NC By Train reaches record ridership

© North Carolina DOT

NC By Train, an intercity passenger rail service between Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., and the Northeast reached more than 522,000 passengers in 2022.

This is the service’s highest total ridership since it began operation in 1990.

The highest ridership was in October, with 55,493 passengers. December had the third-best monthly ridership with more than 48,600 passengers, 10 higher than the previous record for the month.

“We’re pleased to see that so many North Carolinians are taking advantage of everything train travel has to offer,” North Carolina Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette said. “It’s an easy way to get to your destination without all the stress of driving.”

NC By Train offers four daily roundtrips between Raleigh and Charlotte, with stops in Cary, Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury, and Kannapolis. It also offers daily services connecting Charlotte, Raleigh, and New York.

The service provides multiple trains, such as The Piedmont between Charlotte and Raleigh and the Carolinian between Charlotte and New York.

“North Carolina’s passenger rail is critical to connecting our communities, and it’s great to see a record number of people taking advantage of it,” Gov. Roy Cooper said. “We’re going to continue to invest in public transportation across our state.”