What Would an Amtrak Revival Look Like?
The $75 billion plan to dramatically expand passenger rail service could transform US train travel — if states agree to get on board.
An Amtrak Cascades train in 2022. Service frequency on the Seattle-to-Portland route could be dramatically expanded in coming years.
Photographer: James MacDonald/BloombergAmtrak service between Seattle and Portland is, like much of the US passenger rail system, underwhelming.
Just four trips a day roll between the two Pacific Northwest cities, a 175-mile journey that takes just over three hours. Limited service and a typically spotty on-time performance means that the Cascades route struggles to compete with driving and flying on this corridor, which sits at the sweet spot for intercity rail.