More Americans Are Taking the Train Than Ever

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Dec 15, 2024 at 4:00 AM EST


ore Americans rode Amtrak trains than ever in 2024, as interest in passenger rail has seen a resurgence across the United States. Amtrak set its all-time ridership record for a fiscal year in December, surpassing 32.8 million passengers, an increase of 15 percent from 2023. Amtrak's ticket revenue reached $2.5 billion, a 9 percent increase year-over-year, and also the highest in its history.

Board Chair Tony Coscia credited the ridership growth to several factors, saying in a statement that it "reflects not only the need for train travel in America but also the impact of strategic investments that support our long-term vision.

"We're modernizing and expanding our network in ways that will improve service, enhance reliability, and increase capacity. This is an exciting time for rail in America, and Amtrak is committed to leading the way."
The company invested $4.5 billion into major infrastructure projects and secured more than $10 billion if competitive federal grants for current and future projects.

The investments included launching one new temporary train service and expanding four additional routes as part of its push to double ridership to 66 million by 2040. It also invested in bridges, tunnels and station upgrades to improve service, accessibility and safety across the country.


Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/more-americans-taking-train-ever-passenger-rail-amtrak-1999868

[snowybirdie]

1. If memory serves

Joe Biden initiated expanding and funding Amtrak. Orange Menace will likely pull this back. Bye bye trains.

[jimfields33]

7. I'd like the 2.5 billion they made to go towards lowering the

price. That’s a lot of revenue they made and could be given back to the customers. Just one company should do this and maybe others will follow.

[Wicked Blue]

17. That's right. When President Biden was a senator he commuted from DC

to his home in Delaware nightly on Amtrak.

Some Amtrack lines are in dismal condition. I used to ride from Rockville, MD to Pittsburgh. It took 9 hours as opposed to less than 5 by car because the tracks are so bad the train could only go 35 mph in places. The train doors are ridiculously narrow and the steps are steep, difficult for an older or handicapped person. I found it much cheaper and faster to go by Greyhound.

[Oppaloopa]

2. Never fly if train is available. Love the t

Rain meet the nicest people great

conversations on the train

[PortTack]

23. Absolutely!

Took my daughter and her two girls with me up the coast of CA on the costal starlight, stayed overnight in Seattle, got back on another train the next day to Vancouver. We had sleeper accommodations, and we all had a great time.

Hoping to take the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle this coming summer

Really want to ride the narrow gauge train between Durango and Silverton too..looks like such a beautiful trip

[Aristus]

3. The South Puget Sound light rail line expansion has reached Federal Way

and is moving south to Tacoma. Oh, to be able to travel the entire Greater Seattle region entirely by rail someday.

Traffic on I-5 is a monster.

[LisaM]

9. But the light rail is creating its own issues.

Every time there is an expansion, they cut bus routes, even though Metro and Sound Transit are ostensibly two different agencies. When they opened the latest four stations between Northgate and Lynnwood, they cut several more buses from Northgate. Last night we went from Northgate (we actually live right at the transit center) to Greenlake for the walk of lights. Guess what, with the latest round of bus routes cuts, there is no bus from Northgate to Greenlake. Every route involves a transfer from light rail, and it takes 40 - 50 minutes to go 1.6 miles. They have to fix this. A few months ago, we could have hopped on a bus and been let off at the Greenlake library in about 20 minutes. No more. We ended up driving, which was a pain, but we don't have all night to wait at bus stops for the light rail transfer.

Pardon the interruption but this situation is absolutely maddening. The light rail is a big trunk that runs north south but has decimated the bus system.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Time to turn over operation of USPS to AmTrak

You don't get results like these from anything but good management and sound decisions. USPS is languishing.

[HUAJIAO]

14. Trump is about to fix THAT situation!

[Wonder Why]

22. No Way! Amtrak management is awful. They have income but more expenses.

They totally screwed up Covid money and made a huge mistake by sidelining most of their long distance equipment with no maintenance and dumped tons of employees because they thought trains would never come back. When it came back with a roar they left massive amounts of money on the floor because of a lack of working cars and are still trying to get new employees trained. Amtrak's private rooms were the only way to travel long distances without a car and not have to wear masks from beginning to end. Worse, Covid travel reduction would have allowed them to do some really necessary maintenance of their fleet. Instead the cars deteriorated even more.

Amtrak's execs never travel on long distance trains except in rare occasions in private cars. So they have no idea what long distance food, station quality, services or their stupid decisions on these and such things as eliminating so many local agents and baggage stops have done to hurt the company.

