Amtrak Sets Ridership Records Ahead of 2026 World Cup

Amtrak reported 34.5 million passengers in 2025, a 5 percent increase from the prior year and the second consecutive annual record. The carrier owns track on the Northeast Corridor and operates the Cascades route in the Pacific Northwest, two segments expected to see heavy use during the World Cup.

Amtrak spent $30 million on track, catenary, and bridge work ahead of the tournament. It opened the first track on the new Portal North Bridge in New Jersey this spring and added Acela trainsets that hold 27 percent more passengers. Additional coach cars will be added to some Northeast Regional trains this summer, and maintenance schedules have been adjusted to avoid game days.

The 457-mile corridor between Washington and Boston runs about 150 trains daily and handled 15 million riders in 2025. Twenty-one World Cup matches are scheduled in Boston, New York/New Jersey, and Philadelphia. A same-day round-trip from Washington to New York for the July 19 final was listed at $160 in early May.

The Cascades line offers two daily trains between Seattle and Vancouver. Amtrak has recorded increased bookings from those cities on match days. No direct Amtrak service currently connects Dallas and Houston, which together will host 15 matches; the trip now requires about 23 hours.

Amtrak applies demand-based pricing and has not announced changes for the World Cup period. NJ Transit plans to sell 40,000 round-trip tickets from New York to MetLife Stadium per match at $98 each. W Kyle Anderson, Amtrak’s World Cup co-lead, said the carrier is treating the event like Thanksgiving, its busiest period, and is urging early bookings.

Adie Tomer, senior fellow at Brookings Metro, noted that some regular Northeast travelers may shift to other modes during the tournament.