Transit updates from Maryland MTA, Long Island Rail Road and Caltrain

The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has launched a new weekday Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) service between Montgomery County and Baltimore. The new commuter-rail service directly connects Brunswick, Point of Rocks, Barnesville, Germantown, Metropolitan Grove, Gaithersburg, Rockville, Kensington, Silver Spring, College Park, Laurel and Baltimore, with one train traveling to Baltimore in the morning and one returning in the evening. The new MARC service will reduce commute times by up to an hour, making rail travel time competitive with drive times between those same destinations, MTA officials said in a press release. MTA adjusted existing services to provide the new connection, meaning there is no additional annual operating cost, they said.

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has acquired more than 46 acres of land at the former Lawrence Aviation Site in Port Jefferson Station, securing the property for potential construction of a rail yard for the MTA Long Island Railroad. The MTA purchased the parcel at 100 Sheep Pasture Rd. for $10 from the Suffolk County Land Bank. Legislation passed in July protecting the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway while retaining the MTA’s right to build a rail yard for the LIRR's Port Jefferson Branch. While there are no current plans or funding for such a project, the acquisition preserves the railroad’s ability to consider the possibility as part of long-term planning, MTA officials said in a press releasee.

Caltrain has released its 2026 ridership report, which shows strong momentum in both weekend and weekday ridership. In fiscal-year 2026, which ended June 30, total ridership reached 12.6 million, a 38% increase from FY25. Average weekday and weekend ridership were 37% and 40% higher than FY25, respectively. Measured against pre-pandemic figures, weekend ridership in FY26 was 50% higher than FY19, while weekday ridership continues to close the gap toward full recovery, Caltrain officials said in a press release. The increase follows the September 2024 launch of Caltrain’s electric trains. Caltrain's electric fleet is currently being outfitted with automated passenger counters to obtain more precise ridership data. Caltrain will also keep tracking demand tied to special events along the corridor, officials said.