Roanoke Seeks to Build Train Station at Amtrak Platform

City hopes to provide indoor waiting area, bathrooms, and tourist information for growing Amtrak ridership.

Feb. 2, 2026 at 4:47pm

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The city of Roanoke, Virginia is planning to construct a new train station around its existing Amtrak platform in downtown. The proposed station would provide passengers with an indoor waiting area, bathrooms, seating, and an information kiosk, improving the experience for the growing number of Amtrak riders traveling to and from the city. Roanoke has received a federal grant to study the potential for the station and surrounding development, and is seeking an additional $10 million in state funding for the project.

Why it matters

Roanoke's Amtrak ridership has seen a significant increase in recent years, up over 8% from 2024 and nearly 60% from pre-pandemic levels. Building a dedicated train station is expected to further encourage Amtrak travel to the city and serve as a catalyst for economic growth in the surrounding downtown area.

The details

The proposed Roanoke train station would provide passengers with an indoor waiting area, bathrooms, seating, and an information kiosk. The city already owns the property adjacent to the existing Amtrak platform and is considering either renovating an existing building or constructing a new station structure. As part of the project, Roanoke is also looking to acquire and redevelop a condemned parking garage nearby to improve vehicle access and drop-off/pick-up options, especially in inclement weather.

  • Roanoke's Amtrak platform has been used by over 105,000 people to travel to or from the city in each of the last two years.
  • In comparison, Newport News opened a full train station at its Amtrak platform in 2024 and saw over 12,000 more riders in the first full year.

The players

Joe Cobb

The mayor of Roanoke, Virginia.

Sam Rasoul

A Virginia state delegate who has introduced a budget amendment requesting funding for a study on the economic development of downtown Roanoke, which could include work related to the Amtrak station project.

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What they’re saying

“When you've got inclement weather, it's really nice to have an indoor place with bathrooms, with a kiosk for information. Also, a tourist information center. It could be, on a smaller scale, a way for people to get a downtown map, kind of get their bearings. Have a sense of where they are if they're arriving for the first time in Roanoke and how to make their way through the city.”

— Joe Cobb, Mayor of Roanoke

“Other amenities that could include affordable workforce housing, community development, but really to revitalize and make the city's downtown hub in like a 0.5-mile radius of the Amtrak station, even more vibrant.”

— Joe Cobb, Mayor of Roanoke

What’s next

The city has not received an update from the Virginia General Assembly on whether it will receive the $10 million in requested funding for the train station project.

The takeaway

Roanoke's plan to build a dedicated train station at its Amtrak platform reflects the growing demand for rail travel in the region and the city's efforts to leverage that growth to spur economic development in its downtown core.