Baltimore Metro Schedules and Hours of Operation

Baltimore's transit network operates on fixed schedules that govern when and how often trains run across the subway and light rail lines. Understanding the published timetables, frequency patterns, and seasonal adjustments is essential for commuters, occasional riders, and trip planners who depend on reliable service windows. This page covers the operational hours, headway intervals, and scheduling logic that define daily service on the Baltimore Metro system.

Definition and scope

Baltimore Metro service schedules define the start and end times of revenue service on each line, the intervals between train arrivals (headways), and the calendar-based variations that apply on weekends, holidays, and special event days. The two primary lines subject to published schedules are the Metro SubwayLink and the Light RailLink, both operated under the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA Maryland), a division of the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT).

Schedules are distinct from real-time service alerts, which address unplanned disruptions. Published timetables represent the planned, steady-state operating framework — the baseline against which any deviation is measured. The service alerts page handles real-time exceptions.

How it works

MTA Maryland publishes timetables for each line and direction of travel. Schedules are structured around three primary service tiers:

Weekday peak service — Higher frequency during morning and evening rush periods, typically defined as approximately 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Weekday off-peak service — Reduced frequency during midday and evening hours outside rush windows.
Weekend and holiday service — Typically a single, uniform headway applied across the full service day, with shorter operating windows than weekday service.

Metro SubwayLink (Heavy Rail)

The Metro SubwayLink operates between Owings Mills and Johns Hopkins Hospital, a corridor of 14 stations. According to MTA Maryland's published timetables, weekday peak headways on the SubwayLink run approximately every 8 minutes. Off-peak weekday service operates on headways of roughly 15 minutes. Weekend service uses a headway of approximately 15 minutes throughout the day. The line's weekday first train departs near 5:00 a.m., with last trains concluding service around midnight, though exact departure times vary by station and direction (MTA Maryland SubwayLink schedules).

Light RailLink

The Light RailLink covers a longer north-south corridor, running from Hunt Valley in Baltimore County through downtown Baltimore to Cromwell/Glen Burnie and BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. This line includes 33 stations and branches at several points, which affects how frequency is calculated at different segments of the route. Peak headways on the main trunk vary by segment, with downtown stations served more frequently due to branch consolidation. Weekend schedules on the Light RailLink generally operate on 20-minute headways (MTA Maryland Light Rail schedules).

Common scenarios

Daily commuter use: Riders traveling between Owings Mills and downtown Baltimore during weekday peak hours benefit from the highest frequency, with trains arriving approximately every 8 minutes at SubwayLink stations. Planning around the peak window reduces wait time significantly compared to mid-afternoon travel.

Airport connections: Riders using the Light RailLink to reach BWI Airport should consult the specific branch schedule, as not all Light Rail runs extend to the BWI Airport station. The schedule distinguishes between runs that terminate at Cromwell/Glen Burnie and those that continue to the airport stop. Confirming the branch destination on the posted schedule or the MTA Maryland trip planner prevents missed connections.

Late-night travel: Both lines operate reduced or no service in the late-night window after approximately midnight on weekdays and earlier on weekends. Riders with late-night travel needs should verify the last departure time from their origin station against the published timetable, as missing the last train requires alternate transportation arrangements.

Holiday service: MTA Maryland typically operates on a modified schedule during major federal and state holidays. Holiday schedules generally mirror weekend headways rather than weekday patterns. Checking the MTA Maryland website before holiday travel prevents incorrect assumptions about frequency.

Decision boundaries

Choosing between the SubwayLink and Light RailLink depends on the origin-destination pair, but schedule considerations create additional decision points distinct from geographic routing.

Factor	Metro SubwayLink	Light RailLink
Peak headway	~8 minutes	Varies by segment
Weekend headway	~15 minutes	~20 minutes
Stations served	14	33
Airport access	No	Yes (select runs)
Late-night service	Until ~midnight (weekdays)	Earlier last-run

Riders whose schedules require travel outside peak windows should weight the off-peak and weekend headways heavily, as the frequency difference between a 15-minute and 20-minute headway compounds over a round trip. A rider making 5 round trips per week on off-peak schedules at a 5-minute headway disadvantage accumulates roughly 50 minutes of additional waiting time weekly.

For trips requiring fare and pass planning in combination with schedule optimization, the MTA Maryland online trip planner incorporates live schedule data and calculates optimal departure times by station pair. Riders with accessibility requirements should also cross-reference schedules with accessibility service information, as elevator outages at specific stations can affect viable station choices even when train frequency is adequate.

The system map provides geographic context for understanding which segments are served by which branch patterns, a necessary companion to schedule review for Light RailLink trips involving the airport or county endpoints.