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Amtrak Long-Distance Trains

Performance for August 2026

Thirty (30) percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in August 2026... The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 46 minutes late.

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This Month's Performance of Individual Trains . . . .

Auto Train .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 61 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 25 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 4 mins late .

California Zephyr .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 18 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 2 hours, 3 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 2 hours, 29 mins late .

Cardinal .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 22 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 33 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 59 mins late .

Carolinian .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 36 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 24 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 38 mins late .

City of New Orleans .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 12 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 2 hours, 15 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 2 hours, 33 mins late .

Coast Starlight .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 51 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 30 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 3 mins late .

Crescent .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 53 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 20 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 42 mins late .

Empire Builder .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 32 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 15 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 50 mins late .

Floridian

• On-time arrival at final destination: 15 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 3 hours, 19 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 3 hours, 54 mins late .

Lake Shore Limited .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 42 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 32 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 56 mins late .

Maple Leaf .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 8 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 41 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 44 mins late .

Palmetto .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 35 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 23 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 36 mins late .

Silver Meteor .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 21 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 9 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 27 mins late .

Southwest Chief .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 18 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 59 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 2 hours, 25 mins late .

Sunset Limited .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 17 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 2 hours, 45 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 3 hours, 18 mins late .

Texas Eagle .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 32 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 2 hours, 17 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 3 hours, 22 mins late .

Vermonter .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 28 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 24 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 33 mins late .

 

COMPOSITE - (Long-DistanceTrains, August 2026)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 30 % . . . . . . Avg year-to-date = 40 %. . . . . . . . . . . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 14 mins late . . . . . . . Avg year-to-date = 52 mins late. . . . .. . , , , ,(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 46 mins late . . Avg year-to-date = 1 hour, 27 mins late

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Ten-year comparison for August . . .

10-year comparison	Pct on-time arrival	Overall avg arrival	Ave arrival if 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
August 2024	38 %	51 mins late	1 hour, 22 mins late
August 2025	36 %	1 hour, 1 min late	1 hour, 35 mins late
August 2026	30 %	1 hour, 14 mins late	1 hour, 46 mins late
10-year August average	33 %	1 hour, 2 mins late	1 hour, 31 mins late

 

ABOUT THESE REPORTS:

The Bull Sheet calculates arrival performance at final destination of Amtrak's named long-distance trains. The data are based upon the reported arrival times of each of the affected trains, and there is no grace allowance for minimal lateness. If a train arrives at its final terminal behind schedule, even by a minute, it is considered 'late.' The Bull Sheet considers that long-distance Amtrak trains have sufficient padding in their schedule to offset typical en route delays, and it is not necessary to adopt a grace allowance on top of that padding to bolster on-time reporting. Accordingly, these reports offer a more realistic analysis than what is typically reported by Amtrak. Moreover, no consideration is given to the impact of late departures from originating points impacting subsequent late arrivals at destination, or for any time advanced during that run. Again, calculations refer solely to arrival at final terminal.

Data apply only to final destination, not to intermediate stops. Moreover, it does not identify causes for delay, or statistically apply responsibility to any of the host carriers involved en route.

Trains that are truncated, annulled, originated or terminated en route, or reported with incomplete or ambiguous data are excluded from the survey.

 

 

 

 

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