The North Carolina Department of Transportation said its “NC By Train” state-supported intercity passenger rail service experienced its single highest ridership month in 35 years of service this past October, carrying 74,400 passengers: an almost 10 percent increase over October 2024 ridership.
[Above photo by NCDOT]
The agency added that NC By Train has achieved an overall 4 percent increase in ridership for 2025 thus far, with ridership totaling 608,300 passengers between January and October 2025 compared to 584,600 during the same period in 2024.
NC By Train’s growth since 2022 has been “astounding,” NCDOT pointed out, with the service carrying 522,000 passengers in 2022, some 641,000 passengers in 2023, and more than 720,000 passengers in 2024. NC By Train is currently on track to break its ridership record again in 2025, NCDOT noted.
“We’re thrilled to see passenger rail ridership continue to grow across North Carolina as more people experience the convenience and benefits of train travel,” noted Jason Orthne, director of NCDOT’s Rail Division, in a statement. “Whether you are traveling for business, sporting events, school, to visit family or just for fun, NC By Train is a comfortable, affordable, and stress-free way to get to your destination,” he added.
Increased availability of daily trip options introduced in July 2023, special trains and stops to iconic N.C. events and increased collaboration with partners on projects like the Ale Trail by Rail have all contributed to the ridership growth, the agency noted – including schedule adjustments made for home games of the Charlotte-based Carolina Panthers NFL team.
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