College Park–University of Maryland station

College Park–University of Maryland station is a Washington Metro and MARC station located in College Park, Maryland, near the University of Maryland, College Park campus. It is served by the Metro Green Line and limited service on the MARC Camden Line. The light rail Purple Line is planned to begin service at the station in 2027.

College Park–U of Md
The Metro platform in September 2021
General information
Location	4931 Calvert Road / 7202 Bowdoin Avenue[1] College Park, Maryland
Coordinates	38.9784°N 76.9282°W / 38.9784; -76.9282
Owned by	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Line(s)	Capital Subdivision
Platforms	1 island platform (Washington Metro) 2 side platforms (Capital Subdivision)
Tracks	4 (2 for each service)
Connections	Metrobus: 83, 86, C8, F6, R12 TheBus: 14, 17 Shuttle-UM: 104, 109 MTA Maryland: 204
Construction
Structure type	Elevated
Parking	1,870 spaces
Bicycle facilities	81 racks, 40 lockers
Accessible	Metro only[1]
Other information
Station code	E09
History
Opened	December 11, 1993 (1993-12-11)
Rebuilt	2021
Passengers
2022	1,352 daily[2] (Metro)
Rank	58th (Metro)
Services
Preceding station MARC Following station Riverdale toward Union Station Camden Line Greenbelt toward Camden Station Preceding station Washington Metro Following station Hyattsville Crossing toward Branch Avenue Green Line Greenbelt Terminus
Former services Preceding station Washington Metro Following station Hyattsville Crossing toward Huntington Yellow Line Greenbelt Terminus Hyattsville Crossing toward Farragut North Green Line Commuter Shortcut
Future services Preceding station Maryland Transit Administration Following station Baltimore Avenue–UMD toward Bethesda Purple Line Riverdale Park North–UMD toward New Carrollton
Route map Greenbelt Hyattsville Crossing
Location

Station layout

MARC platforms at College Park in August 2018

The station is located on the south side of Campus Parkway, about 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of the campus center and adjacent to the College Park office park. The two-track Capital Subdivision (used by MARC) and the two-track Metro E Route run north-south through the station area, with the Capital Subdivision on the west side. An island platform serves Metro trains, with entrances from both sides of the rail lines leading to the underground fare concourse. Two small side platforms serve MARC trains; they have an entrance from the west side and an underpass crossing under the Metro tracks. The Metro platform is accessible, but the MARC platforms are not.

A 1,345-space parking garage and a bus plaza are located on the east side of the station. The station is served by Metrobus, The Bus, Laurel Connect-a-Ride, and a university shuttle route.

History

Southbound Yellow Line train approaching College Park in May 2022

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) opened its Washington Branch, now the Capital Subdivision, in 1835. A station served the 1856-opened Maryland Agricultural College (now University of Maryland, College Park) by 1878.^[3] B&O Baltimore–Washington commuter service was taken over by MARC as the Camden Line in the 1980s.

Metro service at College Park began on December 11, 1993, with the extension of the Green Line to Greenbelt.^[4] The parking garage opened on June 25, 2005.^[5] In May 2012, the station became the first Metro station to feature a "Bike & Ride" bike station. A mesh enclosure built into the adjacent parking garage, the facility can hold up to 120 bikes and has 24-hour access.^[6][7]

Metro Yellow Line service was extended to Greenbelt, serving College Park, during peak hours from June 18, 2012, to June 25, 2017, as park of the "Rush+" program.^[8][9] It was again extended to Greenbelt at all times on May 25, 2019.^[10] From March 26 to June 28, 2020, the station was closed due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.^[11][12] The Metro station was closed from May 29 to September 6, 2021, while the platform was rebuilt.^[13][14] Yellow Line service was suspended from September 10, 2022, to May 7, 2023. It was cut back to Mount Vernon Square upon reopening, no longer serving College Park.^[15][16] From July 22 to September 4, 2023, the Green Line north of Fort Totten (including College Park) was closed for maintenance work.^[17] Some Yellow Line service is expected be re-extended to Greenbelt in December 2025.^[18]

The Purple Line, a light rail line, is under construction and planned to open in 2027.^[19] It will have an island platform on the east side of the Metro tracks next to the bus loop, which will be reconstructed.^[20] In May 2024, the Federal Transit Administration awarded the MTA $1.4 million for design and engineering work to make the MARC station accessible. The new platforms would be 600 feet (180 m) long.^[21][22]