Gov. Cooper takes train from Raleigh to Greensboro to tout record ridership

Gov. Roy Cooper commuted from Raleigh to Greensboro via Amtrak's Piedmont route Friday to celebrate record ridership on the NC By Train system.

The state's intercity passenger rail service saw its highest ridership in its 32-year history in 2022, and the service is on pace to break that record in 2023.

Ridership during the first three quarters of 2023 increased 23% over the same period in 2022. NC By Train experienced another milestone in October, with its highest ever monthly ridership of 65,980 passengers.

“NC By Train has been a success story for our state because people know it’s a safe, reliable and convenient way to travel, and my many conversations with passengers on the train today confirm that it’s a positive experience,” Cooper said. “We’ve expanded service resulting in record breaking ridership, and I encourage more people to give it a try.”

North Carolina Department of Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins described this week as the "Super Bowl" for rail systems, with increased travel over the week surrounding Thanksgiving.

"Every time you turn around, it seems like we're breaking records from the previous month," Hopkins said.

Passengers at the station Friday cited affordability, reliability and comfort as reasons for choosing the train over other methods of transportation.

A Raleigh native named Sarah said the train trip to Washington, D.C. is much more pleasant than flying.

"You don’t have to get here as early and a lot less hassle with the airport and things like that and it's cheaper," she said.

Officials say investing in wider mass transit options can help manage roadways in the third-fastest-growing state in the nation, provide mobility for those without vehicles and has environmental benefits.

"Our transportation sector is our biggest problem right now for carbon emissions," Cooper said. "That's why we're attacking this in a number of ways, including encouraging public transportation."

The state has expanded offerings in recent years, and is boasting faster and more frequent trips.

Hopkins said the state has applied for a grant to provide passenger routes from Raleigh to Richmond through the S line freight corridor.

“Once that project is built, it will shave over an hour of the travel time between Raleigh and Richmond, and allow much more competitive and reliable train service and will make the trip to D.C. more competitive,” Hopkins said.