Asheville – Salisbury
Connecting communities across North Carolina
Amtrak’s Vision: Asheville – Salisbury
This new corridor increases mobility options for western North Carolina to link with several large North Carolina cities as well as the Northeast via Southeast Corridor/Piedmont/Carolinian connections at Salisbury.
Station locations and routing are illustrative. Light blue lines denote proposed new corridors, dark blue lines denote existing Amtrak service, with the route discussed on this page highlighted in yellow.
Corridor Growth
Asheville has not had intercity passenger rail service since 1975. While central and eastern North Carolina are well connected via passenger rail, the route to Asheville would be western North Carolina’s first connection to the Amtrak network.
According to the United States Census Bureau , North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, with over 2.5 million people moving to the state since 2000. Asheville’s metropolitan statistical area population is nearly 500,000 residents , and according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Asheville has added over 40,000 jobs to its economy over the past two decades.
Additionally, the route would connect several colleges and universities throughout western North Carolina. These new rail connections for smaller cities would improve mobility for underserved communities and provide reliable and efficient transportation to education and employment opportunities along the corridor.
Proposed Stations
- Salisbury, NC
- Statesville, NC (NEW)
- Hickory, NC (NEW)
- Morganton, NC (NEW)
- Marion, NC (NEW)
- Old Fort, NC (NEW)
- Black Mountain, NC (NEW)
- Asheville, NC (NEW)
Environment and Transportation Equity
As the Asheville – Salisbury corridor continues to grow, residents and visitors demanding faster, more reliable, and more sustainable transportation alternatives. A 2020 report by TRIP , a national transportation research nonprofit, found the average Asheville driver spent nearly $1,300 a year in vehicle operating costs due to traffic congestion and road conditions. According to Texas A&M’s 2015 mobility study , the average Asheville driver spent 25 hours a year stuck in traffic.
In Salisbury, passengers would be able to connect to the Piedmont, Crescent, and Carolinian to access Charlotte, Raleigh, New York, Atlanta, and New Orleans. Along with other proposed corridors, Asheville residents could easily connect to trains throughout the southeast United States and the entire eastern seaboard. The proposed Amtrak corridor could help travelers save time and money while improving air quality and boosting economic development for cities along the proposed route.
Connections to Higher Education
An Asheville – Salisbury Amtrak service would create new connections between major metropolitan cities, medium-sized cities, and colleges and universities. Students, their families, faculty, and staff will be able to take advantage of frequent Amtrak service to avoid traffic between destinations and to enjoy greater productivity or relaxation while they travel.
Colleges and universities served by the Asheville – Salisbury corridor include:
- University of North Carolina – Asheville (Student Population: 3,600)
- Livingstone College (Student Population: 1,200)
- Catawba College (Student Population: 1,300)
