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Photo by Larry Lamsa (Flickr). CC BY 2.0

Walk

The Inner Harbor, Harbor East, Downtown, and adjoining neighborhoods such as Fells Point, Federal Hill, and Canton are compact and highly walkable. The conference venue sits right along the 7 mile (11.3 km) Waterfront Promenade, a popular public pedestrian walkway and shared-use bicycle path that hugs the shoreline.

(map adapted from the Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore)

Bus & Rail

Free Buses

The City of Baltimore operates a free bus system, the Charm City Circulator, with frequent service on four routes that traverse the city's central business district.

Other Bus & Rail Service

The rest of Baltimore's transit services are operated by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) and consist of:

• A full network of local buses
• Light RailLink tram line running through downtown, connecting from BWI airport to the south all the way to Baltimore's far northern suburbs
• A single Metro Subway line connecting downtown Baltimore to its northwestern suburbs

All three of these services operate on a single fare schedule. One-way trips cost $2, regardless of distance, and a variety of money-saving day passes are available.

The easiest way to buy passes and pay for fares on MTA buses and rail is by downloading the CharmPass mobile app.

If using the CharmPass app is not an option for you, single-use tickets for rail service can be purchased from Ticket Vending Machines at each station. Bus fare-boxes accept cash only, and no change is given. You can also visit the MTA Transit Store in downtown Baltimore to purchase paper passes or a CharmCard, which can be loaded via cash or credit card.

Water Taxis

Water taxis are a great way of getting around Baltimore's waterfront neighborhoods!

Free Water Taxi

The City of Baltimore funds a free water taxi service, the Harbor Connector, with three routes:

• HC1: Maritime Park (Fells Point/Harbor East) and Locust Point
• HC2: Locust Point and Canton Waterfront Park
• HC3: Pier 5 (our conference venue!) and Federal Hill

Other Water Taxi

Baltimore Water Taxi also offers paid service on three more extensive routes:

• Downtown Loop: Inner Harbor, Federal Hill, Fells Point, and Harbor East
• Local Line: Harbor East, Locust Point, and Fells Point
• Fort McHenry Line: Fells Point and Fort McHenry

Tickets are purchased onboard, with an unlimited all-day pass available for $20.

Note that due to National Park Service rules, you cannot initiate a water taxi trip at Fort McHenry. To board at Fort McHenry, you must be on the return leg of a round trip.

Scooters

Electric scooters (and some e-bikes) are available throughout the downtown area, and can be a really fun way to get around! All vehicles are dockless, so you can pick one up wherever you find it. But look out for the city's designated parking corrals, designed to encourage courteous parking by offering discounts.

Three scooter companies are permitted to operate in Baltimore City from July 2022 through June 2023. Pay attention to the color and branding of the vehicle you want to ride, since you'll need to match it to the correct app in order to unlock and pay.

• Dark orange scooter? Use the Spin app.
• Fluorescent yellow scooter, seated scooter, or adaptive vehicle? Use the LINK by Superpedestrian app.
• Silver scooter or blue e-bike? Use the Bird app.

Price information is only available within a company's app, and generally consists of a flat-rate "unlock fee", plus a per-minute charge. In some cases you may be required to load a balance onto your account, instead of paying per-ride, and the city may add on small taxes or fees.

Scooter riders are supposed to prioritize using bike lanes and paths, so Baltimore's Bike Facilities Map might be useful. Check out Baltimore's rules for riding, and watch this brief video to make sure your scooting doesn't impair sidewalk accessibility for others.

Ride Apps & Taxis

Lyft and Uber are the most popular ride-hailing apps. Taxis are also common downtown (you can view the state-regulated Baltimore City taxi fares here).

Car Rentals

Airports have the largest selection of rental car companies and vehicles, and the most flexible hours. BWI Airport is closest to the conference venue. However, renting from local offices can sometimes be cheaper since airport locations add on extra taxes and fees. If you'd prefer to rent a car close to the conference venue, there are a few options in the greater downtown area:

• Hertz has an office 0.8 mi/1.3 km away.
• Avis and Budget have offices 0.8 mi/1.3 km away.
• Enterprise has both Fells Point and Inner Harbor offices (0.5 mi/0.8 km and 0.7 mi/1.1 km away, respectively).
• NextCar has an office in the Station North neighborhood, accessible via the Charm City Circulator Purple Route.

If you have a ZipCar membership, there are also several locations in downtown Baltimore.

Parking

Beware that parking in downtown Baltimore can be expensive, and the conference venue does not offer attendee parking. The nearest public parking garage (Pier V Parking, just past the Colwell Center building) charges $28-$30 per day.

To find other parking options, try the SpotHero app and online reservation system, or check out Visit Baltimore's list of suggested parking garages close to various attractions.