Passenger railroads see a sharp jump in ridership as gas prices climb

""It usually would be shorter to drive, but the gas prices are high," said Joshua Newman of Washington, D.C., as he waited to board an Amtrak train for the first time in his life at Union Station this week."

""It's really ridiculous," said English, who recently drove up the East Coast. "Let me tell you, I actually spent $140 to fill up, from Florida to New York.""

""We typically see some shift to rail as fuel prices rise, and we're seeing that pattern here as well," Amtrak spokesperson Beth Toll said in a statement."

""The train is cheaper. So I said, let me take the cheaper way out," said Dorothy English, who decided to take the train from New York to North Carolina."

As gas prices exceed four dollars a gallon, U.S. passenger rail ridership is increasing. Amtrak reported a five percent rise in March compared to last year, while Brightline saw over a 20% increase. High fuel costs are prompting travelers to choose trains over driving. Passengers express frustration with gas prices, opting for more economical train travel. Amtrak notes that shifts to rail travel occur during periods of rising fuel costs, highlighting the importance of rail in connecting communities.

Read at www.npr.org