NEW ORLEANS – Amtrak closed Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25: Oct. 24 – Sept. 25) with record ridership and revenue, reflecting growing demand for passenger rail across the United States, including the Gulf South, and marking another year of strong performance for a system that has connected more than 500 destinations across 46 states and parts of Canada for more than 50 years.
Amtrak provided 34.5 million customer trips, setting all-time records for both ridership and revenue for the second consecutive year. Through deliberate planning and execution, Amtrak increased network capacity by 4.3% despite the challenges of an aging fleet. Customers responded with strong demand for quality service, driving revenue that outpaced ridership.
“Amtrak’s operational success is not just about moving more people — it’s about moving them better,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “These results show what’s possible when we lead with purpose. By prioritizing reliability and the customer experience, we’re laying the foundation for the next generation of passenger rail in America.”
Amtrak saw unprecedented demand across its network, with ridership surging on every major service line. The Northeast Corridor continued to anchor financial performance, State Supported routes such as the Pacific Surfliner, Amtrak Cascades, Borealis and Empire Service posted record gains, and Long Distance trains reported strong ridership on routes including the California Zephyr, Coast Starlight and the Sunset Limited, which serves New Orleans, a key endpoint in the system.
Louisiana Expansion
FY25 also marked a milestone for the Gulf South with the launch of the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service between Mobile, Ala. and New Orleans, restoring Gulf Coast passenger rail for the first time since Hurricane Katrina nearly 20 years ago. The new twice-daily round-trip service quickly attracted more than 18,000 riders in its first month, reflecting strong regional demand and expanding travel options for Louisiana residents and visitors.
New Orleans also remains a key hub on Amtrak’s Long Distance network, including the Sunset Limited, which saw increased capacity and strong ridership as part of the company’s nationwide growth.
Service Performance
Throughout the year, Amtrak says it emphasized reliability, on-time performance and overall service quality, which helped strengthen customer confidence. Those priorities showed results by year’s end, with Sept. posting the strongest on-time gains as operational improvements, stronger infrastructure and more efficient scheduling took hold.
Preliminary results for FY25 (Oct. 2024 – Sept. 2025) include:
- Ridership: 34.5 million customer trips, a 5.1% increase over FY24 and an all-time record
- Adjusted Ticket Revenue: $2.7 billion – a first in Amtrak’s history and 10.4% higher year-over-year
- Total Operating Revenue: $3.9 billion, a 9.1% increase over FY24
- Customer On-time Performance: Northeast Regional trains reached their highest on-time performance in recent years this September
- Customer Service: Surpassed systemwide customer service goals, with historical bests in Wi-Fi, food and beverage, train status communications, and station signage
- Miles Traveled: Amtrak passengers logged 6.9 billion miles in FY25, a new all-time high
- New Services, New Trains: Made history with the launch of Amtrak Mardi Gras Service along the Gulf Coast and NextGen Acela on the Northeast Corridor; Borealis service drew over a quarter million riders in the Midwest since its FY24 debut
- Capital Investments: Record $5.5 billion – up nearly 25% year-over-year – in major projects and state-of-good-repair initiatives
- Adjusted Operating Earnings: Improved by 15.1% over FY24 to ($598.4 million), on track to achieve train operational profitability by FY28
“Amtrak’s growth is a preview of what’s possible when everyone is working together to help get the American people where they need to go,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Faster trains, more affordable service, and extended routes are opening up a new era of American rail.”
Fleet Modernization
Fleet modernization accelerated with the launch of NextGen Acela, America’s newest high-speed train, which welcomed more than 60,000 riders in its first month of service.
This milestone is part of a broader transformation that includes the shipment of the first Airo trainset from Siemens’ Sacramento facility for testing in Pueblo, Colo., the rollout of new Long Distance locomotives, and interior upgrades across the Superliner fleet.
Infrastructure Investments
Amtrak invested a record $5.5 billion in FY25 capital projects – a 24% increase over the previous year. This includes $1.1 billion for track, catenary, signal, and structural maintenance, plus progress on major bridge, tunnel and station projects like the Portal North Bridge, Connecticut River Bridge, East River Tunnel, and William H. Gray, III 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.
Station modernization and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance efforts, which included more than $182 million invested in FY25 alone, continued nationwide—making rail travel more accessible to millions.
