Will Trains Be Affected By The Federal Government Shutdown?

On October 1, 2025, the United States federal government has shut down, after Congress failed to approve a funding measure. And while the shutdown could have potential impacts for travelers and the tourism industry as a whole — from longer lines at the airport to potential national park closures — those with upcoming plans for train travel in the short term won't be impacted by the shutdown. Operations will continue as normal at Amtrak, which runs across 500 stations in 46 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C., and three Canadian provinces. In 2024 alone, over 32 million people traveled on the national railway system — evidence that Americans agree trains are the best public transportation.

Amtrak does receive public funding — the corporation was chartered by Congress and the U.S. government is its controlling shareholder. However, it functions as an independent, for-profit organization, generating its own revenue. For that reason, it has enough available funds to keep trains operating and employees paid for the time being, the Rail Passengers Association said in a statement on September 25 ahead of the shutdown. However, this doesn't mean there are no potential consequences in the long term.

Continuing operations could become an issue depending on how long the government shutdown lasts. Despite having a financial cushion, not enough funds are available to keep the agency afloat indefinitely. But luckily, based on previous shutdowns, it's unlikely that the current situation will last long enough to impact rail travel on Amtrak. The most recent shutdown in December, 2018, lasted for 34 days — the longest shutdown of the 20 that have occurred since 1976. The same could be said for other transit systems across the country, which have some available funds to keep operations intact in the short term. 

For travelers wondering why America has not invested in bullet trains or other necessary rail improvements — this is one area where the shutdown could have immediate consequences. Rail infrastructure operations will stall in the U.S. Department of Transportation, which could mean federal funds required for construction and other infrastructure improvements are delayed. But in the meantime, travelers planning an upcoming dreamy train ride hugging the California coast or the multi-state train ride known as 'America's greatest journey' can be certain that their trips will go on as planned.