Openai/6944226d-98b0-8007-9094-058c2510a207

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gpt-5-2

User: If light rail line was constructed from Annapolis to Ocean city, how long would commute take?

If light rail line was constructed from Annapolis to Ocean city, how long would commute take?

Assistant: Here’s a realistic ballpark estimate of how long a hypothetical light rail commute from Annapolis to Ocean City, Maryla…

Here’s a realistic ballpark estimate of how long **a hypothetical light rail commute from Annapolis to Ocean City, Maryland would take — if such a line were ever built:

📏 Distance between Annapolis and Ocean City

• The straight-line “as the crow flies” distance is about 88 miles (142 km), and driving distance is about 118 miles (190 km). Travelmath

🚆 Typical Light Rail Speeds

Light rail systems typically travel slower than intercity trains. For example, Maryland’s Purple Line is planned for a top speed of around 55 mph (88 km/h). Wikipedia However, that speed is a maximum, not an overall average — frequent stops and urban sections often reduce average speeds closer to 30–40 mph (48–64 km/h) on many networks. Reddit

🚉 Estimated Commute Time Scenarios

| Service Type / Average Speed | Travel Time (Approx.) | | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------- | | Fast light rail (~45 mph avg) | ~2 hrs | | Moderate speed (~35 mph avg) | ~2 ½ hrs | | Slow/stopping frequent service (~25 mph avg) | ~3 ½ hrs |

How this works:

• 88 miles ÷ 45 mph ≈ ~1.95 hrs
• 88 miles ÷ 35 mph ≈ ~2.5 hrs
• 88 miles ÷ 25 mph ≈ ~3.5 hrs

(Adjustments up to ~100–120 miles of built track can add a bit more time, but these give solid estimates.)

🧠 Context: Why It’d Be Long Compared to Driving

• Driving from Annapolis to Ocean City typically takes about 2–3 hrs by car, depending on traffic. Travelmath
• Current public transit options (bus + train transfers) already take ~5–6 hrs because of indirect routing and transfers. Rome2Rio

So even with a direct, well-designed light rail line, a one-way trip of ~2–3 ½ hours is a reasonable expectation, not a short commuter rail hop like you'd find in a metro area.

🚀 If Faster Service Were Used

To beat car travel, you’d need higher-speed regional rail, not traditional street-level light rail — something closer to 79–125 mph rail (like Amtrak regional trains) so average speeds exceed highway speeds. Reddit

If you’d like, I can break out travel time estimates for specific service patterns (e.g., express vs local stops) or show how intermediate cities like Salisbury could factor into the route.