RALEIGH — NC by Train, North Carolina’s intercity passenger rail service, launched service and schedule changes on Monday.
The improvements include more departures and some reduced travel times for passengers between North Carolina’s two biggest cities, Raleigh and Charlotte, according to a news release from the N.C. Department of Transportation.
“Our state’s rail service is top-notch, and I’m grateful for this partnership with Amtrak and N.C. DOT,” said Gov. Roy Cooper. “These additional service options will help North Carolinians get where they need to be.”
Features of the new schedule include five round trips daily between Raleigh and Charlotte, a new 1 p.m. departure from Raleigh, a 6:30 a.m. departure from Raleigh and a 5:30 p.m. departure from Charlotte. All have limited stops and scheduled trip times of just under three hours.
Schedule adjustments add a departing train from Charlotte at 2:20 p.m. and a later option at 7:45 p.m.
The additional NC by Train services are fueled by the record ridership the state has experienced during the past year. In 2022, ridership aboard NC by Train was the highest in its 32-year history.
“The increase in ridership in 2022 and the beginning of 2023 shows that people love NC by Train and want more,” said Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. “We’re happy to provide our customers with more trains and new schedule options.”
To celebrate the new service, NC by Train is offering a 50% off promotion that will run through the end of July. The discount will apply to regular-price adult tickets on Piedmont and Carolinian routes. Additionally, the $5 Kids Summer Fare is offered through Labor Day. Share Fare is a discount feature that allows groups of as many as eight people to save money with each additional ticket that is purchased.
Daily discounts for children, students, seniors, active military, and state employees are also available all year long.
NC by Train offers service seven days a week with Piedmont trains between Raleigh and Charlotte that make stops in Cary, Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury, and Kannapolis. Daily service is also available for passengers on the popular Carolinian trains that travel between North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and New York.
