Amtrak and NYC Subway Set Ridership Records as Americans Embrace Trains

Amtrak breaks its all-time ridership record for the second year in a row, while the New York City subway system sees a surge in passengers.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 6:31pm

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Public transit ridership has rebounded strongly after the COVID-19 pandemic, with Amtrak and the New York City subway system both setting new ridership records in 2025. Amtrak carried 34.5 million passengers, the most in its history, while the NYC subway saw nearly 1.3 billion trips, up 7% from the previous year and reaching 85% of pre-pandemic levels. Experts attribute the surge in train travel to Americans' desire to avoid the hassles of air travel, as well as a general rediscovery of the convenience and enjoyment of train journeys.

Why it matters

The resurgence of train travel, both for long-distance Amtrak routes and urban subway systems, reflects a broader trend of Americans embracing public transit options. This shift could have significant implications for transportation infrastructure investment, urban planning, and the future of mobility in the United States.

The details

Amtrak's record-breaking year included a 5.1% increase in ridership over the previous fiscal year, as well as a 10.4% jump in adjusted ticket revenue to $2.7 billion. The company credits the surge in demand to strong performance across all of its service lines, including the Northeast Corridor, state-supported routes, and long-distance trains. Meanwhile, the New York City subway system saw consistent ridership growth throughout 2025, breaking single-day weekday and weekend records multiple times, including a high of 4.65 million riders on December 11.

  • Amtrak set its all-time ridership record in fiscal year 2025.
  • The New York City subway system broke its post-pandemic single-day weekday and weekend ridership records on numerous occasions in 2025, with the most recent high reached on December 11.

The players

Amtrak

An American passenger railroad service that operates intercity trains in the contiguous United States and to nine Canadian cities.

New York City Subway

The largest subway system in the world by number of stations, providing transportation for the New York City metropolitan area.

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The takeaway

The resurgence of train travel, both for long-distance Amtrak routes and urban subway systems, reflects a growing preference among Americans for the convenience, comfort, and enjoyment of train journeys over the hassles of air travel and driving. This shift could drive significant investments in rail infrastructure and spur further innovations in passenger rail service in the years to come.