Mode detail
Commuter Rail
Commuter rail: longer-distance passenger trains, usually sharing track with freight, built around the peak.
Boardings
Nationwide, annual
Operating cost
As reported and in 2024 dollars
Largest Commuter Rail operators, FY2024
| # | Agency | Service | Boardings | Operating cost | Cost / ride | Subsidy / ride | Fare recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
MTA Long Island Rail Road
New York, NY
|
Directly operated | 97,220,517 | $2,212,613,620 | $22.76 | $16.08 | 29.4% |
| 2 |
MTA Metro-North Railroad
New York, NY
|
Directly operated | 74,064,075 | $1,705,088,620 | $23.02 | $14.57 | 36.7% |
| 3 |
New Jersey Transit Corporation
Newark, NJ
|
Directly operated | 60,447,079 | $1,377,933,850 | $22.80 | $16.03 | 29.7% |
| 4 |
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Boston, MA
|
Purchased transportation | 29,186,010 | $569,535,378 | $19.51 | $14.96 | 23.4% |
| 5 |
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Philadelphia, PA
|
Directly operated | 22,480,414 | $331,401,351 | $14.74 | $10.91 | 26% |
| 6 |
Chicago Metra
Chicago, IL
|
Purchased transportation | 20,554,453 | $392,086,455 | $19.08 | $14.27 | 25.2% |
| 7 |
Chicago Metra
Chicago, IL
|
Directly operated | 14,497,490 | $596,631,831 | $41.15 | $36.66 | 10.9% |
| 8 |
San Carlos Caltrain
San Carlos, CA
|
Purchased transportation | 7,405,005 | $192,737,616 | $26.03 | $19.69 | 24.3% |
| 9 |
RTD-Denver
Denver, CO
|
Purchased transportation | 7,120,994 | $101,267,552 | $14.22 | $11.94 | 16% |
| 10 |
Los Angeles Metrolink
Los Angeles, CA
|
Purchased transportation | 4,321,271 | $309,214,108 | $71.56 | $63.27 | 11.6% |
| 11 |
Tri-Rail
Pompano Beach, FL
|
Purchased transportation | 4,299,794 | $126,224,376 | $29.36 | $25.95 | 11.6% |
| 12 |
Utah Transit Authority
Salt Lake City, UT
|
Directly operated | 4,128,460 | $53,592,936 | $12.98 | $11.84 | 8.8% |
| 13 |
Baltimore MTA
Baltimore, MD
|
Purchased transportation | 3,836,552 | $189,183,524 | $49.31 | $43.22 | 12.3% |
| 14 |
Sound Transit
Seattle, WA
|
Purchased transportation | 1,916,429 | $91,631,344 | $47.81 | $44.45 | 7% |
| 15 |
South Shore Line
Chesterton, IN
|
Directly operated | 1,771,513 | $64,998,341 | $36.69 | $30.18 | 17.7% |
| 16 |
Virginia Railway Express
Woodbridge, VA
|
Purchased transportation | 1,589,693 | $106,046,462 | $66.71 | $56.81 | 14.8% |
| 17 |
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Dallas, TX
|
Purchased transportation | 1,270,112 | $47,541,682 | $37.43 | $34.47 | 7.9% |
| 18 |
RTD-Denver
Denver, CO
|
Directly operated | 1,210,384 | $35,587,342 | $29.40 | $28.61 | 2.7% |
| 19 |
Tallahassee SunRail
Tallahassee, FL
|
Purchased transportation | 1,136,319 | $76,712,797 | $67.51 | $65.65 | 2.8% |
| 20 |
North County Transit District
Oceanside, CA
|
Directly operated | 852,993 | $37,880,552 | $44.41 | $40.36 | 9.1% |
| 21 |
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District
Petaluma, CA
|
Directly operated | 850,270 | $35,581,765 | $41.85 | $39.27 | 6.2% |
| 22 |
Trinity Metro
Fort Worth, TX
|
Purchased transportation | 779,769 | $38,270,138 | $49.08 | $46.91 | 4.4% |
| 23 |
Altamont Corridor Express
Stockton, CA
|
Purchased transportation | 681,351 | $38,706,812 | $56.81 | $48.82 | 14.1% |
| 24 |
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Harrisburg, PA
|
Purchased transportation | 634,804 | $29,160,229 | $45.94 | $5.43 | 88.2% |
| 25 |
Amtrak Downeaster
Portland, ME
|
Purchased transportation | 598,426 | $26,808,053 | $44.80 | $22.99 | 48.7% |