The National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB) recently released the results of a comprehensive 2024 Intercity Bus and Rail Travel Study. The report examines intercity travel within and through the TPB region.

Amtrak, Flixbus, Virginia Breeze, MARC, and Virginia Railway Express are among the 19 providers that link 50 cities across 21 states. Union Station in Washington, DC, serves as the primary hub for these intercity trips. After Union Station, the region’s next busiest intercity travel stops are New Carrollton (MD), Alexandria Amtrak (VA), New York Avenue (DC), and Vienna (VA). Travelers can reach Chicago, New England, Louisiana, Florida, and places in between by making connections through the National Capital Region. The following map indicates the major intercity travel corridors in the eastern United States.

 (COG/TPB)

Traveler Surveys

A key component of the study was a passenger intercept survey conducted at major transit hubs with a focus on Union Station, where over 70 percent of the responses were received. The survey consisted of a 5-minute questionnaire taken either on a tablet handed out by interviewers or a postcard with QR codes. Interviews were conducted over four weeks in September and October 2024, and 1,708 surveys were completed. The majority of respondents were traveling by bus and stated that this was a one-time trip for them rather than regular travel.

The Intercity Travel Survey interactive summary is a great way to explore the study’s methodology, background on the survey, and the inventory of intercity providers serving the region.

Highlights and Recommendations  

Key takeaways from the report highlight an increase in rail travel and the increase of leisure travel in the post-pandemic period.

• Amtrak ridership is nearing pre-pandemic levels with over 4.5 million trips in FY 2023, while intercity bus ridership is recovering more slowly at over 1 million trips.
• The top origin-destination pairs are TPB region - New York for both Amtrak (62 average daily train trips) and intercity bus (214 average daily bus trips). Boston is the second leading origin-destination for Amtrak, and Atlanta is the second leading for bus. For commuter rail and bus, Baltimore and Gaithersburg/BWI Business District head the origin and destination list for commuter bus and rail.
• Personal or leisure was the top reason for intercity trips, followed by visits to family and friends. Work/business-related travel represents a smaller share of intercity trips.

Recommendations stemming from survey responses and the overarching study include:

• Investing in rail infrastructure
• Enhancing first and last mile connections
• Diversifying modes and providers of intercity travel
• Promoting bus and rail for intercity travel options

More on intercity travel: Intercity rail and bus experts share plans for service expansions, infrastructure updates