Amtrak's Long-Distance Train Performance
July 2023
Thirty-three percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their final destination on time or earlier in July 2023.
The average arrival of all long-distance trains in the survey period was one hour and 13 minutes late.
The average arrival of just those trains that were behind schedule was one hour and 49 minutes late.
YEAR-TO-DATE: 41 percent of long-distance trains arrived on time or earlier.
YEAR-TO-DATE: Average arrival of long-distance trains was 55 minutes late.
YEAR-TO-DATE: Average arrival of those trains arriving behind schedule was one hour and 33 minutes late.
A train is considered late whenever it arrives at its final destination behind schedule, even if only by a minute. Sufficient padding is incorporated into long-distance train schedules to eliminate the need for grace allowances in showing a train arriving on time when it is actually late. Amtrak routinely reports trains arriving on time if they are nominally late, within certain guidelines. But the Bull Sheet conveys more realistic parameters reflecting actual performance (on time, or it is late).
Trains arriving ahead of schedule are simply shown 'on time,' with no extra credit given to offset other arrivals that are late. Trains that are canceled, truncated, terminated en route, or provided with ambiguous or unreliable data are excluded from the survey.
This survey was compiled by the Bull Sheet's statistical department comprehending actual performance as reported for each affected train on Amtrak's website. Data only apply to arrival at final destination; average arrival at intermediate stations will generally differ.
Average daily long-distance train performance in July 2023 was as follows:
Date
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Saturday, July 1 34 %
1 hour, 5 mins late
1 hour, 39 mins late
Sunday, July 2 32 %
53 mins late
1 hour, 19 mins late
Monday, July 3 25 %
1 hour, 21 mins late
1 hour, 48 mins late
Tuesday, July 4 42 %
1 hour, 10 mins late
2 hours, 1 min late
Wednesday, July 5 36 %
54 mins late
1 hour, 25 mins late
Thursday, July 6 26 %
1 hour, 25 mins late
1 hour, 37 mins late
Friday, July 7 31 %
1 hour, 21 mins late
1 hour, 58 mins late
Saturday, July 8 39 %
54 mins late
1 hour, 29 mins late
Sunday, July 9 48 %
26 mins late
50 mins late
Monday, July 10 37 %
57 mins late
1 hour, 30 mins late
Tuesday, July 11 33 %
1 hour, 24 mins late
2 hours, 6 mins late
Wednesday, July 12 43 %
55 mins late
1 hour, 37 mins late
Thursday, July 13 19 %
1 hour, 23 mins late
1 hour, 42 mins late
Friday, July 14 41 %
48 mins late
1 hour, 21 mins late
Saturday, July 15 31 %
58 mins late
1 hour, 25 mins late
Sunday, July 16 41 %
1 hour, 12 mins late
2 hours, 2 mins late
Monday, July 17 27 %
1 hour, 23 mins late
1 hour, 55 mins late
Tuesday, July 18 30 %
1 hour, 21 mins late
1 hour, 56 mins late
Wednesday, July 19 37 %
1 hour, 11 mins late
1 hour, 53 mins late
Thursday, July 20 31 %
1 hour, 2 mins late
1 hour, 30 mins late
Friday, July 21 34 %
1 hour, 25 mins late
2 hours, 9 mins late
Saturday, July 22 41 %
1 hour, 10 mins late
1 hour, 58 mins late
Sunday, July 23 36 %
1 hour, 43 mins late
2 hours, 42 mins late
Monday, July 24 23 %
1 hour, 26 mins late
1 hour, 52 mins late
Tuesday, July 25 32 %
1 hour late
1 hour, 29 mins late
Wednesday, July 26 11 %
1 hour, 42 mins late
1 hour, 54 mins late
Thursday, July 27 23 %
1 hour, 35 mins late
2 hours, 3 mins late
Friday, July 28 29 %
1 hour, 18 mins late
1 hour, 50 mins late
Saturday, July 29 27 %
1 hour, 53 mins late
2 hours, 35 mins late
Sunday, July 30 29 %
1 hour, 31 mins late
2 hours, 9 mins late
Monday, July 31 42 %
1 hour, 3 mins late
1 hour, 48 mins late
Average for month 33 %
1 hour, 13 mins late
1 hour, 49 mins late
Eight-year comparison for July . . .
