Hello Reader,
This is the best time to plan upcoming Amtrak adventures, especially for this summer! The USA has a few major events coming up, and many people are already planning to take the train. For many, it could be their first Amtrak trip.
Subject: Book Summer 2026 Travel Now (Amtrak Isn’t Kidding)
Amtrak just issued a press release worth paying attention to: they're expecting summer 2026 to be their busiest in 55 years and are urging people to book now. If you've noticed prices climbing quickly on some trains, that's why.
Why the rush?
Two major events are converging this summer:
- FIFA World Cup 2026 — games across North America (100+ matches)
- America250 — celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence
Which trains will be most affected?
Here’s a breakdown by route serving World Cup host cities:
Northeast Corridor (the big one). Expect this to be hit the hardest, since it is already Amtrak's busiest corridor.
- Acela & Northeast Regional: Serving Boston, New York/New Jersey, and Philadelphia
- Keystone Service: Additional Philadelphia connections
Long-distance trains to World Cup cities:
- Crescent: New York–Atlanta (also serves Philadelphia)
- Silver Meteor: New York–Miami (also serves Philadelphia)
- Floridian: Chicago - Miami
- Lake Shore Limited: Boston/New York–Chicago
- Texas Eagle: Chicago–San Antonio–Los Angeles (serves Dallas/Fort Worth)
- Southwest Chief: Chicago–Los Angeles (serves Kansas City)
- Coast Starlight: Seattle–Los Angeles (serves the San Francisco Bay Area via bus connection)
Regional services:
- Capitol Corridor & Gold Runner (San Joaquins): Serving the San Francisco Bay Area
- Pacific Surfliner: Serving the Los Angeles area
- Missouri River Runner: Kansas City–St. Louis
- Empire Service: New York corridor
- Cascades: Seattle–Vancouver and Seattle–Eugene
- Maple Leaf: New York–Toronto
Even if you're not traveling to a World Cup city, these trains could face spillover crowds and reduced availability, especially on weekends and around major match dates.
What Amtrak is doing to prepare:
The fact that they're deploying extra maintenance staff, positioning rescue locomotives along the Northeast Corridor on major game days, and bringing in "Amtrak Ambassadors" (management staff to help at stations) indicates they're genuinely expecting capacity issues.
They're also rolling out more Airo trains to add seats on the NEC, but that corridor is already their busiest during a typical summer.
Bottom line:
If you're planning to travel this summer, especially on the routes listed above, book early. This isn't just typical Amtrak promotional language; they're expecting strong demand.
For more information about these trains, check out my post listing the schedules for every Amtrak train.
Why Haven't I Updated My Amtrak Long-Distance Trains On-Time Post?
Is Kev getting lazy? No. In the past, Amtrak would release the on-time performance report around the middle of the following month. But as of now, I still haven't seen the December 2025 numbers.
I do not know whether Amtrak has quietly discontinued the on-time reports or is just behind. The plan is to update when it is available; if they do not post them for a few months, I will take the post and sections down.
A Few New Posts
I'll be honest. I'm not always great at letting you know when a new post goes up. Sorry about that! You can always check the home page, where there's a section for new and updated posts. If I update an existing post, I update the date so you know it's still current.
Over the past week or so, I've posted about Amtrak in Maryland and VIA Rail Trains 97 & 98. If you want to see what else is new, check out my Amtrak in Each State series, where most of my recent posts have been going.
I think the next posts could be the VIA Rail Canadian and Amtrak in Vermont. We'll see what I'm able to finish!
What is Kev Up To?
We've had some temperature swings here in Wisconsin, and when they rise, I try to take advantage of them. I was excited on Friday to go for a walk with a friend from high school. I think it was our first walk of 2026! On Tuesday, I took a long walk to the post office to buy stamps and mail the Patreon postcards.
Last week, I talked to my Patreon supporters about my dad and me planning a VIA Rail adventure, which is still in the dreaming/can-we-actually-do-this phase. My dad needs to get his passport, and we're working on that now.
The tentative plan is for my dad and me to ride the Canadian together, and I might take the Ocean as a solo trip. It all depends on a few factors, including cost.
Bringing things to a close
I want to give special thanks to RS C and Laurie H for their generosity when they hit the green button below.
Special thanks to my Patreon supporters. Did you know Patreon members receive a monthly postcard from my travels? If you'd like the full trip reports, extra photos, and those postcards, you can join the Patreon community today! Starting at $5 a month. This program helps me to do more research.
Click the green button below to contribute directly, or visit our support page for more options.
Can't contribute financially? No problem. Sharing this newsletter with fellow travelers helps more than you know.
Until Next Week!
Safe travels & Happy Planning,
Kev Monteith
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