List of United States commuter rail systems

Last updated

The following is a list of commuter rail systems in the United States, ranked by ridership. All figures come from the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) Ridership Reports Statistics for the fourth quarter of 2023, [1] unless otherwise indicated.

Contents

List

RankSystemMajor cities
served		Annual
ridership
(2023) [1] 		Average
ridership
weekdays, Q3 2024 [2] 		Route
miles 		Daily Ridership
per mile
(Q1 2023)		Year
Opened		LinesStations
1 Long Island Rail Road New York 75,186,900276,800321 [3] 7911834 [4] 11 [4] 124 [4]
2 Metro-North Railroad New York / Stamford / New Haven 60,569,700235,300385 [5] 4921983 [6] 5 [5] [note 1] 122 [5]
3 NJ Transit Rail Operations New York / Newark / Trenton / Philadelphia 57,179,000140,666 [note 2] 530 [7] 2651983 [8] 11 [9] [note 1] 164 [9]
4 Metra Chicago 31,894,900168,600487.5 [10] 243198411 [10] 241 [10]
5 MBTA Commuter Rail Boston / Worcester / Providence 26,190,500109,300388 [11] 220197313 [11] 127 [11]
6 SEPTA Regional Rail Philadelphia / Trenton / Wilmington 17,910,709 [12] 77,700280 [13] 173198313 [13] 153
7 Denver RTD:
A, B, N and G Lines		 Denver 8,578,271 [14] 28,022 [note 3] 54.09 [15] 4962016422
8 Caltrain San Francisco / San Jose 5,443,80024,70077 [16] 2071863132 [16]
9 Metrolink Los Angeles / San Bernardino / Anaheim / Riverside / Irvine 4,861,00019,200545.7 [17] 3919927 [18] 62 [18]
10 Tri-Rail Miami / Fort Lauderdale 4,402,30015,40080.0 [19] 18319872 [19] 19 [19]
11 MARC Train Baltimore / Washington, D.C. 3,860,60013,900187631984343
12 FrontRunner Salt Lake City 3,736,60015,000881402008116
13 Sounder commuter rail Seattle / Tacoma 1,630,0007,30083 [20] 61200029
14 Virginia Railway Express Washington, D.C. 1,537,0006,30090 [21] 6019922 [21] 18 [21]
15 South Shore Line Chicago / South Bend 1,406,9006,30090 [22] 511908118
16 eBART Contra Costa County, California 1,292,2004,50010.1435201813
17 Trinity Railway Express Dallas / Fort Worth 1,163,6004,100341121996110
18 Keystone Service Philadelphia / Harrisburg 1,115,7793,200 [note 4] 104.6311972112
19 SunRail Orlando 1,083,3004,60049 [23] 882014117
20 Capitol Corridor San Jose / Oakland / Sacramento 921,1121,847 [note 4] 168111991115
21 Coaster San Diego / Oceanside 831,8003,00041 [24] 491995 [24] 1 [24] 8 [24]
22 Sonoma–Marin Area Rail Transit San Rafael / Santa Rosa 749,7003,40045462017112 [25]
23 TEXRail Fort Worth 714,8002,2002762201919
24 Rail Runner Express Albuquerque / Santa Fe 584,4002,80097182006113
25 Altamont Corridor Express San Jose / Stockton 576,3003,10086 [26] 2219981 [26] 10 [26]
26 Downeaster Boston / Brunswick, Maine 542,6391,219 [note 4] 14882001112
27 CapMetro Rail Austin 485,4001,60032 [27] 46201019 [27]
28 A-Train Denton, Texas 233,5001,0002128201116
29 Shore Line East New Haven 176,97960059101990113
30 Northstar Line Minneapolis 142,200500408200917
31 WES Commuter Rail Beaverton, Oregon 116,3003001533200915
32 WeGo Star Nashville 108,0005003213200617

