Nebraska rail travel follows national trend

“If there’s a one-train-a-day frequency, as we have across Nebraska, then it’s not a lot of opportunity to put a lot of discounted seats out there, because the trains themselves are so full.,” he said. “Our revenue is also up.”

The Biden Administration prioritized funding for rail infrastructure. A new generation of rail cars recently began rolling out onto tracks, but mostly on the high-traffic eastern commuter routes.

Mathews said rail passengers report frustration with “basic kinds of things like lights or power, the plug for your phone” that are “really getting long in the tooth.”

“Particularly on the long-distance trains like the Zephyr, people are annoyed, (and) they want to see newer equipment,” he said.

A survey released earlier this month by the Passenger Rail Association showed that ticket price remains the most important consideration for travelers, but cost must be balanced with comfort and on-time service.

No one, according to Magliari, should expect the government-run train service to be a high-end luxury travel option.

“Our job at Amtrak is to run an efficient system, to run a safe system, and to run a comfortable system,” he said. That’s why, when people come to me about luxury travel, that’s not the business we’re in. We’re in the business of safe and comfortable travel.”