NC: Chantal flooding severs Raleigh-Greensboro Amtrak service. When it will return.

Flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal washed out several sections of the state’s main east-west rail line between Durham and Burlington on Sunday, halting passenger and freight service between the Triangle and Triad.

By Richard Stradling

Source The Charlotte Observer (TNS)

July 9, 2025

2 min read

Norfolk Southern, which maintains the tracks, says it hopes to complete repairs by midday Wednesday.

In the meantime, Amtrak is not operating passenger trains between Raleigh and Greensboro. Amtrak, with support from the N.C. Department of Transportation, normally runs 10 trains a day between Raleigh and Charlotte, serving the state’s three largest metro areas.

On Tuesday, all eight Piedmont trains will operate only between Greensboro and Charlotte. Buses will be available to take passengers between Raleigh and Greensboro and the stops in between.

Meanwhile, the Carolinian that normally runs once a day between Charlotte and New York City will begin and end in Raleigh on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Passengers arriving in Raleigh on the evening train from the Northeast will be able to take buses to their final destination.

Amtrak says the two southbound Piedmont trains won’t operate between Raleigh and Greensboro on Wednesday morning.

But Amtrak and NCDOT expect to resume Piedmont service later Wednesday, with the evening Carolinian finishing its route to Charlotte.

Amtrak says it will waive change or cancellation fees for passengers affected by Chantal. It encourages people to use the Amtrak app or its website to get the latest status of their trains.