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Amtrak Virginia sets another ridership record in April

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority has announced that ridership on the Amtrak Virginia service saw a 53.2% increase in April 2023 over April 2022.

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The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) has announced that ridership on the Commonwealth’s Amtrak Virginia service set another record in April 2023. With 107,929 passengers traveling, April 2023 saw a 53.2% increase over April 2022. It was the highest ridership seen in April since state-supported service began in 2009. All four Amtrak Virginia corridors saw an increase in ridership year-over-year for the month of April.

April 2023 vs April 2022 Comparison

Route April 2023 April 2022 % Increase
Route 46 Roanoke 27,429  19,605  +39.9%
Route 47 Newport News  29,945  16,519  +81.3%
Route 50 Norfolk 39,197  26,195  +49.6%
Route 51 Richmond 11,358  8,114     +40.0%
Total 107,929 70,433   +53.2%

The April 2023 ridership includes eight daily roundtrips, up from just five in April 2022. Last July three roundtrips were added – one to Roanoke and one to Norfolk, the third, to Newport News, was the resumption of service cancelled due to the pandemic. 

“The growth in ridership that we have consistently seen over the past year confirms that rail is a necessary part of the transportation mix in Virginia,” DJ Stadtler, Executive Director of VPRA, said. “With the additional roundtrips we launched last summer, we anticipated an increase in ridership, and Virginians have responded in record numbers – proof that the convenience of train travel makes it more attractive than sitting in traffic or flying on a crowded plane.”

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