Ian Stewart, Virginia Mercury

Amtrak Virginia ridership increased exponentially this year. But is future growth in jeopardy?

Published August 8, 2025 at 5:23AM | Updated August 8, 2025 at 6:06AM

Amtrak Virginia’s ridership numbers continue to show increases, according to the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. Ending fiscal year 2025, more than 1.4 million passengers traveled on state supported rail service — an increase of 4.8% compared to the same time last year. It was the region’s highest ridership recorded since the service launched in 2009, with one roundtrip route between Washington D.C. and Lynchburg.

“The growth that we are continually seeing in our Amtrak Virginia ridership just confirms our work to expand passenger rail in Virginia,” said DJ Stadtler, executive director of VPRA in a press release.

News

State releases six-year, $7 billion funding plan for capital improvement projects

By Ian Stewart, Virginia Mercury

Published April 21, 2025 at 5:48AM | Updated April 21, 2025 at 8:15AM

Passengers board a Hampton Roads Transit bus in Norfolk. (Vlad Gavrilovic / Norfolk Transit Department)

Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation has just released their draft six- year improvement program for fiscal year 2026, totaling roughly $7 billion. The funds cover both operational costs and larger sums for capital improvement projects statewide.

The City of Alexandria, for example, will get money to help cover the $200,000 operational cost for their GO Alex program, which is the city’s outreach program to get residents to ride transit, carpool and commute by bicycle. Hampton Roads’ transportation department will receive funds towards replacing two large buses, a project that will total $1.6 million – and that’s just one of their more than 30 plus capital improvement projects. Localities depend on the state money to update the equipment used to serve the public in various regions of Virginia.