Long Distance Service Line
TheCapitol Limited arriving atHarpers Ferry en route fromWashington, D.C., toChicago
Overview
Locale	Contiguous United States
Transit type	Inter-city rail
Number of lines	14
Annual ridership	3,944,124[1]
Website	Long Distance Trains – Amtrak
Operation
Began operation	May 1, 1971
Operator(s)	Amtrak
Technical
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge
Average speed	48 mph (77 km/h) between stations[2]
Top speed	125 mph (201 km/h) (NEC)
System map

TheLong Distance Service Line is the division ofAmtrak responsible for operating allintercity passenger train services in the United States longer than 750 miles (1,210 km). There are fourteen such routes as of 2024^[update], serving over 300 stations in 39 states.^[3]

Amtrak's long-distance routes form the backbone of the US national rail network, providing an alternative to intercity drives or flights. They are also noted for their scenery, and are popular as vacations and experiential travel.^[4] A few routes provide direct service toNational Parks,^{[note 1]} withAmtrak Thruway buses reaching many more.^[5]

The rider experience of Amtrak's long-distance trains is distinct from itsNortheast Corridor and state-supported services. All trains except thePalmetto involve at least one night of travel, and so are outfitted withsleeping anddining cars.^[3] Routes depart once daily in each direction, at most, so some stops are served only at night.^[6] Delays are commonplace on long-distance trains, as the tracks are generally controlled by freight railroad companies.^[7]

While anchored by major cities, long-distance trains also serve many rural communities en route (unlike commercial flights). A minority of passengers ride an entire route at once, with most traveling between a terminus and an intermediate stop.^[8] In FY2023, Amtrak's long-distance trains carried 3,944,124 riders, around 14% of the company's total.^[1] However, the routes account for about 42% of passenger miles traveled.^[8]

Amtrak operates two types of long-distance trains: single-level and bi-level. Due to height restrictions on theNortheast Corridor, all six routes that terminate atNew York Penn Station operate as single-level trains withAmfleet coaches andViewliner sleeping cars. The remaining nine long-distance routes operate as bi-level trains withSuperliner coaches and sleeping cars. Both single-level and bi-level trains are equipped with Viewlinerbaggage cars. Amtrak plans to replace all of its long-distance rail cars by 2032, except for theViewliner II fleet.^[9]

Long-distance trains are typically hauled byGE Genesis diesel locomotives. Trains which traverse the Northeast Corridor useSiemens ACS-64 electric locomotives for that segment of their routes, switching engines atWashington Union Station. Amtrak is in the process of replacing all of its long-distance locomotives with diesel-electricSiemens Charger units by 2032.^[9] In 2022 theEmpire Builder became the first route to receive the new locomotives.^[10]

In FY2022, Amtrak's long-distance trains averaged 48 mph (77 km/h) between stations.Dwell time at stations averaged four minutes each, while dwell time at stations with crew changes or enroute servicing averaged 20 minutes each.^[2] Trains operating on the Northeast Corridor reach top speeds of 125 mph (201 km/h) in some stretches. The top speed for long-distance trains outside the northeast is 100 mph (160 km/h), reached by theTexas Eagle betweenChicago andSt. Louis.^[11]

In a practice not seen elsewhere in the Amtrak network, four long-distance trainsdivide partway along their routes. This allows trains to serve multiple endpoints without requiring passengers to transfer, and provides efficiency over the shared route segments. Westbound fromChicago theEmpire Builder divides atSpokane, with sections toSeattle andPortland. Eastbound from Chicago theLake Shore Limited divides atAlbany–Rensselaer, with sections toNew York andBoston. TheTexas Eagle andSunset Limited are combined betweenLos Angeles andSan Antonio, where theTexas Eagle continues to Chicago and theSunset Limited toNew Orleans. On the reverse trips the trains are coupled at these stations.

