MARC Train Ticket Sales Sluggish For President Obama's 2nd Inauguration
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—If you're trying to find a way to next week's presidential inauguration, there are still seats left on the MARC trains bound for the district.
As Christie Ileto explains, ticket sales have been sluggish.
Beverly Jackson is one of many Baltimoreans cashing on just how many seats are still left on MARC trains headed to Washington, D.C. for next week's presidential inauguration.
"It seems like there are a lot left. They're not selling out nowhere near as fast then," Jackson said.
The Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) originally had a stockpile of 9,000 tickets. That number got scaled back to 6,600 due to a lower demand than in 2009, and only half of that have sold since they went on sale in December.
There are plenty of seats available for a $25 round trip ticket into the nation's capital and back home.
"The last inauguration was a historic event. We saw huge demand for that. This time around it's the president's second inauguration," said Terry Owens, a spokesperson for the MTA. "It just does not appear that the demand is quite as high as it was."
The demand for tickets was much higher four years ago. Online sales started before the ticket office even opened, while even more Marylanders braved freezing temperatures to wait in long lines just to get a ticket in hand.
"It's historical making. I just want to go and stand on the mall," one woman said.
While tickets sales started off slow, MTA says they're optimistic they'll see a last-minute surge as the inauguration approaches.
"Because this is an event that is falling on a federal holiday, schools will be out, there may be some last-minute demand, and we want folks to know they're plenty of seats still available," said Owens.
At least for now, so snag your ticket fast before they are gone.
"We are pumped. We are ready to go," said Jackson.
The good thing about the tickets is that they're commemorative. You can keep it after next week's event.
You can no longer buy tickets online, but you will be able to get tickets the day of the inauguration on select stops on the Brunswick and Penn lines.
