The State Rail and Marine Office oversees the management of the Amtrak Cascades, intercity passenger rail service along the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor, one of 11 federally-designated rail corridors in the United States.
The corridor is 467 miles long; 300 miles in Washington, 134 miles in Oregon, and 33 miles in British Columbia.
Program Goal
Provide faster, more frequent Amtrak Cascades service with schedule reliability along the I-5 corridor.
Overview
Amtrak Cascades train service began in 1994. WSDOT is responsible for train operations management and reporting; budgeting; performance tracking; construction project management and reporting; local, regional, state, and national program coordination; freight rail; public outreach; and marketing activities.
- Operations – provides program direction and management of the Amtrak Cascades planning, service delivery, investment, and maintenance. View more >>
- Capital Delivery – responsible for development and delivery of projects that will increase the frequency and reliability of passenger rail service. The nearly $800 million program will complete 20 federally funded projects by 2017. View more >>
Amtrak Cascades Service
The Amtrak Cascades service operates 4,015 trains annually. This consists of 11 trains operating in the Pacific Northwest each day. This service includes:
- 3 daily trains between Seattle and Eugene, OR (Trains 500, 507, and 509)
- 3 daily trains between Seattle and Portland, OR (Trains 501, 506, and 508)
- 2 daily trains between Portland, OR and Vancouver, B.C. (Trains 513 and 516)
- 2 daily trains between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. (Trains 510 and 517)
- 1 daily train between Portland, OR and Eugene, OR (Train 504)
- View the schedule >> Plan a trip >> Buy tickets >>
Operating Trains Across State and International Borders Requires Many Partnerships
Operating trains requires functional partnerships between Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, Amtrak, three railroads, international customs and border control agencies, and a train manufacturer for Amtrak Cascades trains to operate. These partnerships are managed through constant collaboration, service contracts and agreements.
Corridor Management
A corridor partnership agreement has been entered into between WSDOT and Oregon DOT. The states will work in partnership to develop a Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor Management Plan. This plan will guide development of the corridor and position both states for the best opportunities for funding and contract performance.
Amtrak Cascades Performance
Annual ridership continues to climb. Nearly 850,000 passengers rode Amtrak Cascades in 2011. Over the last 17 years, ridership has shown steady growth per year. View the statistics.
Funding
Amtrak Cascades is funded by ticket sales and a combination of state and federal funds. Ticket revenue for 2011 reached $30,310,262 and exceeded the estimated target of $28.3 million.
Washington State was awarded nearly $800 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act high-speed intercity passenger rail funds to deliver critical rail infrastructure improvements within the state.
Want to ride the train? Visit http://www.AmtrakCascades.com to plan a trip, view schedules, and make a reservation. For fares and reservations, you can also call 1-800-USA-Rail.