Amtrak marks five years of service to Norfolk

Amtrak today marks the fifth anniversary of the return of passenger-rail service to Norfolk, Virginia.

In December 2012, the national intercity passenger railroad extended its Northeast Regional service to Norfolk. Amtrak, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and the city of Norfolk partnered to bring passenger rail back to the city for the first time since 1977.

For fiscal-year 2017, the route from Norfolk to Washington, D.C., served 155,389 riders, with the Norfolk station serving more than 47,000 passengers, according to an Amtrak press release.

The Virginia DRPT supports six Northeast Regional trains that serve Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, Lynchburg and Roanoke. The service provides a same-seat trip to other cities along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.

"Norfolk has worked hard to establish itself as the most multimodal city in the region, and is grateful that Amtrak believed that resuming passenger-rail service was an opportunity and not a challenge," said Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander. "The celebration of this milestone is further proof that Norfolk is committed to providing dynamic transportation options for all of South Hampton Roads."