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I’ve spent a lot of time recently talking about the “Third Space,” or those vital community hubs like bowling alleys and coffee shops where we actually connect with one another. But anyone who knows me knows that I also love to talk about how we move around, and in this case, between our cities is also a passion of mine.
For decades, that space has been defined by the sterile isolation of the interstate or the high-stress cattle call of the airport. But something is shifting. If you’ve tried to book a ticket on Amtrak’s Empire Service or the Northeast Regional lately, you’ve probably noticed the “Sold Out” signs appearing more often.
It’s not just your imagination. As of January 2026, Amtrak is doing better than ever, shattering ridership and revenue records. We are witnessing a genuine “Steel Renaissance,” and it’s happening for reasons that go far deeper than just “hating traffic.”
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Last year (Fiscal Year 2025), Amtrak saw a staggering 34.5 million passenger trips. That’s not just a post-pandemic recovery; it’s an all-time record, eclipsing even the pre-2020 highs. Ticket revenue hit $2.7 billion, and more importantly, the railroad is eyeing operational profitability by 2028.
But why now? Why, after fifty years of being the “underdog” of American transit, is the train suddenly the place to be?
- The Death of “Windshield Time”
We’ve been sold a lie that the “freedom” of the car is worth the cost. But as our highways become more congested and distracted driving makes every commute a gamble, the “freedom” of the driver’s seat feels more like a prison.
Urbanists often talk about productivity, but it’s also about presence. On a train, you can work, sure—you can bill hours or write a blog post (guilty as charged). But you can also just be. You can look at the beautiful Hudson Valley, the ever-changing landscapes of the southwest, or the coasts of California without worrying about a semi-truck merging into your lane. People are finally realizing that “windshield time” is wasted time. - A Historic Infusion of Reality
For years, we asked Amtrak to run a world-class service on a shoestring budget. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law changed the math. We are seeing $22 billion flow directly into the system. This isn’t just “maintenance”; it’s a transformation:
- The New Fleet: The Airo trainsets are finally hitting the tracks (shoutout to the Cascades route!), and the NextGen Acela is bringing 160-mph speeds to the East Coast.
- The “Borealis” Effect: Look at the new Borealis service between Chicago and St. Paul. It’s been an absolute smash hit because it proved a simple urbanist truth: if you provide frequent, reliable service, people will show up.
The Cultural Pivot
There’s a generational shift happening. Younger travelers aren’t just looking for a way to get from A to B; they’re looking for a lower-carbon footprint and a higher-quality experience. The “flight shame” movement is real, but “train pride” is better. There’s a certain romance and dignity in arriving at a downtown station like Philadelphia’s 30th Street or New York’s Moynihan Train Hall… places that treat you like a human being rather than a security threat.
The Journey Ahead
Is everything perfect? Of course not. We still have a massive capacity crunch. We need more coaches, more frequencies, and more “Borealis-style” expansions into mid-sized cities that have been left behind by the airlines.
But for the first time in my lifetime, the momentum is undeniable. Amtrak is slowly moving away from the “maintenance phase” and into a “strategic improvement phase.” We are finally starting to build the version of train travel where the journey is just as meaningful as the destination. It’s slow, clunky, and still woefully underfunded compared to train travel in the rest of the world. But it’s so good to see the path… or rather the rails… to the future.