WASHINGTON — Amtrak is celebrating a second consecutive year of record ridership and revenue in its review of fiscal 2025 released today (Nov. 18, 2025), after a year including 34.5 million passenger trips, a 5.1% increase over the previous year.
“Amtrak’s operational success is not just about moving more people — it’s about moving them better,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said in a press release. “These results show what’s possible when we lead with purpose. By prioritizing reliability and the customer experience, we’re laying the foundation for the next generation of passenger rail in America.”
Trains.com previously offered analysis of the year’s ridership and revenue [see “Amtrak sets ridership record …,” Trains.com, Nov. 16, 2025]. Other notable aspects of the fiscal year highlighted by Amtrak include:
— A record $5.5 billion in capital spending, up 24% from fiscal 2024. That includes some $1.1 billion for track, catenary, signal, and structure maintenance; continuing work on major Northeast Corridor infrastructure projects such as the Portal North and Connecticut River bridges and East River Tunnel; and projects to prepare maintenance facilities for the arrival of Airo trainsets beginning in 2026 [see “Amtrak awards contracts …,” Trains.com, Aug. 20, 2025]. The company also spent more than $182 million nationwide on its ongoing station modernization and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. Nineteen stations were brought into compliance in the fiscal year; another 50 are targeted for completion in 2026.
— The long-awaited launch of the New Orleans-Mobile, Ala., Mardi Gras Service, which carried more than 18,000 passengers in its first month, and the ongoing success of the Twin Cities-Chicago Borealis, which carried more than 213,000 riders in its first full year and triggered a 227% growth in ridership since its fiscal 2024 launch on the route shared with the Empire Builder.
— Improved customer on-time performance for Northeast Regional trains, which in September achieved what the company calls their “highest on-time performance in recent years.”
— Introduction of the first NextGen Acela trainsets; the start of testing for the first Siemens Airo train; and reaching 87% completion of a “refresh” of Superliner equipment.
A more detailed look at the company’s ridership, fiscal numbers, and other accomplishments is available here. Amtrak also released this short video of the year’s highlights:
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Mr. Lassen treats us to a photo where the tracks are together, not separated, so we can see two trains at once. The milepost and the scenery (such as the grade crossing in the background) would nail down the location precisely, but I would think east of the Barker Road grade crossing with the Fox River bridge behind the photographer.
Nice to read some “good news” out of Amtrak. The bad news is a shortage of rolling stock.