8-year comparison
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
July 2016 30 %
59 mins late
1 hour, 24 mins late
July 2017 22 %
1 hour, 19 mins late
1 hour, 41 mins late
July 2018 20 %
1 hour, 33 mins late
1 hour, 56 mins late
July 2019 18 %
1 hour, 37 mins late
1 hour, 58 mins late
July 2020 47 %
42 mins late
1 hour, 20 mins late
July 2021 37 %
1 hour, 9 mins late
1 hour, 50 mins late
July 2022 22 %
1 hour, 40 mins late
2 hours, 7 mins late
July 2023 33 %
1 hour, 13 mins late
1 hour, 49 mins late
8--year average 29 %
1 hour, 17 mins late
1 hour, 46 mins late
July 2023 Train-by-Train Performance . . .
Train
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Auto Train 76 %
11 mins late
44 mins late
California Zephyr 3 %
3 hours, 22 mins late
3 hours, 29 mins late
Capitol Limited 54 %
30 mins late
1 hour, 6 mins late
Cardinal 35 %
1 hour, 48 mins late
2 hours, 45 mins late
Carolinian 12 %
1 hour, 8 mins late
1 hour, 17 mins late
City of New Orleans 81 %
25 mins late
2 hours, 7 mins late
Coast Starlight 47 %
46 mins late
1 hour, 27 mins late
Crescent 26 %
1 hour, 16 mins late
1 hour, 42 mins late
Empire Builder 42 %
1 hour, 37 mins late
2 hours, 49 mins late
Lake Shore Limited 31 %
37 mins late
54 mins late
Maple Leaf 26 %
32 mins late
43 mins late
Palmetto 12 %
59 mins late
1 hour, 6 mins late
Silver Meteor 18 %
1 hour, 23 mins late
1 hour, 41 mins late
Silver Star 31 %
1 hour, 25 mins late
2 hours, 2 mins late
Southwest Chief 3 %
3 hours, 8 mins late
3 hours, 14 mins late
Sunset Limited 36 %
1 hour, 21 mins late
2 hours, 6 mind late
Texas Eagle 38 %
52 mins late
1 hour, 23 mins late
Vermonter 6 %
52 mins late
55 mins late
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Year-to-Date Standings - Percentage On-Time Arrival
Train |
Pct on-time arrival |
| City of New Orleans | 78 % |
| Capitol Limited | 57 % |
| Auto Train | 56 % |
| Vermonter | 51 % |
| Lake Shore Limited | 50 % |
| Texas Eagle | 47 % |
| Coast Starlight | 43 % |
| Maple Leaf | 40 % |
| Empire Builder | 36 % |
| Palmetto | 35 % |
| Silver Meteor | 35 % |
| Silver Star | 33 % |
| Sunset Limited | 33 % |
| Carolinian | 32 % |
| .Cardinal | 32 % |
| Southwest Chief | 25 % |
| Crescent | 24 % |
| California Zephyr | 8 % |
Year-to-Date Standings - Overall Average Arrival
Train |
Overall avg arrival |
| Vermonter | 15 mins late |
| Maple Leaf | 18 mins late |
| Lake Shore Limited | 19 mins late |
| Capitol Limited | 21 mins late |
| City of New Orleans | 22 mins late |
| Palmetto | 35 mins late |
| Carolinian | 36 mins late |
| Auto Train | 38 mins late |
| Silver Meteor | 48 mins late |
| Texas Eagle | 56 mins late |
| Silver Star | 58 mins late |
| Cardinal | 1 hour late |
| Coast Starlight | 1 hour late |
| Crescent | 1 hour, 6 mins late |
| Sunset Limited | 1 hour, 8 mins late |
| Empire Builder | 1 hour, 29 mins late |
| Southwest Chief | 1 hour, 50 mins late |
| California Zephyr | 3 hours, 16 mins late |
Year-to-Date Standings - Average Arrival When Late
Train
Avg arrival when late
Vermonter 30 mins late
Maple Leaf 30 mins late
Lake Shore Limited 38 mins late
Capitol Limited 50 mins late
Carolinian 54 mins late
Palmetto 54 mins late
Silver Meteor 1 hour, 13 mins late
Auto Train 1 hour, 27 mins late
Crescent 1 hour, 27 mins late
Silver Star 1 hour, 28 mins late
Cardinal 1 hour, 28 mins late
.Sunset Limited 1 hour, 40 mins late
City of New Orleans 1 hour, 41 mins late
Coast Starlight 1 hour, 45 mins late
Texas Eagle 1 hour, 46 mins late
Empire Builder 2 hours, 20 mins late
Southwest Chief 2 hours, 27 mins late
California Zephyr 3 hours, 32 mins late