***UPDATE, August 29...The WMATA Red Line reopens on September 1, but MARC Train will continue the fare promotions outlined below through September!  Trains 890, 878, and 891 will continue to stop at Kensington.*** 

Welcome to MARC Train and MTA Commuter Bus! We are glad to have Washington Metrorail passengers use our services due to the closure of the Red Line from June 1 to September 1. Riding MARC and Commuter Bus is easy, but there are some important things to be aware of before you travel. The information that follows is very important and will help make your trip more enjoyable.

Overview

The MARC Brunswick Line stations that will be most affected by the Metro closure are Garrett Park, Kensington, and Silver Spring (click links for Google Maps). Please allow extra time to get to your destination and arrive at your boarding station early.

MTA Commuter bus Routes 305, 315, and 325 pass through Silver Spring on their trips into Washington, DC, stopping at Colesville Road & Fenton Street and Colesville Road across from the Silver Spring Metro station in front of McDonalds.  From there, the three lines take various routes around downtown Washington.

Schedules

Click here to view and download the MARC Brunswick Line schedule. Please note that during the WMATA closure, Trains 890, 878, and 891 will stop at Kensington.

MTA Commuter Bus schedules can be downloaded here: Route 305, Route 315, Route 325.

Parking

There is limited parking at Garrett Park and Kensington.  Parking at near the Silver Spring station is available in several garages, rates vary. You must observe all No Parking, residential parking permit, and business-only signs in the surrounding neighborhoods and streets. Offending cars will be ticketed or towed.

Fares

MARC Train and MTA Commuter Bus are offering special discounted fares from Garrett Park, Kensington and Silver Spring to Union Station during the WMATA Red Line closure:

The discounted fares took effect on Monday, May 20th.  Come out and give us a try before the Red Line closure!

MARC Train:

Ticket type  Fare
One-way / Round trip $3.00 / $6.00
Senior, disabled, student one-way/round trip $1.50 / $3.00
Weekly pass $22.50
Monthly pass $81.00

Commuter Bus:

  • One way - $3.00

How to Buy a Ticket

Click here for a full list of ways to buy a MARC ticket. TVMs are located at:

  • Washington Union Station: In the MARC Gate B waiting area and hallway inside Gate A.
  • Silver Spring: adjacent to the elevator on the westbound (Track 1) platform.  Tickets are also available for purchase from the TRIPs store located on the second floor of the Silver SpringTransit Center.
  • Kensington: inside the station waiting room.
  • Garrett Park does not have a ticket machine, see next paragraph

Conductors will be selling one-way and round trip special fares on the train and the on board penalty will be waived for passengers boarding at Kensington and Silver Spring only (there is never a surcharge at Garrett Park station since there is not a ticket machine). Please note that cash is the only form of payment accepted on the train, no credit or debit cards are accepted, and exact change is appreciated.  Passengers boarding at Union Station must purchase a ticket prior to boarding. 

Commuter Bus drivers will sell the special one-way fare, cash only and exact change is strongly encouraged.  You can also buy a Zone 2 Commuter Bus one way or multi-ride ticket on the CharmPass app.

If you receive WMATA SmartBenefits through your employer, you can reallocate your benefits to either Charm Pass or the MARC TVMs. Click here to login to your SmartBenefits account or click here for more information on allocating your benefits to purchase tickets.

What to expect during your MARC Train ride

  • Parking lots, platforms, and trains may be crowded, so you should arrive at your station 20 minutes prior to your train's scheduled departure.
  • It is possible that some trains will have limited boarding based on crowding. We thank you in advance for your patience. Passengers may have to wait to board the next train.
  • When boarding the train, please move inside and to the center of the car; do not stop just inside the doors. This will ensure that there is enough space for standees.
  • Do not stand in the area between two railcars.
  • In the afternoon, please follow directions from Amtrak and MARC staff at Union Station. Trains begin boarding 15-20 minutes prior to departure. Remain inside the station at the designated boarding gate until your train is announced for boarding.

What to expect during your Commuter Bus ride:

  • Standees are not permitted on MTA Commuter Bus.  We thank you in advance for your patience if you have to wait for the next bus.
  • Please use caution when boarding the bus, hold the handrail and take your time.

Questions?  

Please email us at marc@mta.maryland.gov or commuterbus@mta.maryland.gov.  You can also direct message us on X (formerly Twitter) @mtamaryland and through Facebook Messenger.

Thank you for riding MARC Train and MTA Commuter Bus. We hope you enjoy your trip!