Amtrak Charges Four Times More To Save You 38 Hours Of Your Life
KEY POINTS
- •Amtrak reported a record 34.5 million trips and $2.7 billion in ticket revenue for 2025, boosted by rising demand.
- •The 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill allocated $22 billion over five years allowing Amtrak to spend $5.5 billion in 2025 on new trains and upgrades.
- •Despite improvements, Amtrak's long routes still face frequent delays and rely on federal funding while aiming for profitability in 2028.
In 2025, Amtrak happily announced a record 34.5 million riders and $2.7 billion revenue—a 10% jump fueled by the magical combination of federal funding and rising traveler headaches with planes and cars. Thanks to a bipartisan 2021 $22 billion infrastructure sweetener, Amtrak splurged a record $5.5 billion in 2025 on shiny NextGen Acela trains and upgrades, hoping to mask decades of squeaky old equipment and track delays. While the Northeast Corridor is Amtrak's crown jewel, the rest of the routes still love playing caboose to freight trains. Delightfully, some passengers paid quadruple flying costs and endured 38 more hours for chess, desert views, and communal meals. Meanwhile, ‘Amtrak Joe’ Biden’s train fandom helps keep the federal funds rolling, because who needs private profitability when you’ve got nostalgia and politics fueling the ride?
Share the Story
Pay 4x airfare, lose 38 hours, but hey — communal chess with strangers and scenic desert views! Because nothing says progress like federal bailouts and old trains on new tracks.
Why fly when you can pay quadruple, add 38 pointless hours, and share bread with strangers? Train wisdom at its finest.
Amtrak 2025: proving you can have fewer delays and shinier trains if Congress keeps pumping billions, but still can't beat traffic or planes.
Source: Businessinsider | Published: 1/2/2026 | Author: Kelsey Vlamis
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