The Maryland Transit Administration will celebrate the holidays with a festively decorated bus and decorated trains, and it is bringing an updated train garden to the Mondawmin Metro Subway Station this season.
This is the 47th year in a row for the beloved Holiday Bus tradition. The bus offers free rides, fun, and a sweet treat for its passengers. It began its runs on Monday, Dec. 1 and will operate through Friday, Dec. 19.
The Holiday Bus will operate on different local bus routes throughout the metropolitan Baltimore region. In addition, it will make a very merry appearance at the 52nd Mayor’s Christmas Parade at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14.
The MTA will also roll out a specially decorated light rail train and metro subway car.
The Holiday Bus will operate on different CityLink and LocalLink bus routes on weekdays, 6 a.m.–3 p.m. All passengers will receive a free candy cane, and the bus will be filled with holiday music. Riders can find the Holiday Bus on the Transit app by looking for the sleigh icon. The Transit app gives real-time information for all fixed-route services.
“Transit connects people to the places and moments that matter most,” Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold said in a statement. “Transit is the most affordable and safest way to get around this holiday season.”
For clues on where the Holiday Bus will be located, customers can follow the MTA on social media at Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The MTA’s Train Garden is on the Mezzanine Level of the Mondawmin Metro Subway Station. Built by MTA employee volunteers, the Train Garden has entertained Baltimore residents of all ages for decades. The interactive display has buttons visitors can push that brings objects inside the display to life.
In addition to the miniature subway train that travels through the cityscape and neighborhoods, this year look for the addition of the Polar Express (of book and movie fame) on the tracks. The garden also has a racetrack, a fast-food restaurant, and a fire station.
The Train Garden is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. The MTA will hold “Sundays with Santa” at the Train Garden on Sunday, Dec. 7 from 2-5 p.m., and on Sunday, Dec. 14 from 1-4 p.m.
