Opening Day was a winner for light rail.

An estimated 6,376 baseball fans took the Central Light Rail Line to Camden Yards yesterday, compared with last year's average of 4,453 per game, a Mass Transit Administration spokeswoman said.

In addition, about 1,185 fans arrived by express buses, 529 on Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) trains, and 513 on Metro. Compared with last year, express bus ridership was up, MARC ridership down and Metro about the same.

With a total 8,603 passengers, the MTA recorded its highest overall ridership since the ballpark opened two years ago. Last year, the four transit systems attracted an average 6,374 customers per game.