Baltimore City Public School (BCPSS) students can now travel at any time on public transit using just their BCPSS student passes. The change went into effect on Sunday, July 27, 2025.
This benefit is part of a series of fare policy updates by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) to expand access and mobility for young public transit riders. Other updates include an expansion of the transfer window for CharmPass users and free rides for children 12 and under.
The changes apply to Local Bus, Light Rail, Metro Subway, Mobility, and Call-a-Ride services. They follow public hearings that were held in June and a 30-day period of public comment. The lifting of time restrictions for students enables them to travel to part-time jobs or get home from extracurricular activities free of charge.
“Increasing transit access benefits riders and is critical to the economic prosperity of our entire region,” said Holly Arnold, Maryland Transit Administrator. “These changes are another example of our efforts to support the next generation of transit riders.”
Highlights of the new and updated fare policy include the following:
- Free rides for children 12 and under (previously six and under)
- Ability for Baltimore City Public School (BCPSS) students to travel at any time using their BCPSS student passes (previous hours were between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m.)
- Expanding eligibility of the All Access Student Transit Pass (formerly All Access College Transit Pass) to include private school students, increasing access for all students across the region
- Longer transfer window for CharmPass users, expanded from 90 minutes to 120 minutes, allowing more flexibility and access across Baltimore at no additional cost
- A low-income fare program for people in the Maryland Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help economically disadvantaged Baltimore residents access transportation
- New $5 surcharge for Light Rail riders who do not have a valid ticket at the time of fare inspection and buy one with the CharmPass app (to encourage riders to pay their fares according to the rules)
The complete fare policy guide is available on the MTA website.
You should reach out to MDOT MTA to let them know they need to actually update the website with their new fare information. Right now it’s only referenced in the Press Release section, everywhere else has the old information.