BWI Airport station is a train station located in an unincorporated area within Anne Arundel County, Maryland. It is served by Amtrak intercity services (frequent Northeast Regional and Acela Express trains plus the daily Vermonter and Palmetto) and MARC Penn Line regional rail service.
The station is located on the airport complex just over a mile from the main terminal of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. A free shuttle bus runs between the station and the airport terminal every 6 minutes from 5 am to 1 am and every 25 minutes from 1 am to 5 am.
History
The station was dedicated on October 23, 1980, and was the first intercity rail station in the U.S. built to service an airport. BWI Rail Station opened for Amtrak intercity and Conrail commuter trains on October 26, 1980.
The station's building houses a ticketing desk, waiting room, and a concessions area. The adjacent parking garage is used by commuters who ride the train to work in Baltimore or Washington, and also contains the bus stop for shuttles to the BWI terminal. The garage was built in the late 1990s to replace a smaller surface lot. It contains 3,200 parking spaces and typically does not fill to capacity. The Carolinian served the station between 1991 and 2004.
Platform renovations
The 1,050 feet (320 m) high-level platforms were rebuilt and lengthened in 2006â€"10. The existing structures were replaced with new precast concrete segments, and new signs, lights, shelters, railing, canopies, and benches were installed.
Future expansion
$9.4 million has been allocated for design and engineering of a new station building and fourth track, which is expected to cost $80â€"100 million. The existing station will be demolished to make way for the new track and platform, and a new stationâ€"twice the size of the oldâ€"will be built. The Federal Railroad Administration issued a Finding Of No Significant Impactâ€"a major step in the environmental review processâ€"in February 2016. This will allow final design and construction to proceed once funding is obtained.
Connecting transportation
A number of transportation services connect to the station, including a dedicated taxi stand. Some of these services include Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) Bus, BWI Shuttle, and University of Maryland Baltimore County Transit Shuttle. While rental cars are not available at the station, the nearby BWI consolidated rental car facility is accessible via the station's other connecting modes.
Local public transit services
- Airport shuttle bus: The station is indirectly connected to MTA's Baltimore Light Rail, for which there is a stop (BWI Marshall Airport) station at the airport terminal.
- MTA bus route 17: Connects the station to Arundel Mills (to the south) and the Patapsco Baltimore Light Rail station (to the north), with stops at the airport terminal and the BWI Business District station.
- MTA commuter bus route 201: Offers service between Gaithersburg and BWI Airport.
- Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland Route 501/Silver: Service to BWI Airport, Arundel Mills, Howard County and The Mall in Columbia.
- UMBC Transit
- BayRunner Shuttle, a private shuttle connecting east to the Eastern Shore area of Maryland and connecting shuttle to Cumberland.
Pedestrian and bicycle access
- BWI Trail: A hiker/biker trail completely encircles the airport grounds parallel to the Airport Loop, and runs adjacent to the station.
- An elevated walkway connects the station (at the second floor of the southbound platform's stairwell) with office buildings on Corporate Center Drive, including the Maryland Department of Transportation headquarters.
Layout
MARC Trains:
References
External links
- Amtrak â€" Stations â€" BWI Rail Station
- Baltimore Airport Amtrak (TrainWeb)
- MARC Station (TrainWeb)
- BWI Airport - Thurgood Marshall Airport, MD (BWI)--Great American Stations (Amtrak)
