About Us
Amtrak Virginia offers intercity passenger rail service throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. With 22 stations operating trains on nine different routes, Amtrak Virginia makes it easy to travel within the state, and across the country.
Partners
Amtrak Virginia service is made possible through an innovative public-private partnership between Amtrak, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), and Virginia’s rail operators. This partnership marks the first time in history that the Commonwealth of Virginia has invested in intercity passenger rail service.
DRPT – The state agency for rail, transit and congestion management, DRPT’s mission is to improve mobility and expand transportation choices in Virginia.
Amtrak – This nationwide rail network serves more than 500 destinations in 46 states on 21,000 miles of routes, with nearly 18,000 employees. An average of more than 78,000 passengers ride on up to 300 Amtrak trains per day.
In Virginia, Amtrak operates more than 20 trains daily from 21 train stations across the state. More than one million train trips were made from Virginia locations in FY 2008.
Virginia’s Rail Operators – With two major freight railroads, nine shortlines and commuter rail service, Virginia’s rail operators are key partners in expanding Amtrak service. Click here for more information.
New Service
Amtrak Virginia is launching two new pilot program services, providing daily round-trip trains from both Lynchburg and Richmond to the Northeast Corridor. Each service offers passengers one-seat rides to Philadelphia, New York, Boston and more. The two routes are being funded as demonstration projects for three years – afterward, a dedicated funding source must be identified to continue to operate the service.
With this pilot program, Virginia has joined 14 other states in the U.S. that currently contract with Amtrak to operate trains on the national Amtrak network.
Benefits
Amtrak Virginia brings numerous benefits to travelers, the local economy and the environment, including:
- More transportation choices
- More than 20 Amtrak Virginia stations offer one-seat rides to destinations as far north as Boston, as far west as Chicago and south all the way to Florida.
- New Richmond route – This service provides a much needed alternative to driving in the already congested I-95 corridor. The additional daily round-trip supports hourly morning service and more convenient travel options. Service begins in Summer 2010.
- New Lynchburg route– This service marks the first time that Amtrak trains originate in Lynchburg, bringing convenience, comfort and double the daily passenger rail options to Central Virginia travelers along the Route 29 and I-81 corridors. Service began in October 2009.
- Better reliability
- Capacity improvements along Virginia’s Amtrak routes and new service originating in Lynchburg and Richmond help provide reliable on-time departures from those cities and other stops in Virginia.
- Economic benefits
- Amtrak Virginia service supports economic development and job growth, providing increased potential for long-term local investment along service routes.
- Improved mobility and a cleaner environment
- Amtrak Virginia service provides more than 1 million travel trips per year, removing about 943,000 cars off the road.
- The new routes in Lynchburg and Richmond represent the first phase of intercity passenger rail improvements in the I-81/Route 29 and I-95/I-64 corridors. At full implementation, these services are estimated to remove 1.4 million cars from highways, save more than 9.6 million gallons of fuel and eliminate 63,000 tons of carbon emissions each year.
|