All long-distance Amtrak trains have checked baggage service, save for theAuto Train, which instead allows passengers to transport items in their vehicles. On every other route, passengers are allowed two personal items, two carry-on bags, and two free checked bags. Two additional bags, oversized bags, and bicycles may be checked for a fee. However, baggage and bikes cannot be checked at certain unstaffed stations.^{[12][13][14][15]} Small dogs and cats in carriers are allowed on trips shorter than seven hours for an additional fee. Service animals are exempt from pet restrictions.^[16]

All long-distance routes have café car service offering takeaway meals, snacks, drinks, and alcohol.^[17] As of 2023^[update], sleeping car passengers also have access to one of two types of restaurant-style dining. Traditional Dining is available on eight routes and consists of full table service in adining car. Six routes instead feature Flexible Dining, where passengers may order hot meals to be delivered to their room or lounge.^[18][19] Passengers may also bring their own food and drink.^[20]

Amtrak provides free basic Wi-Fi on seven of its long-distance routes: theAuto Train,Cardinal,Crescent,Lake Shore Limited,Palmetto,Silver Meteor, andFloridian. The service is intended to support low-bandwidth uses only.^[21] Onboard internet is dependent on cell towers along the route of the train, so speed and availability correspond to regional cell coverage.^[22]

Amtrak's long-distance network is a legacy of therailroad age, when trains operated by private railroad companies were the fastest and sometimes only mode of intercity transportation. The mid-20th century saw steepdisinvestment in passenger rail relative to air and highway travel. Passenger trains became financial burdens for railroad companies, who sought to discontinue them. As a solution, Congress created Amtrak, a government-owned company, to operate intercity rail as a public service.Most railroads opted-in and transferred their passenger rail operations to Amtrak on May 1, 1971.^[24] After theSouthern Railway opted-in to Amtrak in 1979, and theDenver and Rio Grande Western Railroad in 1983, Amtrak was left as the sole long-distance train operator in the US.

In thePassenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008 (PRIIA), Congress divided Amtrak's routes into three strictly defined service lines:Northeast Corridor routes, short distance corridors (less than 750 mi (1,210 km)), and long-distance routes of more than 750 mi (1,210 km). Unlike short distance "state-supported" corridors, long-distance routes could continue to receive full federal funding.^[25][26]

This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "discontinued Amtrak routes" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(February 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The long-distance network has been subject to periodic changes over the decades in response to internal and external pressures. Just four named long-distance trains have operated continuously since the formation of Amtrak (excepting short-term outages): theSunset Limited,Empire Builder,Silver Meteor, andCoast Starlight.

In Amtrak's first year, 1971, it significantly overhauled the long-distance rail network in the United States. In addition to selecting which existing routes to retain, Amtrak created several new routes: theCoast Starlight,North Coast Hiawatha, andLake Shore. It also renamed several routes: theSpirit of St. Louis became theNational Limited, theCity of New Orleans thePanama Limited, and theSouth Wind theFloridian. The following year, 1972, theCity of San Francisco was renamed theSan Francisco Zephyr and theLake Shore was discontinued.

TheInter-American entered service in 1973 as short-distance train betweenLaredo andFort Worth. It was extended north toSt. Louis in 1974 and further toChicago in 1976. In 1974 Amtrak renamed theSuper Chief to theSouthwest Limited and theTexas Chief to theLone Star following theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway revoking permission to use the "Chief" names.

TheMountaineer andLake Shore Limited began service in 1975, and thePalmetto in 1976. TheMountaineer lasted only until 1977, at which point it was replaced by theHilltopper. ThePioneer also entered service in 1977, and theJames Whitcomb Riley was renamed theCardinal.

1979 was a year of major restructuring. Six long-distance routes were discontinued by theCarter Administration for not meeting a minimum farebox recovery ratio: theLone Star,Champion,North Coast Hiawatha,National Limited,Floridian, andHilltopper. As limited compensation, aHouston section was added to theInter-American, aSt. Petersburg section to theSilver Meteor, and theEmpire Builder was rerouted toSt. Cloud.^[27] Meanwhile, theSouthern Railway transferred its last remaining passenger route, theSouthern Crescent, to Amtrak, who renamed it theCrescent. TheDesert Wind also entered service in 1979.

In 1981 theCapitol Limited began service, while theInter-American was truncated to San Antonio, stripped of its Houston section, and renamed theEagle. TheEmpire Builder was rerouted toWenatchee, bypassing theYakima Valley, while aPortland section was added. ThePanama Limited was renamed back to theCity of New Orleans in hopes of capitalizing on thesong of the same name.

TheDenver and Rio Grande Western Railroad opted-in to Amtrak in 1983. As a result, Amtrak rerouted itsSan Francisco Zephyr over the former route of the D&RGW'sRio Grande Zephyr betweenDenver andSalt Lake City, renaming the train theCalifornia Zephyr. Amtrak also began operating theAuto Train in 1983.

