RALEIGH, N.C. – After reporting a record-breaking month in September, North Carolina’s state-sponsored intercity passenger service achieved another monthly high for ridership in October. The Carolinian and Piedmont trains carried 55,493 passengers in October, beating September’s record of 48,488 passengers by over 14%.
“What a fantastic accomplishment for the traveling public,” state Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette said in a news release. “We are excited to see record numbers of our citizens and visitors choose to ride NC By Train. The train offers people an easy way to travel without the stress of a drive.”
In addition to making its regular stops, passengers in October were also able to make a one-day special stop in Lexington for The Barbecue Festival and a stop at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh during the North Carolina State Fair.
NCDOT funds the Carolinian, which makes a dozen stops in the state on a daily round trip between Charlotte and New York City. The state sponsored Piedmont began service between Raleigh and Charlotte in 1995 and now makes three round trips a day using equipment owned by NCDOT.
Demand for North Carolina’s passenger service has rebounded since the COVID-19 pandemic. Since April, the Piedmont and Carolinian have averaged nearly 47,500 passengers a month, about 8,850 more than the monthly average in 2019.
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