What is the Purple Line?

The Purple Line is a 16.2 mile light rail line that will run parallel to the Capital Beltway to provide a missing cross-suburban east-west mass transit link. Its 21 stations will connect suburban communities and job centers, providing a quality alternative to driving on the congested Beltway.

The line will serve the town centers of Bethesda, Silver Spring, Langley Park, College Park and New Carrollton, with three stops on the University of Maryland campus. It will tie together four Metro lines, all three MARC commuter train lines, one Amtrak Station, and dozens of bus lines. For detailed route maps, click here. 

By linking major suburban centers and existing rail and bus lines, the Bethesda-to-New Carrollton light rail line will cut travel time for tens of thousands of area residents. For example, travel time from Langley Park to Bethesda will drop to about 22 minutes, far faster than is possible today by car or by bus. Trains will go between Silver Spring and Bethesda in 8½ minutes. Daily ridership on the Purple Line is projected to be 69,000 in 2030 and 74,500 in 2040.

Additional information can be found on the site of our ally, Purple Line NOW