Baltimore plans Harbor Connector expansion with new Maritime Park stop and revised weekday service hours
A new connection in the city’s free water-transit network
Baltimore transportation planners are moving forward with a service change to the Harbor Connector, the city’s fare-free commuter boat system that links waterfront neighborhoods across the Inner Harbor. The update is scheduled to take effect Monday, March 2, 2026, and centers on adding Maritime Park in Fells Point as a stop for Route 2, expanding the route’s reach beyond its current two-stop configuration.
The Harbor Connector operates as a public transit service on weekdays and is designed to complement other city mobility options along the waterfront. Standard operations are subject to suspensions or modifications during hazardous conditions such as high winds, lightning, low visibility, or ice.
What is changing on March 2, 2026
Under the proposed schedule, Route 2 will be restructured to run between three landings—Canton Waterfront Park, Locust Point, and Maritime Park—creating a triangular service pattern rather than running back-and-forth between two terminals. The change is paired with an overhaul of Route 2’s operating window, shifting it to a “peak service” model focused on morning and late-afternoon demand.
Route 2 is proposed to operate weekdays from 7:15 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. and from 3:50 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., serving Canton, Locust Point, and Maritime Park.
Route 1 is expected to remain unchanged, continuing all-day weekday service between Maritime Park and Locust Point.
Route 3 is proposed to operate weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., maintaining 15-minute frequency within that window.
Why Maritime Park matters in the network
Maritime Park is already a key Harbor Connector landing for Route 1 and is positioned near major pedestrian activity in Fells Point and adjacent waterfront areas. Adding Maritime Park to Route 2 is intended to improve connectivity between East Baltimore waterfront destinations and increase flexibility for riders who currently must transfer between routes or rely on land-based transit for cross-harbor trips.
The city’s water-transit planning materials describe the Route 2 redesign as a way to add capacity on high-demand segments and reduce crowding pressure on Route 1 by offering additional trips between Locust Point and Maritime Park.
Context: water transit planning and recent service patterns
The service change is part of a broader water-transit planning effort that has examined schedules, visibility, and potential future expansion. In December 2025, the city also tested limited weekend Harbor Connector operations, which transportation planning materials report generated more than 3,000 passenger trips over two weekends on a route linking multiple Inner Harbor destinations.
Separately, recent city incident updates have shown that Harbor Connector operations can be disrupted by events on the waterfront, including temporary suspensions tied to safety and emergency response activity. Officials have emphasized that service adjustments, including suspensions, are driven by operational and safety requirements.
For riders, the March 2 update—if implemented as proposed—would re-balance weekday service across routes and add a new direct water link to Maritime Park for Route 2 passengers, while keeping Route 1’s all-day spine between Maritime Park and Locust Point intact.