Long-distance Amtrak routes

The Long Distance Service Line is the division of Amtrak responsible for operating all intercity passenger train services in the United States longer than 750 miles (1,210 km). There are fourteen such routes as of 2024^[update], serving over 300 stations in 39 states.

Amtrak's long-distance routes form the backbone of the US national rail network, providing an alternative to intercity drives or flights. They are also noted for their scenery, and are popular as vacations and experiential travel. A few routes provide direct service to National Parks, with Amtrak Thruway buses reaching many more.

The rider experience of Amtrak's long-distance trains is distinct from its Northeast Corridor and state-supported services. All trains except the Palmetto involve at least one night of travel, and so are outfitted with sleeping and dining cars. Routes depart once daily in each direction, at most, so some stops are served only at night. Delays are commonplace on long-distance trains, as the tracks are generally controlled by freight railroad companies.

While anchored by major cities, long-distance trains also serve many rural communities en route (unlike commercial flights). A minority of passengers ride an entire route at once, with most traveling between a terminus and an intermediate stop. In FY2023, Amtrak's long-distance trains carried 3,944,124 riders, around 14% of the company's total. However, the routes account for about 42% of passenger miles traveled.

Amtrak operates two types of long-distance trains: single-level and bi-level. Due to height restrictions on the Northeast Corridor, all six routes that terminate at New York Penn Station operate as single-level trains with Amfleet coaches and Viewliner sleeping cars. The remaining nine long-distance routes operate as bi-level trains with Superliner coaches and sleeping cars. Both single-level and bi-level trains are equipped with Viewliner baggage cars. Amtrak plans to replace all of its long-distance rail cars by 2032, except for the Viewliner II fleet.

Long-distance trains are typically hauled by GE Genesis diesel locomotives. Trains which traverse the Northeast Corridor use Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotives for that segment of their routes, switching engines at Washington Union Station. Amtrak is in the process of replacing all of its long-distance locomotives with diesel-electric Siemens Charger units by 2032. In 2022 the Empire Builder became the first route to receive the new locomotives.

In FY2022, Amtrak's long-distance trains averaged 48 mph (77 km/h) between stations. Dwell time at stations averaged four minutes each, while dwell time at stations with crew changes or enroute servicing averaged 20 minutes each. Trains operating on the Northeast Corridor reach top speeds of 125 mph (201 km/h) in some stretches. The top speed for long-distance trains outside the northeast is 100 mph (160 km/h), reached by the Texas Eagle between Chicago and St. Louis.

In a practice not seen elsewhere in the Amtrak network, four long-distance trains divide partway along their routes. This allows trains to serve multiple endpoints without requiring passengers to transfer, and provides efficiency over the shared route segments. Westbound from Chicago the Empire Builder divides at Spokane, with sections to Seattle and Portland. Eastbound from Chicago the Lake Shore Limited divides at Albany–Rensselaer, with sections to New York and Boston. The Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited are combined between Los Angeles and San Antonio, where the Texas Eagle continues to Chicago and the Sunset Limited to New Orleans. On the reverse trips the trains are coupled at these stations.