Rail, Road, and Sky

In an economy that never sleeps, people and products must move on demand. Charles County’s transportation network creates connectivity.

Road

Our vast road network is about 2,200 miles, 400 of which are maintained by the State of Maryland. All major interstates allow for easy access to Baltimore, Richmond, and DC:

• US Route 301 runs north to Baltimore and south to Richmond.
• Route 5 runs north to the Capital Beltway and DC, and south to St. Mary's County.
• Route 228 connects Route 301 in Waldorf to Maryland Route 210.
• Route 210 runs from the Naval Support Facility at Indian Head north to the Capital Beltway.

Air

• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - Less than 40 minutes from Waldorf
• Dulles International Airport - Less than an hour from Waldorf
• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) - Less than an hour from Waldorf
• Maryland Airport  - Located four miles east of Indian Head’s central business district, the airport offers a 3,800-foot paved runway to better serve Charles County. It’s the closest airport to Washington, DC that can accommodate corporate and private jets without TSA presence. 

Rail

Charles County is served by CSX, the leading supplier of rail-based freight transportation in North America. See system map.

• CSX runs through Waldorf, St. Charles, White Plains, and La Plata.
• CSX rail lines continue south through the county to the NRG power generation station at Morgantown on the Potomac River.

Water

For shipping further afield, the Port of Baltimore is 50 miles north of Waldorf. It’s one of two East Coast ports with a 50-foot berth and channel to accommodate container ships worldwide. The Port now features the Baltimore-Washington Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF), which moves cargo between bulkhead and railhead in record time. Adjacent to Baltimore's modern Seagirt Marine Terminal, the 84-acre (34 ha) ICTF allows cargo to catch a train to almost anywhere.

Public Transit

As one of Maryland's fastest-growing counties, Charles County is enhancing public transit to foster growth. A transformational initiative is underway to develop light rail transit service to connect Charles County with Washington, DC via the Branch Avenue Metrorail Station. Until the project is complete, commuters frequent:

• VanGo, the award-winning public transit bus system with routes serving commercial hubs and communities throughout Charles County. Together, VanGo and the Prince George’s County bus service connect commuters with the Branch Avenue Metro Station, enabling easy transportation between DC and Charles County.
• The Maryland Transit Administration provides regional commuter bus service to Washington, DC from Charles County and the rest of Southern Maryland, with routes from commuter facilities throughout the community.