Amtrak had a landmark year in 2025 by completing 34.5 million customer trips around the country for a total of almost 7 billion miles traveled.
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Trains are faster and built with more cutting-edge technology than ever before. Amtrak launched new Acela trainsets last year, for example, a high-speed option that’s revolutionizing affordable travel in the Northeast. NextGen Acela alone transported around 60,000 passengers in its first month of operation.
In short, it was a big year for train travel—one that exemplified American interest in high-speed, affordable train travel. I took my first Amtrak in a few years; the Ethan Allen Express, which I rode from Burlington, Vermont, to NYC. It was a refreshing journey that spoiled me with views of the autumn foliage, too.
The most popular train routes in 2025, according to Amtrak
According to Amtrak’s Year of Records report (published in late November 2025, at the end of the fiscal year), these are the most popular routes that grew in terms of either frequency or passenger counts—or both.
- Amtrak Cascades. This international route runs between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Eugene, Oregon, offering service to hubs like Portland and Seattle. According to Amtrak, the route saw record gains last year.
- Amtrak Mardi Gras Service. This route provides twice-daily service between Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s the first Gulf Coast train route to be restored in 20 years.
- Borealis. This new route between Chicago, Illinois, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin had a wildly successful first year, transporting over 213,000 passengers across the Midwest.
- California Zephyr. Starting in Chicago, Illinois, and ending in Emeryville, California, close to San Francisco, this long-distance route picked up more passengers in 2025 than ever before.
- Coast Starlight. This long-distance route heads from Seattle to Los Angeles, giving you a (very fast-moving) front-row seat to the Pacific Ocean. Like the California Zephyr and Sunset Limited routes, it saw record growth in 2025.
- Empire Service. According to Amtrak, the Empire Service line (between NYC and Albany) saw record gains in 2025.
- Pacific Surfliner. This famous Californian route boosted its route frequency between San Luis Obispo and San Diego last year, improving how locals move from city to city in the Sunshine State.
- Sunset Limited. Traveling from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Los Angeles, California, this southern route provided transportation for more passengers in 2025 than in previous years.
