Piedmont (train)

Not to be confused with the Southern Railway's Piedmont Limited.

Piedmont
A state-owned EMD F59PH and EMD F59PHI lead the Piedmont into High Point on an autumn day in 2012.
Overview
Service typeInter-city rail
LocaleNorth Carolina
First serviceMay 26, 1995
Current operator(s)Amtrak in partnership with NCDOT
Annual ridership289,955 (FY23) Increase 36.4%[a][1]
Route
TerminiRaleigh, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Stops11
Distance travelled173 miles (278 km)
Average journey time3 hours to 3 hours 20 minutes[2]
Service frequencyFour round trips daily
Train number(s)71–78
On-board services
Class(es)Coach Class
Disabled accessAll stations (except event-only stops)
Catering facilitiesLounge car
Baggage facilitiesChecked baggage (some stations)
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speedc. 55 mph (89 km/h) (avg.)
79 mph (127 km/h) (top)
Track owner(s)NS/NCRR

The Piedmont (also known as the Piedmont Service) is a regional passenger train operated by Amtrak and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), running four round trips daily between Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina. It is a sister train to the Carolinian, which runs from Charlotte to New York City. The Piedmont route is coextensive with the southern end of the Carolinian, largely paralleling Interstate 85. It operates along the western portion of the state-owned North Carolina Railroad, which runs from Charlotte to Morehead City. Operations began in May 1995.

NCDOT owns the rolling stock used on the Piedmont, unlike the Carolinian, which uses Amtrak rolling stock. Both trains are marketed by NCDOT under the NC By Train brand.

In fiscal year 2023, Piedmont carried 289,955 passengers, a 36.4% increase from FY2022.[3] This is an increase from pre-COVID-19 pandemic ridership, with 214,218 passengers carried in FY2019.[4]


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  1. ^ "Amtrak Fiscal Year 2023 Ridership" (PDF). Amtrak. November 27, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 4rt was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Amtrak FY23 Ridership" (PDF).
  4. ^ "Amtrak FY19 Ridership" (PDF).