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Amtrak suspends Va. routes as Presidential Inauguration approaches

There will be no Northeast Regional service south of Washington running on Jan. 19- 20.

RICHMOND, Va. — Amtrak announced on Saturday that there will be some temporary route changes on the day of the Presidential Inauguration, due to the safety concerns of President-elect Joe Biden.

It said there will be no Northeast Regional service south of Washington running on Tuesday, Jan. 19, and Wednesday, Jan. 20. This includes all VA stations. 

Additionally, the Carolinian that runs between Raleigh and Charlotte will not be operating. Amtrak said it will continue operating as scheduled, with the exception of Tuesday and Wednesday.  

The Amtrak Auto Train Service will not be affected during this shift.

"After last week’s violent attack on the U.S. Capitol,  we are taking extra steps to continue ensuring the safety of our employees and customers in Washington DC and across our network as we prepare for the Inauguration. In addition to limiting ticket sales and requiring masks to be worn at all times, we are increasing our police enforcement to ensure strong compliance, remove non-complying customers and ban those that don’t follow our policies," Amtrak said in a statement.

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There will be limited pedestrian and vehicle traffic patterns around Washington Union Station on Inauguration Day, which will require more time to get to the station.

Once passengers arrive at the station, they will not be able to access any taxi or ride-share services, and the Metro will have limited service (no service at Union Station).

Passengers will be able to catch a ride from the Metro station at NOMA/Gallaudet, which is just near Union Station.

Amtrak said it will be contacting all of the customers who were affected by the change, to help with their adjusted travel plans.

For more information on schedule updates and reservations, please visit the Amtrak website or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

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