And I take Amtrak every long trip and haven't flown in years.

Amtrak's executives make the USPS look good. If Amtrak is eliminated, it will be because the executives have no idea how to run a long distance service.

[tanyev]

5. Took Amtrak once and loved it.

I really wish it went more places we usually go.

[Lonestarblue]

6. We in the US are missing out on train service.

I love the trains in Europe. You can get to many places without having to fly. Buy your tickets online, show up at the train station 10-15 minutes before departure, board the train, and you’re off. Plus, most of the major train stations are in city centers, even in smaller towns, so there’s no expensive taxi ride to the city and a hotel.

With Republicans now in charge for at least four years, train service and improvements will likely be trashed.

[kimbutgar]

8. Yes I rode trains in Italy and one from Venice to Zurich it was so awesome and comfortable

But orange monster will destroy it because President Biden advocated for it expanding.

And I’ll be nervous flying when the orange monster puts in a new inexperienced maga FAA director who paying for the position.

Everyone the monster is putting him has paid him in overseas hidden bank accounts. Bet he’s got about 50 billion by now.

[Wicked Blue]

18. Few if any billionaires use trains, so they won't bother

allocating federal money into passenger rail service.

[AZLD4Candidate]

10. Make it high speed like I had in Korea and China and I'll ride it. Expand the network and put stations everywhere like

Korea, Japan, and China and I'll tell the airlines to go F themselves.

[Irish_Dem]

15. I agree, high spreed rail in China is fabulous.

Tell the airlines to take a hike forever.

[Javaman]

11. I can't fly anymore and only take the train

It’s a much more civilized way of travel. They don’t treat you like cattle.

[groundloop]

12. The US is really missing out by not having high speed rail

We were in France this past summer and travelled to five different cities, all on high speed rail. It was fantastic, much more convenient than dealing with airlines.

[IronLionZion]

13. It's nice to have an alternative to flying

flying is often a stressful experience for many and it's bad for climate change. So I'm sure many travelers have looked at other options.

[Irish_Dem]

16. I took a train in Canada this past summer, it was amazing and fabulous.

From Montreal to Quebec City; it was luxurious and spacious.
Meal, snacks, drinks.
And reasonable priced.

I traveled with young adult family members and they loved it.
Swore they would never get on an airplane again.

[isitreal]

19. China system is amazing

My first trip to china was in 1989, only 3 weeks but rode a number of train routes. In 1994 I went back for 2.5 months on independent travel and rode even more roots. Been back periodically since. My last trip was this fall. Now the high speed rail system is fantastic. The infrastructure they have built in the last 10 years is really eye opening. A root I took from Guyanzohe to Guyian was through the mountains in southern china. For the last 1/2 of the trip at least 60% was though tunnels and the 40% was across high trestles. All the while we were going almost 200 mph. The why the stations run are so different from before. Very few workers are needed as most of the process is automated. You scan your id at the gate and it opens. The trains are on time as well.. If you are getting on or off at a busy stop you have 4 minutes before the train starts moving. Less busy stops are only 2 minutes. Once on and in your booked seat no one comes and checks your ticket. You don’t even have a paper one now as all is on the phone. Most transactions for anything, taxied and small shops included, are all done via phone. Ya open the WeChat app and scan the vendors QR code, put it the amount and send. Boom a minute later the vendor gets a chime they have been paid..

[JoseBalow]

20. I've decided to never fly again

If I ever want to go anywhere far away, trains might be an option to consider.

[Jilly_in_VA]

21. I'd love to take the train

to visit my kids in Tennessee. Only one problem-- I CAN'T! There isn't one! You absolutely CANNOT get anywhere from Harrisonburg, VA---a UNIVERSITY TOWN, mind you---other than by CAR!!! Even our dinky little airport, which is 25 miles out and only has early AM and late PM flights, can only be reached by car! Now mind you, there is a largish state university of about 20K students, plus a smaller private university (Eastern Mennonite) which has probably 2K right here, and another couple of smaller private universities (Bridgewater and Mary Baldwin) just down the road. Seems to me it would only make sense to have a train going north-south, maybe from Atlanta to DC, that stopped all along places like Chattanooga (another college town), Knoxville (UT of course), Tri-Cities (ETSU), Roanoke (Roanoke and Hollins) plus the places I mentioned and then perhaps going off to DC to join up with other lines where people could transfer to other trains going elsewhere. But NOOOOOO! Gotta get on I-81 and play dodge-'em trucks and try to survive!

*RANT MODE OFF*