Systems excluded from ridership table

SystemLargest city(s) servedOpenedRoute lengthReason(s) for exclusion from Ridership table
Hartford Line Hartford / New Haven / Springfield 201863APTA does not provide ridership figures for this system.
Arrow San Bernardino 20229This system is currently too new for APTA to provide ridership figures.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 There are 3 lines operated directly by Metro North, the Harlem Line, Hudson Line, and New Haven Line. The Port Jervis Line is operated under contract by NJ Transit, which also owns the Pascack Valley Line that extends into New York. The New Haven Line has 3 branch lines, the New Canaan Branch, Danbury Branch, and Waterbury Branch.
  2. ↑ This is the Average Daily Ridership figure, not an "Average Weekday Ridership" figure – it is averaged from the 2023 First Quarter Ridership figure for this system.
  3. ↑ This is the Average Daily Ridership figure, not an "Average Weekday Ridership" figure – it is averaged from the 2023 3rd Quarter Ridership figure for this system.
  4. 1 2 3 Q4 2022

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Island Rail Road</span> Commuter rail system on Long Island, New York

The Long Island Rail Road, or LIRR, is a railroad in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County on Long Island. The railroad currently operates a public commuter rail service, with its freight operations contracted to the New York and Atlantic Railway. With an average weekday ridership of 354,800 passengers in 2016, it is the busiest commuter railroad in North America. It is also one of the world's few commuter systems that runs 24/7 year-round. It is publicly owned by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which refers to it as MTA Long Island Rail Road. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 75,186,900, or about 276,800 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caltrain</span> Commuter rail line in California

Caltrain is a commuter rail line in California, serving the San Francisco Peninsula and Santa Clara Valley. The southern terminus is in San Jose at the Tamien station with weekday rush hour service running as far as Gilroy. The northern terminus of the line is in San Francisco at 4th and King Street. Caltrain has express, limited, and local services. There are 28 regular stops, one limited-service weekday-only stop, one weekend and holiday-only stop (Broadway), and one stop that is only served on football game days (Stanford). While average weekday ridership in 2019 exceeded 63,000, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been significant: in June 2024, Caltrain had an average weekday ridership of 24,580 passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro-North Railroad</span> Commuter rail service in New York and Connecticut

The Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, also branded as MTA Metro-North Railroad and commonly called simply Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a public authority of the U.S. state of New York. Metro-North serves the New York Metropolitan Area, running service between New York City and its northern suburbs in New York and Connecticut, including Port Jervis, Spring Valley, Poughkeepsie, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, White Plains, Southeast and Wassaic in New York and Stamford, New Canaan, Danbury, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and New Haven in Connecticut. Service in Connecticut is operated under contract with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. Similarly, service on lines west of the Hudson River is operated under contract with NJ Transit. Metro-North also provides local rail service within the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority</span> Public transport agency in Los Angeles County, California, United States

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA), branded as Metro, is the county agency that plans, operates, and coordinates funding for most of the public transportation system in Los Angeles County, California, the most populated county in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metrolink (California)</span> Regional commuter rail system serving Southern California

Metrolink is a commuter rail system in Southern California, serving Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties, as well as to Oceanside in San Diego County. The system consists of eight lines and 69 stations operating on 545.6 miles (878.1 km) of track. This includes Arrow, which Metrolink operates under a contract with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TRAX (light rail)</span> Light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah

TRAX is a light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah, in the United States, serving Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs throughout Salt Lake County. The system's official name, Transit Express, is rarely, if ever, used. The system is operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). All TRAX trains are electric, receiving power from overhead wires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commuter rail in North America</span>

Commuter rail services in the United States, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis, primarily for short-distance (local) travel between a central business district and adjacent suburbs and regional travel between cities of a conurbation. It does not include rapid transit or light rail service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Trolley</span> Light rail system in San Diego County, California

The San Diego Trolley is a light rail system serving San Diego County, California. The trolley's operator, San Diego Trolley, Inc., is a subsidiary of the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS). The trolley operates as a critical component of MTS, with connections to and integrated travel tickets with the local bus systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Metro Rail</span> Urban rail transit system serving Los Angeles County, California

The Los Angeles Metro Rail is an urban rail transit system serving Los Angeles County, California, United States, consisting of six lines: four light rail lines and two rapid transit lines, serving a total of 102 stations. The system connects with the Metro Busway bus rapid transit system, the Metrolink commuter rail system, as well as several Amtrak lines. Metro Rail is owned and operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in New York City</span>

