The Carolinian connects New York, NY and Charlotte, NC over a 704-mile route operated by Amtrak, calling at 20 stations across 8 states.
Quick Facts
- Operator
- Amtrak
- Service type
- Regional Intercity
- Endpoints
- New York ↔ Charlotte
- Distance
- 704 mi
- Frequency
- Daily
- Stations
- 20
- States served
- 8 (NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, DC, VA, NC)
- Typical fare range
- $45 – $185
Route guide
The Carolinian is a regional intercity service operated by Amtrak. Trains run Daily over 704 miles of mainline track between Moynihan Train Hall and Charlotte, calling at 20 intermediate and terminal stations across 8 states.
What to watch for: Piedmont Carolinas rolling country; passage through the Carolina Backwoods near Burlington.
History & service notes
The Carolinian began as a Southern Railway initiative and was relaunched by Amtrak in cooperation with NCDOT in 1990.
Equipment
Typical consist on the Carolinian includes amfleet I coaches, business class, ACS-64 to Washington and Charger to Charlotte. Equipment assignments may vary by departure and season; consult the operator for the most current information.
Stops along the route
Stations are listed in geographical order from New York to Charlotte. Times and exact stop sequencing depend on the specific train number and direction; refer to the operator's timetable for departures.
- Moynihan Train Hall — New York, NY
- Newark Penn Station — Newark, NJ
- William H. Gray III 30th Street Station — Philadelphia, PA
- Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station — Wilmington, DE
- Baltimore Penn Station — Baltimore, MD
- Washington Union Station — Washington, DC
- Alexandria, VA — Alexandria, VA
- Richmond Staples Mill Road — Richmond, VA
- Petersburg — Petersburg, VA
- Rocky Mount — Rocky Mount, NC
- Wilson, NC — Wilson, NC
- Raleigh Union Station — Raleigh, NC
- Cary — Cary, NC
- Durham — Durham, NC
- Burlington, NC — Burlington, NC
- Greensboro — Greensboro, NC
- High Point — High Point, NC
- Salisbury — Salisbury, NC
- Kannapolis — Kannapolis, NC
- Charlotte — Charlotte, NC
Sample fares & travel times
Approximate one-way fare ranges and travel times for popular city pairs on this route. Fares vary widely by demand, time of booking, and class of service — these figures are reference midpoints suitable for planning, not booking. Click any pair for a fuller trip guide.
| From | To | Distance | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Newark | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Newark | Philadelphia | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Philadelphia | Wilmington | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Wilmington | Baltimore | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Baltimore | Washington | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Washington | Alexandria | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Alexandria | Richmond | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Richmond | Petersburg | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Petersburg | Rocky Mount | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Rocky Mount | Wilson | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Wilson | Raleigh | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Raleigh | Cary | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Cary | Durham | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Durham | Burlington | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Burlington | Greensboro | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Greensboro | High Point | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| High Point | Salisbury | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
| Salisbury | Kannapolis | 37 mi | 54m | $19 – $80 |
Connections & transfers
Major hubs along the route offer cross-platform transfers to other intercity and commuter services. From New York, riders can change for connecting trains and intercity buses; the same is true at Charlotte. The corridor passes through cities including New York, Newark, and Charlotte, each with its own onward service map.