Amtrak: NC, VA train stations remain busiest in Southeast

North Carolina and Virginia passenger-rail stations are among the busiest in the Southeast, with multiple departure times and flexible service boosting ridership growth, Amtrak announced yesterday.

In fiscal-year 2024, the busiest stations in the region were in Richmond, Alexandria, Lorton and Norfolk, Virginia; and Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Trains operating to those cities offer riders the the ability to travel to multiple destinations in the Northeast, Southeast and for longer, overnight trips to locations as far south as Jacksonville, Orlando and Miami, Florida. 

The Auto Train provides daily, nonstop service between Lorton, Virginia, and Sanford, Florida, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

“The strong ridership reflects the demand for train travel and the strategic investments North Carolina and Virginia are making to offer the public a viable transportation option,” said Jennifer Mitchell, Amtrak executive vice president of strategy and planning. “Thanks to our state partners, infrastructure projects are underway so we can bring more service and continue to provide customers an exceptional travel experience.”

Amtrak reported FY2024 ridership of 464,881 from the Richmond-Staples Mills Road Station; 358,629 from Alexandria; 328,008 from Charlotte; 265,818 from Lorton; 261,008 from Raleigh; and 227,505 from Norfolk.

Sponsored by the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, Amtrak Virginia offers 12 daily trains to the Staples Mill Road Station in Richmond for service to Washington, D.C., Baltimore, New York City and Boston. Riders can also access additional Amtrak service for travel to Raleigh, Charlotte, Savannah, Georgia, and cities as far south as Miami.

In North Carolina, the Piedmont and Carolinian trains offer daily roundtrips for travel between Raleigh, Charlotte and other cities in between. The Carolinian travels daily from New York City to Charlotte, and stops at the Staples Mill Road Station in Richmond and Alexandria. Both trains are sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and operated by Amtrak.

All of its routes combined, Amtrak logged a record 32.8 million riders in FY2024.