Amtrak Cascades - Ridership and capacity utilization
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Measures of Amtrak Cascades performance, including ridership and train capacity utilization
Ridership and capacity utilization
Amtrak Cascades annual ridership (Washington) is the number of passengers who rode the Amtrak Cascades trains operating in Washington state (between Portland, OR and Vancouver, B.C.). For details on the methodology used to calculate Amtrak Cascades ridership and train capacity utilization, refer to Amtrak Cascades system performance methodology (PDF 5.9MB). Train capacity utilization is the percentage of seats occupied between stations averaged over a defined timeframe (quarterly, annually, etc.). WSDOT reports Amtrak Cascades capacity utilization at the sub-segment level.
Source: WSDOT Rail, Freight and Ports Division.
Multi-year trends
In 2021 ridership increased to 193,000, up 23.7% from 2020 and utilization increased on all segments compared to 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership dropped to 156,000 in 2020—79.4% decrease from 756,000 in 2019—and capacity utilization decreased substantially on all segments.
Amtrak Cascades ridership increased by 3.4% from 728,000 passengers in 2017 to 753,000 passengers in 2019.
Between 2017 and 2019, Amtrak Cascades capacity utilization increased substantially on all segments. Capacity utilization on the least—used segment increased from 44.9% in 2017 to 48.6% in 2019, and on the most-used segment, it increased from 61.7% in 2017 to 64.4% in 2019. Average train capacity utilization fluctuates throughout the year, with trains selling out during weekends, holidays and the summer.
Annual highlights
In 2021, systemwide ridership was about 193,000, an increase of 23.7% from 156,000 in 2020. In May 2021, Amtrak Cascades trains returned to two daily round trips between Seattle and Eugene, Oregon and three daily round trips between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. All Amtrak Cascades service between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. continued to be suspended throughout 2021. In 2021, 51.2% of seats on Amtrak Cascades were utilized on Washington's peak sub-segment (Olympia-to-Centralia) up from 29.8% in 2020. The recovery was due to increased trips and the ease of COVID-19 restriction measures. All other routes saw an increase in utilization rate but were still lower than the pre-pandemic level.
In 2020, systemwide ridership was about 156,000, a decrease of 79.4% from 756,000 in 2019. In 2020, about 109,000 riders traveled within the Seattle-to-Portland segment, 23,000 riders traveled within the Vancouver, B.C.-to-Seattle segment, and the remaining 24,000 riders traveled across both segments. In 2020, 29.8% of seats on Amtrak Cascades were utilized on Washington's peak sub-segment (Olympia-to-Centralia), down from 64.3% in 2019. This significant decrease in capacity utilization was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in reduced non-essential travel, and additional safety protocols to protect passengers and staff—including limiting ticket sales to 50% of available seats, closure of the Canadian border and significant reduction service levels. Utilization rates for the peak sub-segment can limit available capacity for the entire corridor. For example, if the Olympia-to-Centralia sub-segment was sold out, someone in Seattle could not buy a ticket to Portland. Average train capacity utilization fluctuates throughout the year, with trains selling out during weekends, holidays, and the summer.
In 2019, system-wide ridership (between Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon) was about 756,000, a 3.4% increase from 731,000 in 2018. In 2019, about 499,000 riders traveled within the Seattle-to-Portland segment, 193,000 riders traveled within the Vancouver, B.C.-to-Seattle segment, and the remaining 61,000 riders traveled across both segments. In 2019, 64.3% of seats on Amtrak Cascades were utilized on Washington's peak sub-segment (Olympia-to-Centralia), increasing from 61.2% in 2018. Utilization rates for the peak sub-segment can limit available capacity for the entire corridor. For example, if the Olympia-to-Centralia sub-segment was sold out, someone in Seattle could not buy a ticket to Portland. Average train capacity utilization fluctuates throughout the year, with trains selling out during weekends, holidays and the summer.
In 2018, systemwide ridership (between Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon) was about 731,000, an increase of 0.4% from 728,000 in 2017. In 2018, 61.2% of seats on Amtrak Cascades were utilized on Washington's peak sub-segment (Olympia - Centralia), decreasing from 62.1% in 2017. Utilization rates for the peak sub-segment can limit available capacity for the entire corridor. For example, if the Olympia - Centralia sub-segment was sold out, someone in Seattle could not buy a ticket to Portland. Average train capacity utilization fluctuates throughout the year, with trains selling out during weekends, holidays and the summer.
In 2017, systemwide ridership (between Vancouver, British Columbia and Portland, Oregon) was about 728,000, an increase of 1.0% from 735,000 in 2016. In 2017, 62.1% of seats on Amtrak Cascades were utilized on Washington's peak sub-segment (Olympia - Centralia), decreasing from 61.8% in 2016. Utilization rates for the peak sub-segment can limit available capacity for the entire corridor. For example, if the Olympia - Centralia sub-segment was sold out, someone in Seattle could not buy a ticket to Portland. Average train capacity utilization fluctuates throughout the year, with trains selling out during weekends, holidays and the summer.