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As Americans begin traveling for Thanksgiving, set by Amtrak new record.
The company served 34.5 million customer trips in fiscal 2025, an increase of 6% year over year.
“There’s real interest in passenger rail travel across the country,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“We are working hard every day to bring better products to market, increase production capacity and ensure more convenient schedules for our customers,” he also said.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a recent press release that the world has a bright future ahead. Transportation and trains.
Amtrak broke ridership records with 34.5 million rides in fiscal year 2025. The company is advising Americans to book their Thanksgiving travel promptly. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
“Faster trains, more affordable service, and longer lines are ushering in a new era for American railroads,” Duffy said.
Amtrak plans to introduce new Airo trains in 2026, offering modern seating, larger restrooms and a “modern food service experience.”
“The Airo service starting next year will replace trains that are 50 years old,” Mr Harris said.
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and Thanksgiving is almost hereHarris said the all-time highs they’re seeing include holiday travel.
“It’s our busiest time of year here at Amtrak,” Harris said. “The train will be really full, so we ask customers to pack light.”
“We’re very flexible when it comes to ticketing,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said. “You can also make changes to your ticket on the app in case something happens last minute.” (Karl Marton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Passengers should remember that trains close two minutes before departure, he said. You don’t want to leave it until the last minute to catch the train.
harris said train travel It’s not as busy as the plane. For example, you don’t need to arrive two hours before departure. However, travelers should “plan to arrive on time and catch the train before departure.”
Approximately 82 million people are expected to travel Around Thanksgivingaccording to AAA.
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Mr Harris said people should book their holiday plans “as soon as they know”.
“The nice thing about Amtrak is that they are very flexible with ticketing,” he said. “You can also make changes to your ticket on the app in case something happens last minute.”
Nearly 82 million people are expected to travel this Thanksgiving season. Above is Union Station in Washington DC. (Bill Clark/Roll Call/Getty Images)
So far this month, the east has seen record cold temperatures, lake-effect snow has fallen around the Great Lakes, and unsettled weather has hit the west, according to reports. fox weather.
Harris said Amtrak is taking many steps to make winter travel as safe and convenient as possible.
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“We take measures to protect the trains from the cold in advance to prevent them from freezing,” he said. “That can be a problem in these issues abnormal weather phenomenon. Also, make sure the station is properly maintained in case of slips and falls. ”
He added: “We’re back to the point of preparing to ensure people get to the station in enough time to avoid exposure to difficult weather conditions.”
“You can save money by taking the train at less popular times of the day,” Amtrak’s president said. (Amtrak)
Recently, some customers have criticized Amtrak’s pricing on social media.
“Amtrak is a scam,” one individual wrote on X. [are] Are there any tickets worth more than $360 for the same route I paid $25 for yesterday? ”
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Another user wrote, “I know how much Amtrak costs.” famous for being capriciousBut I think this is the weirdest disparity I’ve ever seen,” one person said, sharing a photo of a $20 train ticket and another ticket costing $236.
“It’s true that today we have so much interest in rail travel that the trains are really full and that has the effect of driving prices up,” Harris said.
People walk through Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan ahead of the Christmas holidays in December 2023. “We highly recommend shopping before you buy your ticket,” Amtrak’s Harris said. (Spencer Pratt/Getty Images)
He also cited the company’s flexible pricing structure.
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“If you can take the train at a less popular time of the day, save money. Therefore, we highly recommend doing some research before purchasing your tickets. ”
