Amtrak's Long-Distance Train Performance
August 2023
Thirty-three percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their final destination on time or earlier in August 2023.
The average arrival of all long-distance trains in the survey period was one hour and three minutes late.
The average arrival of just those trains that were behind schedule was one hour and 34 minutes late.
YEAR-TO-DATE: 40 percent of long-distance trains arrived on time or earlier.
YEAR-TO-DATE: Average arrival of long-distance trains was 56 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 likely differ.
Average daily long-distance train performance in August 2023 was as follows:
Date
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Tuesday, August 1 38 %
50 mins late
1 hour, 20 mins late
Wednesday, August 2 42 %
1 hour, 6 mins late
1 hour, 58 mins late
Thursday, August 3 29 %
58 mins late
1 hour, 21 mins late
Friday, August 4 12 %
2 hours, 4 mins late
2 hours, 21 mins late
Saturday, August 5 24 %
1 hour, 16 mins late
1 hour, 40 mins late
Sunday, August 6 30 %
1 hour, 23 mins late
1 hour, 59 mins late
Monday, August 7 27 %
1 hour, 12 mins late
1 hour, 39 mins late
Tuesday, August 8 17 %
1 hour, 36 mins late
1 hour, 56 mins late
Wednesday, August 9 21 %
1 hour, 16 mins late
1 hour, 36 mins late
Thursday, August 10 34 %
43 mins late
1 hour, 6 mins late
Friday, August 11 35 %
1 hour, 17 mins late
1 hour, 58 mins late
Saturday, August 12 40 %
46 mins late
1 hour, 16 mins late
Sunday, August 13 37 %
57 mins late
1 hour, 31 mins late
Monday, August 14 37 %
58 mins late
1 hour, 37 mins late
Tuesday, August 15 15 %
1 hour, 22 mins late
1 hour, 36 mins late
Wednesday, August 16 24 %
1 hour, 10 mins late
1 hour, 33 mins late
Thursday, August 17 34 %
1 hour, 24 mins late
2 hours, 8 mins late
Friday, August 18 31 %
1 hour, 11 mins late
1 hour, 44 mins late
Saturday, August 19 48 %
47 mins late
1 hour, 30 mins late
Sunday, August 20 39 %
57 mins late
1 hour, 34 mins late
Monday, August 21 33 %
48 mins late
1 hour, 12 mins late
Tuesday, August 22 47 %
32 mins late
1 hour, 1 min late
Wednesday, August 23 30 %
44 mins late
1 hour, 3 mins late
Thursday, August 24 40 %
39 mins late
1 hour, 5 mins late
Friday, August 25 28 %
1 hour, 12 mins late
1 hour, 39 mins late
Saturday, August 26 35 %
34 mins late
53 mins late
Sunday, August 27 50 %
37 mins late
1 hour, 14 mins late
Monday, August 28 46 %
52 mins late
1 hour, 36 mins late
Tuesday, August 29 36 %
39 mins late
1 hour, 1 min late
Wednesday, August 30 19 %
1 hour, 9 mins late
1 hour, 24 mins late
Thursday, August 31 42 %
1 hour, 21 mins late
2 hours, 21 mins late
Average for month 33 %
1 hour, 3 mins late
1 hour, 34 mins late
Eight-year comparison for August . . .
8-year comparison
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
August 2016 33 %
48 mins late
1 hour, 12 mins late
August 2017 26 %
1 hour, 2 mins late
1 hour, 24 mins late
August 2018 21 %
1 hour, 26 mins late
1 hour, 50 mins late
August 2019 25 %
1 hour, 9 mins late
1 hour, 32 mins late
August 2020 54 %
35 mins late
1 hour, 17 mins late
August 2021 37 %
46 mins late
1 hour, 13 mins late
August 2022 26 %
1 hour, 14 mins late
1 hour, 39 mins late
August 2023 33 %
1 hour, 3 mins late
1 hour, 34 mins late
8--year average 32 %
1 hour late
1 hour, 28 mins late
August 2023 Train-by-Train Performance . . .
Train
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Auto Train 64 %
20 mins late
56 mins late
California Zephyr 5 %
3 hours, 32 mins late
3 hours, 43 mins late
Capitol Limited 43 %
45 mins late
1 hour, 20 mins late
Cardinal 38 %
1 hour, 11 mins late
1 hour, 53 mins late
Carolinian 29 %
41 mins late
58 mins late
City of New Orleans 79 %
17 mins late
1 hour, 22 mins late
Coast Starlight 40 %
47 mins late
1 hour, 18 mins late
Crescent 15 %
1 hour, 55 mins late
2 hours, 15 mins late
Empire Builder 47 %
46 mins late
1 hour, 26 mins late
Lake Shore Limited 27 %
54 mins late
1 hour, 14 mins late
Maple Leaf 21 %
23 mins late
30 mins late
Palmetto 25 %
35 mins late
48 mins late
Silver Meteor 33 %
50 mins late
1 hour, 14 mins late
Silver Star 41 %
35 mins late
59 mins late
Southwest Chief 17 %
1 hour, 34 mins late
1 hour, 53 mins late
Sunset Limited 9 %
2 hours, 44 mins late
3 hours late
Texas Eagle 30 %
1 hour, 14 mins late
1 hour, 45 mins late
Vermonter 7 %
1 hour, 16 mins late
1 hour, 22 mins late
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