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Virginia Amtrak Service Changes Begin January 12

Effective January 12, 2026, Amtrak and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority are adjusting service in Hampton Roads to support construction of the Long Bridge Project near Washington, D.C.

What’s changing:

• One daily Norfolk–Washington round-trip train will be temporarily removed.
• Four daily round-trip trains will continue between Hampton Roads and D.C.
  • Two to Norfolk
  • Two to Newport News
• To replace the removed train service, two daily express bus round trips have been added.
  • Buses will serve Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, and Washington Union Station.

What this means for travelers:

• When you combine trains and buses, there will be more total daily connections between Hampton Roads and D.C. than before.
• Some departure times will change, so it’s vital to double-check schedules when booking.

These adjustments are expected to remain in place through around 2030, while the $2.3 billion Long Bridge Project doubles rail capacity across the Potomac River, a long-term improvement that should lead to more reliable service.

More details: Amtrak.com/virginia/transforming-rail-in-virginia​

New Guide: Amtrak in Tennessee

This week, I published a new guide to Amtrak in Tennessee. If you're planning a trip to or from Tennessee, this post is for you. The guide covers stops, stations, amenities, and other transportation options available in the state.

Read the complete guide at: https://travelswithkev.com/amtrak-in-tennessee/​

What is Kev Up To?

On Monday, I posted my Amtrak guide for Tennessee, and something unusual happened: it took off immediately! Usually, these posts take weeks or even months to gain traction, which I use to my advantage because it gives me time to tweak and fix things before traffic arrives. But Tennessee was different. When I checked my analytics, I've never seen so many blue dots concentrated in one state! It's exciting to think this information must have been missing from the internet.

Other than that, I'm getting ready for my next trip, which ironically does go through Tennessee.

For this trip, I'm leaving from an airport, but not by plane. I'm taking trains and buses to get to my sister's, then flying home. The original plan was to drive to the airport and catch Amtrak there (since there's a station stop), but there was a slight issue: where to leave the car.

I took a step back and decided to make the trip more exciting. If I park at the saver lot, I can take the airport shuttle into the airport, then grab a city bus from baggage claim to downtown and leave from the Intermodal station instead.

This choice gives me more flexibility to have coffee or an early lunch with friends before boarding the train. Plus, I get more train time, and I do not like to sit at home, so I can leave when I want and have something to do.

Bringing things to a close

Thank you, Chris R, for being the first supporter of the year, who used PayPal! Also, thank you to Dr. Hubbard for hitting the green button below. And thank you to my Patreon supporters.

Thank you for your ongoing support. Your messages and other forms of encouragement mean a lot to me and help keep the website and newsletter running. I couldn't do it without you!

Interested in supporting this work? Check out my Patreon or other support options, or hit the green button below. Can't contribute right now? No problem; just sharing this with fellow travelers helps more than you know!

Until Next Week!

Safe travels & Happy Planning,
Kev Monteith