Amtrak's Long-Distance Train Performance
October 2023
Fifty percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their final destination on time or earlier in October 2023.
The average arrival of all long-distance trains in the survey period was 39 minutes late.
The average arrival of just those trains that were behind schedule was one hour and 18 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 53 minutes late.
YEAR-TO-DATE: Average arrival of those trains arriving behind schedule was one hour and 30 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 October 2023 was as follows:
Date
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Sunday, October 1 43 %
1 hour, 21 mins late
2 hours, 22 mins late
Monday, October 2 42 %
1 hour, 1 min late
1 hour, 45 mins late
Tuesday, October 3 71 %
42 mins late
2 hours, 26 mins late
Wednesday, October 4 50 %
33 mins late
1 hour, 5 mins late
Thursday, October 5 65 %
15 mins late
43 mins late
Friday, October 6 49 %
41 mins late
1 hour, 19 mins late
Saturday, October 7 46 %
33 mins late
1 hour, 1 min late
Sunday, October 8 61 %
16 mins late
42 mins late
Monday, October 9 68 %
14 mins late
42 mins late
Tuesday, October 10 55 %
24 mins late
54 mins late
Wednesday, October 11 44 %
25 mins late
45 mins late
Thursday, October 12 31 %
36 mins late
53 mins late
Friday, October 13 51 %
18 mins late
38 mins late
Saturday, October 14 65 %
2 hours, 12 mins late
6 hours, 14 mins late
Sunday, October 15 43 %
43 mins late
1 hour, 16 mins late
Monday, October 16 39 %
39 mins late
1 hour, 4 mins late
Tuesday, October 17 45 %
29 mins late
52 mins late
Wednesday, October 18 44 %
29 mins late
52 mins late
Thursday, October 19 46 %
31 mins late
57 mins late
Friday, October 20 38 %
56 mins late
1 hour, 30 mins late
Saturday, October 21 64 %
28 mins late
1 hour, 17 mins late
Sunday, October 22 55 %
36 mins late
1 hour, 20 mins late
Monday, October 23 53 %
25 mins late
53 mins late
Tuesday, October 24 46 %
41 mins late
1 hour, 16 mins late
Wednesday, October 25 53 %
25 mins late
52 mins late
Thursday, October 26 46 %
1 hour, 17 mins late
2 hours, 22 mins late
Friday, October 27 46 %
43 mins late
1 hour, 19 mins late
Saturday, October 28 37 %
49 mins late
1 hour, 19 mins late
Sunday, October 29 50 %
32 mins late
1 hour, 3 mins late
.Monday, October 30 42 %
35 mins late
1 hour, 1 min late
Tuesday, October 31 63 %
25 mins late
1 hour, 8 mins late
Average for month 50 %
39 mins late
1 hour, 18 mins late
Eight-year comparison for October . . .
8-year comparison
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
October 2016 38 %
44 mins late
1 hour, 12 mins late
October 2017 31 %
55 mins late
1 hour, 20 mins late
October 2018 34 %
49 mins late
1 hour, 15 mins late
October 2019 32 %
53 mins late
1 hour, 17 mins late
October 2020 55 %
30 mins late
1 hour, 6 mins late
October 2021 39 %
52 mins late
1 hour, 24 mins late
October 2022 35 %
51 mins late
1 hour, 18 mins late
October 2023 50 %
39 mins late
1 hour, 18 mins late
8--year average 39 %
47 mins late
1 hour, 16 mins late
October 2023 Train-by-Train Performance . . .
Train
Pct on-time arrival
Overall avg arrival
Avg arrival if late
Auto Train 79 %
8 mins late
37 mins late
California Zephyr 43 %
1 hour, 34 mins late
2 hours, 45 mins late
Capitol Limited 65 %
11 mins late
31 mins late
Cardinal 27 %
32 mins late
44 mins late
Carolinian 40 %
31 mins late
51 mins late
City of New Orleans 86 %
14 mins late
1 hour, 43 mins late
Coast Starlight 66 %
22 mins late
1 hour, 5 mins late
Crescent 55 %
41 mins late
1 hour, 31 mins late
Empire Builder 41 %
1 hour, 55 mins late
3 hours, 14 mins late
Lake Shore Limited 56 %
12 mins late
27 mins late
Maple Leaf 31 %
21 mins late
30 mins late
Palmetto 60 %
19 mins late
48 mins late
Silver Meteor 52 %
37 mins late
1 hour, 17 mins late
Silver Star 47 %
54 mins late
1 hour, 42 mins late
Southwest Chief 21 %
1 hour, 12 mins late
1 hour, 31 mins late
Sunset Limited 74 %
14 mins late
53 mins late
Texas Eagle 45 %
25 mins late
46 mins late
Vermonter 11 %
43 mins late
49 mins late
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