The transportation system of New York City is a network of complex infrastructural systems. New York City, being the most populous city in the United States, has a transportation system which includes one of the largest and busiest subway systems in the world; the world's first mechanically ventilated vehicular tunnel; and an aerial tramway. New York City is home to an extensive bus system in each of the five boroughs; citywide and Staten Island ferry systems; and numerous yellow taxis and boro taxis throughout the city. Private cars are less used compared to other cities in the rest of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sprinter (rail service)</span> Hybrid rail service in San Diego County, California

Sprinter is a hybrid rail service operating in the North County area of San Diego County between the cities of Escondido and Oceanside, California, United States. The service uses the 22-mile (35 km) Escondido Subdivision of the San Diego Northern Railroad. Station platforms were constructed for the line's fifteen stations serving the cities of Oceanside, Vista, San Marcos, and Escondido. The line provides service to California State University, San Marcos and Palomar College. Sprinter service operates every 30 minutes and is targeted towards students and commuters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwalk Transit (California)</span>

Norwalk Transit is a municipal transit company providing fixed-route and paratransit bus transit services in Norwalk, California, United States, and also operates in portions of Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, La Habra, La Mirada, Santa Fe Springs and Whittier in southeast Los Angeles County and northwestern Orange County. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 998,000, or about 4,600 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Light rail in the United States</span> Overview of light rail in the United States

Light rail is a mode of rail-based transport, usually urban in nature.

References

  1. 1 2 "Public Transportation Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association (APTA). March 4, 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  2. ↑ "Transit Ridership Report Third Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. November 20, 2024. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  3. ↑ "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Years Ended December 31, 2012 and 2011" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). June 21, 2013. p. 146. Retrieved 2014-08-29.
  4. 1 2 3 "Long Island Rail Road - General Information". Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  5. 1 2 3 "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Years Ended December 31, 2012 and 2011" (PDF). Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). June 21, 2013. p. 147. Retrieved 2014-08-29.
  6. ↑ "MTA Metro-North Railroad - MNR About MNR". Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  7. ↑ "New Jersey State Rail Plan" (PDF). State of New Jersey, Department of Transportation. April 2015. p. ES-5. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  8. ↑ "NJ Transit - About Us - History & Structure". NJ Transit. 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-23.
  9. 1 2 "NJ Transit Facts at a Glance Fiscal Year 2015" (PDF). NJ Transit. March 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  10. 1 2 3 "Operations and Ridership Data". Metra. 2016. Retrieved 2017-06-28.
  11. 1 2 3 "MBTA STATE OF THE SERVICE Commuter Rail" (PDF). Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). 2014. p. 3. Retrieved 2019-06-26.
  12. ↑ "Route Operating Statistics" . Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  13. 1 2 "SEPTA - Media Guide" (PDF). SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority). 2013. p. 7. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  14. ↑ "2023 Boarding Ridership Report" (PDF). Regional Transportation District. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
  15. ↑ "RTD - Facts & Figures". Regional Transportation District. April 4, 2020. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
  16. 1 2 "Caltrain Modernization Quarterly Update" (PDF). Caltrain. February 2016. p. 2. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  17. ↑ "Metrolink Celebrates 30th Anniversary by Gifting Customers and Introducing New Logo". Metrolink Celebrates 30th Anniversary by Gifting Customers and Introducing New Logo (Press release). October 26, 2022. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
  18. 1 2 3 "Transportation Division - Moving Around - Tri-Rail". City of Fort Lauderdale . Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  19. ↑ "2015 Financial Plan" (PDF). Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority (Sound Transit). June 2015. p. 3. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  20. 1 2 3 "VRE Strategic Plan Executive Summary" (PDF). Virginia Railway Express. May 2004. p. v. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  21. ↑ Jay Jones (July 8, 2012). "Dunes Country choo-choo". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved 2016-05-27. Along the 90-mile route, sightseeing and recreational opportunities are plentiful...
  22. ↑ "SunRail Celebrates Phase 2 Groundbreaking". SunRail. April 22, 2016. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  23. 1 2 3 4 "COASTER Fact Sheet" (PDF). North County Transit District. January 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-12-21.
  24. ↑ "Stations".
  25. 1 2 3 Dan Leavitt (July 23, 2015). "ACEforward IMPROVING THE ALTAMONT CORRIDOR EXPRESS" (PDF). San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission. p. 1. Retrieved 2016-05-27.
  26. 1 2 "Data and Statistics - Fast Facts". Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2013. Retrieved 2014-05-22.
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