Inner Harbour to Towson via Towson University

• LocalLink53: State Center to Cromwell Bridge P&R or Stephen Pratt Hospital (Towson University)

• LocalLink 94: Sinai Hospital to Fort McHenry

• LocalLink 95: Inner Harbour to Towson via Towson University

• ExpressBusLink 103: Inner Harbour to Cromwell Bridge Park and Ride

• Commuter Bus 410: State Center to Churchville

Note: a few of these are not directly at the station but rather a couple of blocks away in any direction.

Charm City Connector and other Routes

• Charm City Purple Route: John Hopkins University to Federal Hill
• OurBus also stops immediately outside of the station en route to numerous locations in the Mid-Atlantic (and also Storrs, Connecticut).

Note: a few of these are not directly at the station but rather a couple of blocks away in any direction.

About the LightRailLink

While at Baltimore Penn Station, you may see a sign advertising the Baltimore LightRailLink's Penn Station spur. This does not exist as a service anymore and has not since 2020. Instead, one must walk two blocks to Mt. Royal/MICA station, maybe more. Personally, I use Cultural Center Station instead because it's difficult for me to find Mt. Royal/MICA station. 

Points of Interest in Baltimore 

There's a lot to see in Baltimore. So much, in fact, that I could spend all day listing things to see and do! But, I won't do that because this is already long enough as it is. Unfortunately, many of these things require you to go to the Inner Harbour, which this station is not near. Near the station itself, there is not much to see at all. 

Statistics

Name: Baltimore Penn 

Agencies: Amtrak/MARC

Line(s): Amtrak: Acela, Cardinal, Carolinian, Crescent, Northeast Regional, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Vermonter. MARC: Penn Line

Locality: Mount Vernon

City/Township: City of Baltimore 

County: Baltimore City

State: Maryland

Ridership: Amtrak: 2278 per average weekday, MARC: 512 per average weekday, total: 2790 per average weekday

Amenities

Accessible: ✓

Bathrooms: ✓

Bicycle parking: ✓

Clean Station: ✓

Connections to other transit routes: ✓

Convenience Store/similar place inside: ✓

Easy passage for each side: ✓

Fare Payment Kiosks (if applicable): ✓

Good Wayfinding: ✓

Indoor Shelters: ✓

Maps: ✓

Multiple entrances/exits: ✓

Seating: ✓

Shelters: ✓

Station In Good Condition: ✓

TVMs: ✓

Ticket Offices: ✓

TOD: ✓

Train Departure/Arrival Info (signs that update/screens): ✓

Updated/Useful Signage: × (signs still exist for the Penn spur that doesn't run anymore)

Final Verdict: 8/10

This would be such a good station, but the location just ruins it for me. 

Station Directory

--------MASSACHUSETTS--------
--------Suffolk County--------
South Station
Back Bay
--------Norfolk County--------
Route 128
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Providence
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Kingston
Westerly
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Mystic
New London
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Old Saybrook
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New Haven Union 
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Bridgeport
Stamford
--------NEW YORK--------
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New Rochelle
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New York Penn
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Newark Penn
Newark Liberty International Airport
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Metropark
New Brunswick
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Princeton Junction
Trenton Transit Center
--------PENNSYLVANIA--------
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30th Street
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Wilmington
Newark
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    Perryville
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Aberdeen
    Edgewood
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Martin State Airport
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Baltimore Penn
    West Baltimore
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    Halethorpe
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BWI/Thurgood Marshall Airport
    Odenton
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    Bowie State University
    Seabrook
New Carrolton
--------DC--------
Washington DC Union Station