 BWI Airport, MD | Northeast Regional | Aberdeen, MD  |
| Acela Express | Wilmington, DE | |
| Vermonter | ||
| Palmetto | ||
| Crescent | ||
| Washington, DC | Carolinian | |
| Silver Meteor | ||
| Cardinal |
Baltimore-Penn Station has three different train services stopping at the station. Amtrak, MARC Commuter Rail service and the Baltimore LightRail Link.
The core services are Amtrak Intercity Trains along the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak routes stopping at station include all the Northeast Regional and current Acela Express trains (a few Acela's have bypassed the station over the years when Super Expresses have been attempted) along with all long-distance Silver Meteor, Cardinal, Palmetto, Carolinian, and Vermonter stopping at the station.
Commuter oriented service between Baltimore and Washington, DC has operated continuously, with Conrail running trains until the commuter service disinvestment requirements in 1983 followed by a year of AMDOT (Amtrak Maryland Department of Transportation), followed by MARC (Maryland Area Rail Commuter) that unified operations on the Penn Line, with operations on today's Brunswick and Camden Lines that were being operated under contract by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Limited Commuter Rail service was extended north to Perryville on May 1, 1991. Commuter Rail service operated only during weekdays until 2013, when MARC began weekend service on the Penn Line primarily between Baltimore and Washington, DC (with a few trains running to Martin State Airport for access to the train yard there). On Weekends and overnight MARC trains are often stored directly on tracks and platforms (often trainsets doubling-up with two on the same track) at the station.
Baltimore Light Rail service began operating to the station as third of a mile long spur that is single-tracked off of the main north-south Baltimore Light Rail spine on December 6, 1997. These trains stop at what was once a regular rail platform (for Track 1, the station's tracks were not renumbered) closest to the train depot. This platform is low-level with mini-high platforms at either end.
This platform contains its own Light Rail ticket machines, and a Light Rail-style platform that feels to long for the single car shuttle train that operates between here and the Camden Station (MARC's other Baltimore terminus), with passengers needed to walk down and outside of the nice green canopy structure to board southbound trains and reach the ramp up to a mini-high platforms for accessible boarding.
Baltimore Light RailLink is one of the 1990s-era light rail systems that uses high-floor LRVs and require all trains must stop with their front door in front of a mini-high platform. This means terminating trains reversing in a station generally pull up to a mini-high platform at the end of the platform (near a bumper block for example) before reversing and stopping again at the opposite end of the platform before beginning their return trip to provide accessible alighting and boarding for all passengers. Light Rail service to the station has been suspended since 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. The plan is to eventually restore it once the platform reconfigurations at the station are completed.
For Mainline MARC and Amtrak Amtrak trains the number of tracks and platforms is being expanded. When I visited in 2015 the station had three island platforms for six tracks along the Northeast Corridor. As of early 2025 these platforms are being rebuilt and expanded. On January 29, 2024, a new modern side platform with a very modern canopy structure opened at the northern end of the station. This platform services a new platforming Track 8 and passengers enter and leave via a dedicated area with a staircase and elevator up to a very modern looking overpass structure that connects to an opening the historic station house by gate F. The overpass structure has modern LED lighting, and no attempt was made to make the new platform look historic. The new platform is much shorter than the other platforms beginning at the level of the station entrance structure and running east.
The rest of the six tracks stop at one of three island platforms, although the platform for Tracks 2 and 3 (closest to the depot) is closed as of 2025 with plywood walls covering the gates and the signs removed. This platform was low-level until it was closed for reconstruction.
As of 2025, This leaves just two platforms with four tracks (plus the new side platform) to service stopping Amtrak trains. The platform for Tracks 6 and 7 contains a staircase down to the west side of the station house, and an elevator, followed by an escalator down from the east side of the station house. The platform for Tracks 4 and 5 contains two staircases along with an elevator. The elevator is up to the west side of the station house. The next island platform for Tracks 2 and 3 is being rebuilt, although it looks like Track 2 is being reconfigured because the new platform for Track 3 has fencing that makes it look like a side platform now.
The historic platforms are covered by a historic looking trainshed that is an integrated structure over all the platforms (except the newest platform). Above the platform themselves the trusswork is covered up, above the tracks there are gaps in the trusswork allowing natural light in. The centenary wire is supported directly from the crossbeams of the canopy structure over the station's tracks. This historic canopy structure extends for about two car lengths from each side of the stations' historic station house above the tracks. On the platforms for Tracks 4 and 5, along with 6 and 7, a more modern canopy addition extends to the east with this canopy structure looking distinctively different after the overpass of St. Paul Street. It doesn't have crossbeams to support the catenary wire. The platforms are all extremely long, (except for the new Track 8) and designed to accommodate 11 to 12 car trains.
Photos 1-13 June 16, 2009; 14: July 15, 2014; 15: September 23, 2015; 16-32: October 10, 2015; 33-59: September 1, 2024; 60-71: January 17, 2025;
