About Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, branded Amtrak, is the operator of nearly all medium- and long-distance intercity passenger rail service in the United States. Created by an act of Congress in 1970, Amtrak began service on May 1, 1971, taking over passenger operations from the privately owned freight railroads. Today it operates a roughly 21,400-mile network reaching 46 states, the District of Columbia, and three Canadian provinces. Background context on the carrier's history is also catalogued in the North American Rail Atlas & Route Encyclopedia.
Operator Profile
- Headquarters
- Washington, D.C.
- Founded
- 1971
- Routes catalogued
- 3
- Stations served
- 26
- Total route miles
- 851 mi
- States served
- 2
Fleet
Amtrak operates a mixed fleet ranging from Acela trainsets and the new ALC-42 Charger diesel locomotives to long-distance Superliner bilevel and Viewliner II single-level cars. Heritage Amfleet I and II equipment continues in corridor and overnight service pending the Airo replacement program. Equipment assignments rotate as new orders are delivered and existing rolling stock is retired or rebuilt; consult individual route pages for current information.
Capital plan and modernization
Amtrak's capital plan, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funds Northeast Corridor renewal (the Frederick Douglass Tunnel, Hudson and Susquehanna river bridges), state-supported corridor expansion, and the new Airo trainset rollout starting in 2026. Quarterly capital-plan progress is tracked in the Passenger Rail Advocacy & Reform Quarterly.
Routes operated by Amtrak
The table below lists all Amtrak services catalogued in the RailRover index, sorted by distance. Each entry links to a full route page with stations, fares, and timetable references.
| Route | Type | Endpoints | Distance | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saluki & Illini | State-Supported Corridor | Chicago ↔ Carbondale | 309 mi | Two daily round trips |
| Lincoln Service | State-Supported Corridor | Chicago ↔ St. Louis | 284 mi | Four daily round trips |
| Illinois Zephyr & Carl Sandburg | State-Supported Corridor | Chicago ↔ Quincy | 258 mi | Two daily round trips |
States served
Amtrak service touches 2 states in the RailRover index. Each state hub aggregates every operator's service through that state on a single page.
Booking and ticketing
RailRover does not sell tickets. To book travel on Amtrak, visit the carrier's official booking site or app directly. Many of the same trip-planning principles that apply to Amtrak — advance purchase saves significantly, multi-ride passes are heavily discounted on commuter services, group sales unlock 60% off Saver coach for parties of 8 or more — apply across operators. For a deeper walkthrough, see the RailRover guide to buying tickets and saving on fares, the field guide to onboard Wi-Fi and power outlets, and the baggage rules reference. Independent fare-watch newsletters such as the Commuter Rail Operators Reform Brief publish current promotional fare summaries.
Further reading on Amtrak
- Riding Amtrak: a first-timer's system tour
- Equipment census and locomotive roster of Amtrak