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.
Note: All Amtrak Cascades service between Seattle and Vancouver, BC was suspended due to the closure of the Canadian border beginning in 2020 and continuing through September, 2022.
Multi-year trends
In 2022 ridership increased to about half of the pre-pandemic level. The Seattle to Vanouver, B.C. route resumed one daily roundtrip operation in September 2022. The utilization increased on all segments compared to 2021 and surpassed the pre-pandemic level.
In 2021 ridership increased slightly and utilization increased significantly but was still lower than the pre-pandemic level. Utilization increased in 2021 on all segments compared to 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership dropped to 156,000 in 2020—79.3% decrease from 753,000 in 2019—and capacity utilization decreased substantially on all segments.
Between 2018 and 2019, Amtrak Cascades ridership and utilization increased steadily. Average train capacity utilization fluctuates throughout the year, with trains selling out during weekends, holidays and the summer.
Annual highlights
In 2022, systemwide ridership was about 381,000, an increase of 71.4% from 222,000 in 2021. Amtrak Cascades restarted one daily roundtrip to Canada, between Seattle and Vancouver, BC, on September 26, 2022. In 2022, 71.3% of seats on Amtrak Cascades were utilized on Washington's peak sub-segment (Olympia-to-Centralia) up from 51.2% in 2021. All other routes saw an increased utilization rate and most surpassed the pre-pandemic level.
In 2021, systemwide ridership was about 222,000, an increase of 42.4% 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, 51.3% 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 79.3% from 753,000 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 64.4% 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 753,000, a 3.0% 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, 64.4% 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.