ASRM 2026 Baltimore: Congress Dates, Venue & Travel Guide

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Scientific Congress and Expo takes place Saturday, October 24 through Wednesday, October 28, 2026 at the Baltimore Convention Center, 1 West Pratt Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. The annual congress is the premier gathering in reproductive medicine — drawing thousands of fertility specialists, reproductive endocrinologists, embryologists, nurses, researchers, and allied health professionals for five days of scientific sessions, professional education, and the industry expo. For attendees flying into BWI, arriving via Amtrak, or commuting from DC, this guide covers the practical logistics: getting to the Convention Center, staying nearby, and managing five days of congress transportation.

ASRM 2026 at a Glance

What Is the ASRM Scientific Congress & Expo?

ASRM's annual congress is the largest gathering of reproductive medicine professionals in the world. The five-day program includes peer-reviewed research presentations, plenary lectures, and clinical updates covering IVF, fertility preservation, reproductive genetics, endometriosis, PCOS, andrology, and emerging treatments. Pre-congress courses, workshops, and certification programs provide continuing medical education (CME) credits for physicians, embryologists, nurses, and counselors. The expo hall brings together pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, laboratory equipment suppliers, and service providers showcasing products and technologies — one of the largest expos in the reproductive medicine industry. Society meetings, special interest group sessions, poster presentations, and evening receptions create five days of networking alongside the formal programming.

Getting to the Baltimore Convention Center

From BWI Airport (~10 miles)

BWI is the primary airport for ASRM attendees. The drive takes 15 to 25 minutes via I-295 North or the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The Baltimore Convention Center is served directly by the Light Rail network — the BWI Marshall Airport Light Rail station connects to the Convention Center stop in about 30 minutes with one seat, making it the most direct transit option from the airport. MARC Train offers an alternative: Penn Line from BWI to Baltimore Penn Station (~20 min), then Light Rail or a short rideshare to the Convention Center.

For medical professionals arriving with presentation materials, poster tubes, equipment, or significant luggage, a pre-arranged airport car service from BWI provides a direct pickup from baggage claim and a drop-off at the Convention Center or hotel. The driver tracks your flight and adjusts for delays — a meaningful reliability advantage for a congress with early-morning session schedules that don't accommodate late arrivals.

From Washington, DC (~40 miles)

I-95 North or the Baltimore-Washington Parkway to downtown Baltimore — about 50 to 65 minutes. MARC Penn Line from Union Station to Baltimore Penn Station runs approximately 45 minutes and is a practical daily commute option for DC-based attendees. For DC-based professionals commuting daily to the congress, a pre-arranged corporate transportation service handles the round trip on a fixed schedule — productive vehicle time rather than highway stress during a week already dense with professional obligations.

From Northern Virginia (~50 miles)

I-95 North through DC — about 60 to 80 minutes depending on Beltway traffic. MARC from Union Station is the non-driving alternative for Northern Virginia attendees who can reach Union Station by Metro. The Beltway variable on the return trip (post-5 PM on I-95 South) is the part of the commute worth pre-planning before a five-day congress where session end times vary.

From Baltimore Penn Station (~2 miles)

Light Rail from Penn Station to the Convention Center stop (one stop). Or a 5- to 10-minute rideshare. For attendees with significant luggage on arrival day, a vehicle directly from the train station to the hotel is cleaner than Light Rail with bags.

Where to Stay for ASRM 2026

The Convention Center is in downtown Baltimore's Inner Harbor area. The Hilton Baltimore is connected to the Convention Center by skywalk — the most convenient property for attendees whose schedule is session-heavy. The Hyatt Regency Baltimore, Renaissance Harborplace, and Royal Sonesta are all within a few blocks.

Book through the ASRM room block. The congress negotiates group rates at partner hotels — check asrmcongress.org for the 2026 hotel list and booking links. Downtown hotels fill months in advance for a congress of this size; book before registration closes.

BWI-corridor hotels offer more availability and lower rates, but require a 15-to-25-minute commute each way. For a five-day congress with early-morning sessions and evening receptions, downtown is worth the premium unless budget is the overriding consideration. If your schedule is concentrated on specific days, consider downtown for session-heavy days and BWI-corridor for travel days.

Managing Five Days of Congress Transportation

A five-day congress requires more transportation planning than a single event. The variables are different: sessions start at different times each morning, end times vary by day, the expo may close on a different schedule, and evening receptions may take place at offsite venues rather than the Convention Center.

1. Schedule your BWI arrival transfer in advance.Know your terminal, flight number, and baggage claim area. A pre-booked car service driver tracks your flight and adjusts for delays — no waiting for a rideshare in the baggage claim area with a poster tube and a rolling suitcase.
2. Pre-arrange daily commute transportation if staying outside the walking zone.If you're at a BWI-corridor hotel, commuting by rideshare each morning means booking and waiting during peak hotel-departure hours when availability is compressed. A pre-scheduled daily pickup removes that variable from a schedule that already has enough moving parts.
3. Coordinate group logistics for practice teams attending together.A practice group of 4 to 6 attending together can share a vehicle for the week — one pickup at the hotel each morning, one return each evening. The per-person cost split across the group is often comparable to individual rideshare with better reliability and a fixed schedule.
4. Build departure-day buffer into the return transfer.Session end times vary. Communicate your departure time to your driver the morning of your final day, and build in buffer for last-minute meetings or session overruns. Missing a flight home on the last day of a five-day congress is the most preventable congress transportation mistake.

Making Time for Baltimore Outside the Congress

The Convention Center's Inner Harbor location puts Baltimore's attractions within walking distance. The National Aquarium and the Maryland Science Center are steps away. Federal Hill — a 10-minute walk south — offers restaurants, bars, and the park overlook with harbor views. Fells Point, a short ride east, is Baltimore's historic waterfront neighborhood with cobblestone streets and independent restaurants. Harbor East, within 10 minutes east on foot, has upscale dining options popular with business visitors: Thames Street Oyster House, Tagliata, and Cinghiale.

One scheduling note: ASRM opens on Saturday, October 24, which is also the Great Baltimore Lantern Parade at Patterson Park (festival 4 PM, parade 7 PM, free admission). Early-arriving attendees who get to Baltimore on Friday and are free Saturday afternoon before registration have one of Baltimore's signature fall events within a short rideshare of the Convention Center.

The ASRM Congress Format and What It Means for Transportation

A five-day medical congress with early-morning plenary sessions, technical workshops,, midday breakouts, afternoon poster sessions, and evening receptions creates transportation patterns that differ from a single-day conference. The 8:00 AM opening sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday are the sessions most likely to catch attendees off guard if they're not staying downtown — a 20-minute commute from a BWI hotel means a 7:30 AM departure, which requires coffee and coordination that a walking commute from the Hilton does not. The evening receptions, often at offsite locations rather than the Convention Center, add a secondary transportation need that doesn't exist for a single-day event.

For attendees based in DC suburbs who commute daily, a group shuttle service from a Northern Virginia or Maryland meeting point to the Convention Center removes the daily parking-and-transit variable from a week already demanding enough professionally. For international attendees arriving via Dulles or Reagan National (Washington Airports) rather than BWI, the Baltimore Convention Center is served from both DC airports via I-95 and the BW Parkway — approximately 45 to 60 minutes from Dulles and 60 to 75 minutes from Reagan National. A pre-arranged vehicle from either DC airport handles the direct transfer without requiring attendees to navigate Amtrak, MARC, and Light Rail connections with luggage immediately after an international flight.

Frequently Asked Questions