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Amtrak Connects Us

Investment in America’s infrastructure is critical to the economic and environmental well-being of our nation. As we look to the future, Amtrak is exploring new opportunities to better connect communities, reduce our carbon footprint, and provide economic benefits for every American. Over the next 15 years, Amtrak’s vision for expansion will connect up to 160 communities throughout the United States by building new or improved rail corridors in over 25 states.

Amtrak’s plan will benefit all Americans and impact rural main street and urban city centers. Amtrak will introduce new stations in over half of U.S. states, increase rail service to 47 out of the top 50 metropolitan areas, and create over half a million new, well-paying jobs.

Amtrak Connects Us: Full Report

The accompanying report offers more details about our vision to improve 25 of our existing routes, add
39 new routes, and bring service to over 160 new communities, in addition to the over 525 communities we proudly serve today.

National Fact Sheet

Amtrak’s vision to grow rail service and connect new city pairs across America rises to the urgent challenges of our time, and will provide new and improved train service to millions of additional passengers.  This one-pager provides more information on Amtrak’s vision for a rail network America needs that offers frequent, reliable, sustainable, and equitable train service.

Pennsylvania (Allentown, Reading, Scranton) Roundtable Fact Sheets

These corridors highlight Amtrak’s vision for increased and new service in Pennsylvania including Scranton, Allentown and Reading to New York, an additional Pennsylvanian frequency, as well as proposed upgrades to the Harrisburg line. These would provide commuters with a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable way to travel to jobs in New York City and the surrounding area.

Arizona Roundtable Fact Sheet

This new corridor links the rapidly growing Phoenix and Tucson areas with daily multi-frequency service between downtown Tucson through Phoenix to the West Valley suburb of Buckeye. It also links Phoenix and Tucson to Los Angeles with increased daily service. Eleven mayors of communities along the Tucson – Phoenix corridor, led by Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, have released a joint letter to Congress expressing support for Amtrak’s vision to bring passenger rail service to one of the fastest growing regions in America.

Heartland Flyer Extension Fact Sheet

Extension and improvement of Amtrak’s existing Heartland Flyer service would enhance existing service between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City, bring new service to Wichita, and increase connectivity to the Amtrak network via Newton. Although Oklahoma City and Wichita are only 160 miles apart, the last time they were connected by passenger rail was in 1979. Additionally, the service would connect to the Texas Triangle routes included in Amtrak’s corridor vision. The Dallas/Fort Worth area is home to over 7.5 million people, the fourth largest in the United States, and the route in total would serve an area with over ten million residents.

3C + D Corridor Fact Sheet

Despite being less than 250 miles apart, the last time Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati were connected directly by rail was in 1967. Amtrak’s vision would turn both Cincinnati and Cleveland into new hubs for Amtrak service.

Front Range Corridor Fact Sheet

Connecting a thriving corridor with safe, convenient, sustainable Amtrak service for Amtrak’s vision between Pueblo and Cheyenne.

Pennsylvania Virtual Media Roundtable

Governor Tom Wolf, Congressman Matt Cartwright, Allentown Deputy Mayor Leonard Lightner, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, and Greater Reading Chamber Alliance President & CEO Jim Gerlach joined  Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn and Amtrak President Stephen Gardner on Friday, Sept. 10, for a Media Roundtable virtual event. The group discussed Amtrak’s vision for increased and new service in Pennsylvania including Scranton, Allentown and Reading to New York, an additional Pennsylvanian frequency, as well as proposed upgrades to the Harrisburg line.

Arizona Virtual Media Roundtable

Mayors of two cities, two of Arizona’s U.S. Representatives as well as the Phoenix Chamber Vice President, Visit Phoenix and Visit Tucson joined Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn and Amtrak President Stephen Gardner on Tuesday, July 27, for a Media Roundtable virtual event to talk about our vision for passenger rail service and connecting the Arizona communities of Tucson, Phoenix, Marana, Coolidge, Queen Creek, Tempe, Goodyear, and Buckeye. It also links Phoenix and Tucson to Los Angeles with increased daily service.

Heartland Flyer Virtual Media Roundtable

Kansas’ senior senator, leaders from Wichita and Newton joined Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn and Amtrak President Stephen Gardner and officials from Oklahoma and Texas on Tuesday afternoon, June 9, for a Media Roundtable virtual event. They discussed a vision for passenger rail service connecting the Amtrak Southwest Chief in Newton to the Amtrak Texas Eagle in Fort Worth by extending the Amtrak Heartland Flyer north of Oklahoma City and tripling its frequency between Oklahoma and Texas. Development of this corridor linking three states to two Amtrak national network trains is an Amtrak priority and we need Congress to provide Amtrak with the funding and tools to make it a reality.

