WASHINGTON — None of Amtrak’s three business segments achieved the target of 80% customer on-time performance in the second quarter of 2025, the fourth consecutive quarter that has been the case.
The quarterly on-time performance report was released last week by the Federal Railroad Administration.
State-supported trains fared best in statistics released by the Federal Railroad Administration, with a 79% customer on-time figure. That was up 3% from the first quarter, but down 2% from the second quarter of 2024. Other second-quarter on-time figures were 76% for the Northeast Corridor and 55% for long-distance trains. Amtrak’s overall on-time figure was 75%.
Among individual trains and routes, the Floridian, with a 33% on-time rate, was the worst-performing long-distance train; Richmond/Newport News/Norfolk trains fared worst among Northeast Corridor services, at 78%, and the daily combined Lincoln Service/Missouri River Runner route had lowest on-time rate among state-supported trains at 51%.
Two State-supported routes achieved 90% on-time performance: California’s Capitol Corridor and the Illini/Saluki between Chicago and Carbondale, Ill. Among long-distance trains, the New York-Atlanta-New Orleans Crescent fared best at 75%. Four long-distance trains recorded on-time rates of less than 50%; another five of the 14 routes were at 50 to 59%.
Host-railroad figures show Union Pacific with the most delay minutes per 10,000 train-miles, about 1,100, while CPKC recorded the least, just over 600.
The customer on-time performance measures the percentage of all customers who arrive at their destination no later than 15 minutes after their scheduled arrival time; the minimum standard for acceptable performance set by the FRA is 80% in two consecutive quarters.
The full report, including route-by-route statisics, is available at the FRA website.
There must be a typographical error. How can the Norfolk/Newport News NEC train be the worst performing at 78% when the overall NEC rate is 76%?
No consequences, why worry? Class 1s face no penalties for stabbing Amtrak, soaking customers with monopoly rates, abysmal safety records… etc, etc.
I’m surprised by the performance on the Norfolk/Newport News/Richmond train. Traveled to DC last Saturday and everything went smoothly. No delays. Arrived in DC on time.
The way back on Sunday went just as well. DC to Richmond portion was sold out. We arrived in Norfolk about 5 minutes early.
I note that the Hiawatha did not make the good list. Have to wonder if Borealis timekeeping fouls up Hiawatha timekeeping, b/c it’s still essentially a single-track railroad for passenger trains from MKE Milwaukee, past MKA Airport’s single platform, to just north of the Sturtevant station in Racine County. Any passenger train not running on time can cascade to other passenger trains being delayed in the long single-track territory. As I have posted I’m surprised that the second platform at MKA Mitchell Airport is taking so long to complete. From what I saw last Sunday it will be another few months.