The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) announced that NC By Train, the state-supported Amtrak service including the Carolinian, carried nearly 740,000 passengers in 2025 for the fourth straight year of record ridership.
This milestone highlights continued growth in passenger rail use across North Carolina. The increase is seen as supporting reduced highway congestion and providing greater access to local businesses. According to NCDOT, NC By Train carried 739,636 passengers in 2025, an increase of about 19,000 from 2024 and the fourth consecutive record year since the pandemic. Ridership on the Piedmont and Carolinian trains rose 59% compared to 2019 levels. October marked the busiest month with 74,400 passengers.
The Raleigh News & Observer reported that North Carolina’s state-subsidized Amtrak trains, including the Piedmont with four daily round trips between Raleigh and Charlotte and the Carolinian with one daily round trip from Charlotte to the Northeast, achieved 739,636 riders in 2025. This figure represents growth driven by event travel and service reliability. The increase supports reduced highway use and local business access.
Amtrak reported a total of 34.5 million customer trips nationwide in fiscal year 2025, marking a 5.1% increase from the prior year and an all-time record for the carrier. Amtrak generated record revenue with adjusted ticket revenue at $2.7 billion. This performance reflects strong demand for efficient intercity rail options across routes.
According to NCDOT, it oversees a comprehensive system including highways, aviation, public transit, ferries, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, and rail services statewide. NCDOT supports initiatives like NC By Train to deliver reliable, sustainable transportation that connects communities and strengthens economic activity.
In related transportation news, U.S. 158 in southern Currituck County will have lower speed limits posted by NCDOT. A press release states that this change will affect specifically the 3.4 miles of U.S. 158 between H2OBX Water Park and the Wright Memorial Bridge; the speed limit will be reduced from 55 mph to 45 mph.