3C+D Virtual Media Roundtable

Mayors of three Ohio cities and the leader of one of the state’s metropolitan planning agencies joined Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn and Amtrak President Stephen Gardner on May 18, for a Media Roundtable virtual event to talk about a vision for passenger rail service along a Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati corridor, via Dayton, including Cleveland Hopkins Airport, Crestline, Springfield and Sharonville. Development of this corridor in Ohio is an Amtrak priority.

Front Range Media Roundtable

Two members of Colorado’s Front Range Commission and the President of the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce joined Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn and Amtrak President Stephen Gardner  to talk about a vision for passenger rail service along a Front Range Corridor between Pueblo and Cheyenne, including Colorado Springs/USAF Academy, Castle Rock, Littleton, Denver, Boulder, Longmont, Loveland, Ft. Collins and Cheyenne.

National Map

To download a high-res image of the Amtrak Connects Us map, please click above.

Pennsylvania Vision Map

To download a high-res image of the Pennsylvania Vision specific Amtrak Connects Us map, please click above.

Arizona Vision Map

To download a high-res image of the Arizona Vision specific Amtrak Connects Us map, please click above.

Heartland Flyer Corridor Map

To download a high-res image of the Heartland Flyer specific Amtrak Connects Us map, please click above.

3C + D Corridor Map

To download a high-res image of the 3C + D specific Amtrak Connects Us map, please click above.

Front Range Corridor Map

To download a high-res image of the Front Range specific Amtrak Connects Us map, please click above.

Investment in America’s infrastructure is critical to the economic and environmental well-being of our nation. Over the next 15 years, Amtrak’s vision for expansion will connect up to 160 communities throughout the United States by building new or improved rail corridors in over 25 states. Amtrak will introduce new stations in over half of U.S. states, increase rail service to 47 out of the top 50 metropolitan areas, and create over half a million new, well-paying jobs. Learn more about state rail plans here and check out the detailed maps:

 

Pennsylvania Roundtable Slides

View the slides used in the Pennsylvania roundtable for Amtrak’s Pennsylvania Vision: Build on Success, Create New Connections.

Arizona Roundtable Slides

View the slides used in the Arizona roundtable for Amtrak’s Arizona Vision: Connect Fast-Growing Cities with Frequent and Sustainable Amtrak Service.

Heartland Flyer Roundtable Slides

View the slides used in the Heartland Flyer roundtable for Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer Vision: More Trains, Better Service.

3C + D Roundtable Slides

View the slides used in the 3C + D roundtable for Amtrak’s Vision for Ohio: More Trains, Better Service.

News Release: Amtrak Seeks To Bring More Rail Service To More Communities

Amtrak is initiating the work to deliver by 2035 more frequent, reliable and sustainable intercity passenger rail service to over 160 more communities and 20 million more passengers annually, as outlined in the Amtrak Corridor Vision. To be implemented in collaboration with states, local communities, the administration and many other stakeholders, the Corridor Vision builds upon Amtrak’s national network, integrating new and improved corridors to expand the existing system.

Amtrak Highlights from Congressional Testimony

The Amtrak Connects US vision aligns with the feedback we are hearing from Congress. They want more trains, and this vision shows that Amtrak is ready to deliver. Watch the video above to hear recent quotes from Members of Congress and Amtrak executives as they discuss how investing in infrastructure and new or improved routes will lead to offer frequent, reliable, sustainable, and equitable train service for America.

Amtrak Connects US – Letter to Congress May 2021

Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn wrote a letter to congress sharing Amtrak’s bold vision to bring sustainable, world-class
intercity passenger rail service to more communities across America. To make Amtrak’s vision a reality, we ask Congress to consider the several legislative actions.

Statement from Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn

Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn’s statement on Amtrak Connects Us.

Amtrak Seeks to Begin Gulf Coast Service

After more than five years of data-driven and federally led studies, Amtrak has initiated a process before the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) to require CSX Transportation (CSX) and Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) to permit the operation of two daily Amtrak trains between New Orleans and Mobile starting in 2022. Under STB procedures, CSX and NS will be required to provide Amtrak access to their railroads for this service or prove to the public why they cannot successfully host these trains in accordance with the law.

Amtrak Connects Us Website

Check out the Amtrak Connects Us website for more information about our vision, including in-depth details on benefits to national and local communities and travelers, resources and our vision.