iRide
Discover Baltimore Like Never Before with Baltimore iRide!
Welcome to Baltimore iRide, your ultimate companion for exploring and enjoying our vibrant city! We’re a free service from the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, dedicated to making your city travels easy, fun, and eco-friendly. Whether you’re strolling, pedaling, scooting, or riding, we’ve got all the insider tips and resources you need to get around with ease.
Why Participate in Baltimore iRide?
- Unlock New Ways to Travel: Dive into our easy guides and discover exciting new methods of commuting around Baltimore.
- Find Your Ride Crew: Connect with fellow commuters for carpools or vanpools, and enjoy convenient parking right by City Hall.
- Get a Free Ride Home: Use sustainable transportation and register with us to secure a free, guaranteed ride home when you need it.
- Maximize Tax Benefits: We’ll guide your employer through the Maryland Commuter Tax Credit program for added savings.
- Boost Your Commute Experience: We link employers and commuters to community programs that make walking and biking safer and more enjoyable.
Explore the Best Ways to Get Around
- Walking: Embrace the healthiest and simplest commute! Get tips for a safe and delightful walk through our city’s lively streets.
- Biking: Feel the breeze as you bike through Baltimore. Check out our safety tips and find the best spots to park your bike.
- Scooting: Zip around on scooters and e-bikes for quick, fun trips. Learn the rules and discover the best places to park.
- Public Transit: From buses to trains, we’ve got you covered. Find schedules, routes, and all you need to navigate Baltimore’s transit system smoothly.
- Carpooling/Vanpooling: Save money and make new friends! Find carpool or vanpool partners with ease and enjoy special parking near City Hall.
Walk It Out
Walking is great for health and the environment. Report issues and get involved in community projects that make Baltimore’s sidewalks safer and more pleasant.
Walking is a low-cost commute option that can improve personal and environmental health. We are making strides towards increasing safety and improving sidewalks and dedicated space for people walking.
Helpful Tips for Walking to Work
- Be safe – see and be seen!
- Download the 311 mobile app to be the eyes and ears on the streets; reporting anything from potholes to weeds to health and safety concerns.
- Learn about community led placemaking. Placemaking projects in our Right-of-Way can help to beautify Baltimore neighborhoods, calm traffic, and increase public space for pedestrians.
Pedal Power: Biking in Baltimore
Bike your way to adventure! Ensure your bike’s in top shape with our quick checks and explore the best biking routes. Stay visible, signal clearly, and park courteously.
Baltimore has a growing number of people who get around on bicycles. Bicycles are a low-cost option and can improve personal and environmental health. Our Bike Baltimore program is making strides towards increasing safety, awareness, and dedicated space for people biking.
- Bike Baltimore is our program that plans, designs, implements and maintains high-quality bike infrastructure.
Helpful Tips for Biking
- Check your bike!
- Get a bike that fits your needs and fits your body. Follow these tips or go to a local bike shop.
- Always ABC Quick Check your bike if you haven’t ridden in a while
- Plan your route
- Always look at the route before riding
- Turn on the bicycling layer in Google Maps (but know that Google Maps doesn’t always give you the safest route)
- Access our online bike map
- Ask friends for route recommendations, ask Facebook groups for tips, or email dot-community@baltimorecity.gov
- Know how to bike safely
- Be seen wearing bright clothes and using lights when it's dark outside
- Be predictable by signaling and following the rules of the road
- Even the most experienced rider can benefit from safety tips.
- Know where to park
- Always park courteously so you’re not blocking the sidewalk, ramps, bus stops, doors, or driveways.
- View available racks - Baltimore City Bike and Scooter Parking Map
- Request a rack - Bicycle Rack Request Program
Scoot Your Way to Fun
Scooters and e-bikes are perfect for quick, exciting trips! Follow traffic rules, park smartly, and use our tips to ride safely and report issues if needed.
We oversee the operation of three private scooter and e-bike companies on city streets. These vehicles are an inexpensive option for short trips and provide a different view of the city. Riders should follow all traffic laws and behave like bicyclists. Vehicles can be parked almost anywhere but should leave sidewalks with 4 feet of passing room and not block, doors, driveways, curb cuts, or bus stops.
