Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

Thinking About Transit

Rail Transportation Becomes Attractive Option for Travelers

Story by Anna Oakes

Looking for less-stressful travel? Leery of driving your vehicle long distances? Want to reduce your carbon footprint? And maybe save a little money? Take the train.

With gas prices and airplane fares escalating, more and more vehicles on the highways and the problems of air pollution and global warming not going away anytime soon, rail transportation is becoming an increasingly attractive mode of travel.

The N.C. Department of Transportation Rail Division has the numbers to prove it. Since March of last year, ridership on the state-sponsored Amtrak Service’s intercity trains is up more than 20 percent.

“More and more travelers are finding that our trains provide a timely, safe and environmentally friendly alternative means of transportation,” said Lyndo Tippett, N.C. Department of Transportation secretary, in a press release issued April 30. “We have seen double-digit growth in ridership and passenger revenues over the past six months alone.”

Although no passenger trains run through the High Country—the nearest station is in Greensboro—making the train a part of your travel plans is worth a look. Here’s why.

Less Stress

Gas prices may be rising, but that doesn’t mean people are driving less. With ever-increasing numbers of vehicles on the highways, driving can produce quite a bit of anxiety and presents a lot of dangers.

On board a train, passengers are free from the potential hazards of traffic jams, road intersections and Interstate driving. You can leave the car at home with no worries about breaking down or extra wear and tear on a long road trip.

Depending on the train and the length of the trip, meals may be served. Snacks and beverages are available on all trains that serve North Carolina, and all trains have restrooms onboard. For extended trips, sleeping accommodations are available.

People can use the time onboard the train to catch up on work on their laptops or relax while listening to music, reading a book or enjoying the sights outside the train window.

“The time onboard the train is more your time,” said Pat Simmons, director of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Rail Division. “We have people that use the electrical outlets to plug in or play games, log onto laptops, sleep—it’s more your time.”

And judging by the numbers, rail is a safe way to travel.

Of the 118 fatalities involving Amtrak trains in 2006 recorded by the Federal Railroad Administration’s Office of Safety Analysis, nearly all of them were deaths of persons struck by the train or in vehicles crossing railroad tracks. No passengers died on Amtrak trains in 2006.

By comparison, total traffic fatalities numbered 42,642 and total aircraft fatalities came to 766 in 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported. Of the air fatalities, 68 occurred on U.S. air carriers, commuter planes or air taxis, including one Kentucky crash that killed 49.

You Could Save Money

While multiple factors influencing travel costs make it difficult to directly compare vehicle, rail and flight prices, it appears that with enough planning, High Country travelers could save some money by taking the train instead of a car and a significant amount when taking the train instead of a plane.

For example, an Amtrak train ride booked earlier this week for a trip to New York City departing July 1 and returning July 8 would cost $178 round trip and take about 11.5 hours each way. Traveling in a car with a fuel economy of 20 mpg at this summer’s projected gas costs of $4 per gallon, that trip would cost $217.60 and take nine hours. The cheapest flight on Travelocity.com for that time period would cost $271 and take 1.5 hours.

“The cost is, we believe, very reasonable,” Simmons said. Rising fuel prices also impact rail operating costs, “but with more people riding, all of that is spread across more people,” he added.

Intercity rail travel in North Carolina not only competes with vehicular travel on costs—it also competes on time.

“Between Raleigh and Charlotte, we now have travel times that are directly automobile competitive, and that’s with seven station stops,” Simmons said.

Making reservations through Amtrak in advance will get travelers the best rates.
“The further in advance that you book, the less that the cost of the seat will be,” said Simmons.

In addition, Amtrak and the N.C. Rail Division offer a number of special offers and discounts, including discounted fares for students, children, seniors, disabled adults, veterans, active-duty military and groups of 20 or more. Travelers looking to make several in-state trips can purchase the NC Multi Rider ticket for 10 or 6 intercity rides for more savings.

Air travel, while more time efficient, is growing more and more costly by the day. A May 1 article in USA Today indicates that airlines will require extreme fare increases and fewer flights to cover the cost of a 2008 jet fuel bill that is projected to be 44 percent higher than last year’s. As many as 20 percent fewer seats could be available next year, the article said.

Do Your Part

According to the U.S. Census, North Carolina’s population grew 10 percent between 2000 and 2006. The state is growing at a rate much faster than the national average. That means more vehicles are hitting our highways, contributing to increased pollution levels and dilapidating road conditions.

With climate change looming as a global crisis and a state struggling to pay for highway improvements, the need for public transportation is great. Train passengers can pat themselves on the back for helping to do their part in putting fewer cars on the road and decreasing overconsumption and pollution.

And compared with flying, nearly twice as many passengers are on an Amtrak train than on a domestic airline flight, according to Amtrak.

How To Hop on the Train

Six trains travel through North Carolina, including three that stop in Greensboro, the closest station to the High Country. Passengers in North Carolina have access to trains that run to Atlanta, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., New York City, Savannah and Miami.

The Greensboro stop is a full-service station that sells tickets onsite and accepts checked luggage.

Low-cost bus transportation from Boone to Greensboro is available twice daily through the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART). For more info about PART, call 1-800-588-7787 or click to www.partnc.org.

For more info about intercity rail service in North Carolina, click to www.bytrain.org/passenger. For booking, click to Amtrak.com or 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Comparing Costs and Times

Compiled by Anna Oakes and Sam Calhoun

The chart below compares prices and travel times for travel between Greensboro—the closest staffed Amtrak station to the High Country—and New York, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.

Prices and travel times for trips departing July 1 and returning July 8 are derived from Travelocity.com, Amtrak.com and Google Maps. The chart assumes a vehicle fuel economy of 20 mpg and gas at $4 per gallon. These numbers are not set in stone—booking times, fluctuating fuel costs, varied fuel economies, vehicle maintenance, fare rate changes, rest stops, train stops, toll roads, layovers, traffic and a number of other factors influence the costs and times of travel.