In 1984 Amtrak renamed theSouthwest Limited to theSouthwest Chief alongside the deployment ofSuperliner equipment, and also initiated theRiver Cities as a section of theCity of New Orleans. In 1988 theEagle was renamed theTexas Eagle, and in 1989 Amtrak began theGulf Breeze as a section of theCrescent.

In 1990 theCapitol Limited andBroadway Limited were rerouted betweenPittsburgh and Chicago, bypassingFort Wayne. TheCapitol Limited was moved to serveCleveland andSouth Bend, theBroadway Limited toYoungstown andAkron.

Amtrak extended theSunset Limited east toFlorida in 1993, creating its only coast-to-coast route. TheRiver Cities was discontinued the same year.

Amtrak discontinued the Tampa section of theSilver Meteor in 1994.

In 1995 Amtrak discontinued theGulf Breeze,Palmetto, andBroadway Limited, the latter being partially replaced with the short-distanceThree Rivers. Meanwhile, theCity of New Orleans was rerouted west toGreenwood betweenMemphis andJackson.

In 1996 theThree Rivers was extended to Chicago and theSilver Palm was introduced, essentially restoring service on the routes of theBroadway Limited andPalmetto that had ended the prior year. TheSunset Limited was rerouted to bypassPhoenix at the request ofUnion Pacific.

In 1997, funding issues forced Amtrak to discontinue theDesert Wind andPioneer, severingLas Vegas,Wyoming, andSouthern Idaho from the rail network.^[28]

TheSilver Palm was renamed toPalmetto in 2002, restoring the route's former name. In 2005 theThree Rivers was discontinued following the cancellation of a relatedPostal Service contract. That same year, theSunset Limited was suspended east ofNew Orleans due to track damage fromHurricane Katrina.

In November 2024 Amtrak truncated theSilver Star at Washington and merged it with theCapitol Limited, creating a single Chicago–Washington–Miami route: theFloridian.^[29] This was the first direct train service between the Midwest and Florida since the 1979 discontinuance of the originalFloridian, albeit following a longer route.

In 2017, North Carolina and Connecticut were in talks to extend theCarolinian fromNew York toNew Haven. The resultant 779-mile (1,254 km) route would cross the 750-mile (1,210 km) threshold required to categorize theCarolinian as a long-distance train, thus freeing North Carolina of its funding obligations.^[30][31]

In November 2021, Congress passed theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Section 22214 of the law orders theFederal Railroad Administration (FRA) to study the restoration of all long-distance Amtrak routes that had been discontinued, daily service on non-daily trains (theCardinal andSunset Limited), and the possibility of new long-distance routes—particularly those that were discontinued upon the formation of Amtrak.^[32]

Work on theAmtrak Daily Long-Distance Service Study began in September 2022.^[33] Materials published in February 2023 indicated that the FRA was studying 18 discontinued long-distance Amtrak routes, as well as four that were discontinued in 1971: theCity of Miami,George Washington,Pan-American, andSan Francisco Chief.^[34]

In February 2024, the FRA released its preferred draft network of fifteen new long-distance routes. The plan would increase the coverage of the long-distance Amtrak network by 23,200 route miles, reaching an additional 45 million population, 61 metropolitan statistical areas, 24 congressional districts, twelveNational Park Service sites, and two states (Wyoming andSouth Dakota).^[35][36]

The final report for the study, which was released in January 2025, creates a foundation for further planning of potential future long-distance passenger rail services. It identifies preferred route options, capital project priorities, cost estimates, public benefits, and ways Amtrak can collaborate with communities to enhance service. The recommended routes aim to improve access for rural and underserved populations, connect with other rail services, and address past service discontinuations.^[37]

• Schafer, Mike (1991).All Aboard Amtrak: 1971–1991. Piscataway, New Jersey: Railpace Co.ISBN 978-0-9621-5414-0.OCLC 24545029.OL 1555952M.
• Thoms, William E. (1973).Reprieve for the Iron Horse: The AMTRAK Experiment–Its Predecessors and Prospects. Baton Rouge, LA: Claitor's Publishing Division.OCLC 1094744.

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• Night trains of the United States
• Amtrak route networks
• Long-distance Amtrak routes

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