Helpful Tips for Scooting to Work
- Know the rules of the road
- Scooters follow the same laws as bikes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Practice riding in a safe space before hitting the road
- Get familiar with the apps
- No parking zones, preferred parking zones, Slow Zones, and No-ride zones
- All scooter companies are required to provide options for low-income customers, as well as cash payment and non-smartphone alternatives. More information can be found on the dockless vehicles page of the DOT website.
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- Know how to report issues
- Issues encountered with individual vehicles should be reported to the individual operators—a phone number and email address is printed on each vehicle.
- Property owners can request that the sidewalk immediately in front of their property be a non-deployment area by emailing dot-community@baltimorecity.gov. Note that this does not stop individual riders from parking on that sidewalk.
- Property owners can install a parking rack by obtaining a permit. Start by emailing dot-community@baltimorecity.gov.
Ride Baltimore’s Transit Like a Pro
Explore Baltimore with ease using our fantastic free transit options. Here's everything you need to know about getting around with the Charm City Circulator and the Harbor Connector!
Charm City Circulator: Your Free Ride Around Town!
- What It Is: The Charm City Circulator, managed by us, offers free and frequent bus service connecting downtown Baltimore with its vibrant neighborhoods.
- Plan Your Trip: Check out the Circulator Map and Schedule for routes and times.
- Stay Updated: Use the Real Time tracker to see when your bus will arrive.
Harbor Connector: Sail Through the City!
- What It Is: The Harbor Connector extends the Charm City Circulator’s reach with free maritime transit, letting you glide around Baltimore’s stunning waterfront.
Jump on a bus or train with confidence! Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA) covers most transit services. Use their trip planner or these resources to plan your journey:
- MTA Bus Schedules
- Light Rail Information
- Metro Subway Information
- MARC Train Information
- Mobility Bus for people with disabilities
- System Map
- Fares
- CharmPass payment app
Helpful Tips for Riding Buses and Trains to Work
- Get familiar with the apps
- CharmPass is the official mobile ticketing app for MTA, including BaltimoreLink local buses, Light RailLink, Metro SubwayLink, MARC Train, and Commuter Bus services. CharmPass is free to download for Apple and Android devices.
- The Transit App for Apple and Android devices provides bus arrival times based on real-time bus tracking as well as transit directions.
- MobilityLink is a service for people who are not able to get to a bus stop, wait unassisted at a stop or station, or board a bus or train by themselves.
- Consider using a Park and Ride Lot for the Metro or Light Rail. The Charm City Circulator intersects with many free parking lots!
- Learn how to put your bike on the bus with this video or how to put your bike on the MARC trains with this video.
Carpool and Park With Ease
Get priority discounted parking at the JFA Lot (400 E. Saratoga St.) by carpooling! No charge to apply, and permits renew yearly. Park at special meters from 6–9 a.m. with at least two adults per car (kids don’t count).
Miss the 9 a.m. window? Spots open to everyone. Meter rate: $1/hour.
Need help finding a carpool buddy? We’ve got you covered! Check out BaltimoreCommutes.org to find or start a carpool near you.
Apply now using the application in the sidebar and join Baltimore’s carpool community.
Questions? Email iRide@baltimorecity.gov or call 667-203-1800.
Need Help or Have Questions?
We’re here for you! For any questions or assistance:
- For MTA Vehicles: Contact the MTA
- For Charm City Circulator: Call 410-396-9596 or email charmcitycirc@baltimorecity.gov.
- For Scooters: Reach out to the scooter companies using the contact info on the vehicle.
Commuter Choice Maryland
Commuter Choice Maryland is a statewide Maryland Department of Transportation program designed to ease traffic congestion and the worries that come with it. Proudly providing employers and commuters with programs and resources that make commuting easier, safer, cheaper, and greener for all Marylanders.
- Free Ride Matching:
- Free registration to find carpool and vanpool ridematches at BaltimoreCommutes.Org
- Guaranteed Ride Home Program:
- Gives commuters six free rides home from work per year for personal/family emergencies and unscheduled overtime.
- Incentrip:
- Earn cash by choosing a smart commute! incenTrip is a multimodal trip planning app that rewards points for each commute trip you plan and take during peak commuting times and log into the app.
We help employers set up amazing commuting programs that could qualify for the Maryland Commuter Tax Credit. Email us at iRide@baltimorecity.gov to get started.
Let Baltimore iRide transform your city travel experience! Start your exciting journey through Baltimore today!
