The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) opened its Metropolitan Branch on April 30, 1873, providing direct service to Washington, D.C. from the west.

[7] Rockville station opened on May 19, 1873; the convenient access to Washington D.C. caused the town's population to more than double by 1890.

[11]: 68  The Blue Ridge was timed to serve as a commuter train; eastbound-only stops at Rockville and Gaithersburg were added on July 1, 1973.

[12] The Shenandoah was replaced by the Capitol Limited on October 1, 1981, at which time weekend service ended on the Blue Ridge.

Construction of a modern station for Amtrak, state-subsidized B&O commuter trains, and the new Washington Metro system began in 1981.

[14][15] In 1986, the Blue Ridge was taken over by MARC as part of the Brunswick Line—the state-subsidized ex-B&O commuter service—leaving the Capitol Limited as the only Amtrak service to Rockville.

A footbridge over Hungerford Drive connects the west side of the station to the Montgomery County office buildings and Rockville Town Center.