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, FY2025
| # | Agency | Service | Boardings | Operating cost | Cost / ride | Subsidy / ride | Fare recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
MTA Long Island Rail Road
New York, NY
|
Directly operated | 102,199,645 | $2,259,204,034 | $22.11 | $15.30 | 30.8% |
| 2 |
MTA Metro-North Railroad
New York, NY
|
Directly operated | 78,165,372 | $1,688,270,952 | $21.60 | $13.10 | 39.3% |
| 3 |
New Jersey Transit Corporation
Newark, NJ
|
Directly operated | 60,737,675 | $1,490,732,614 | $24.54 | $16.57 | 32.5% |
| 4 |
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
Boston, MA
|
Purchased transportation | 30,186,711 | $627,621,444 | $20.79 | $15.98 | 23.1% |
| 5 |
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Philadelphia, PA
|
Directly operated | 26,066,728 | $368,187,311 | $14.12 | $10.18 | 27.9% |
| 6 |
Chicago Metra
Chicago, IL
|
Directly operated | 25,344,941 | $794,364,504 | $31.34 | $27.00 | 13.8% |
| 7 |
Chicago Metra
Chicago, IL
|
Purchased transportation | 12,703,561 | $232,008,069 | $18.26 | $13.11 | 28.2% |
| 8 |
San Carlos Caltrain
San Carlos, CA
|
Purchased transportation | 11,011,874 | $218,839,778 | $19.87 | $14.54 | 26.8% |
| 9 |
RTD-Denver
Denver, CO
|
Purchased transportation | 7,396,215 | $179,473,699 | $24.27 | $22.07 | 9% |
| 10 |
Los Angeles Metrolink
Los Angeles, CA
|
Purchased transportation | 5,669,018 | $333,258,999 | $58.79 | $51.81 | 11.9% |
| 11 |
Baltimore MTA
Baltimore, MD
|
Purchased transportation | 4,738,217 | $201,256,875 | $42.48 | $36.74 | 13.5% |
| 12 |
Tri-Rail
Pompano Beach, FL
|
Purchased transportation | 4,584,007 | $134,822,926 | $29.41 | $26.18 | 11% |
| 13 |
Utah Transit Authority
Salt Lake City, UT
|
Directly operated | 4,146,976 | $53,891,869 | $13.00 | $11.92 | 8.3% |
| 14 |
South Shore Line
Chesterton, IN
|
Directly operated | 2,030,155 | $65,820,911 | $32.42 | $25.05 | 22.8% |
| 15 |
Sound Transit
Seattle, WA
|
Purchased transportation | 2,029,247 | $93,142,336 | $45.90 | $42.51 | 7.4% |
| 16 |
Virginia Railway Express
Woodbridge, VA
|
Purchased transportation | 1,987,202 | $97,883,011 | $49.26 | $39.91 | 19% |
| 17 |
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Dallas, TX
|
Purchased transportation | 1,314,238 | $48,991,368 | $37.28 | $34.27 | 8.1% |
| 18 |
Tallahassee SunRail
Tallahassee, FL
|
Purchased transportation | 1,285,534 | $74,422,799 | $57.89 | $56.24 | 2.9% |
| 19 |
RTD-Denver
Denver, CO
|
Directly operated | 1,248,476 | $33,459,620 | $26.80 | $26.04 | 2.8% |
| 20 |
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District
Petaluma, CA
|
Directly operated | 1,123,686 | $37,453,652 | $33.33 | $31.27 | 6.2% |
| 21 |
North County Transit District
Oceanside, CA
|
Directly operated | 927,557 | $39,715,756 | $42.82 | $38.12 | 11% |
| 22 |
Trinity Metro
Fort Worth, TX
|
Purchased transportation | 872,329 | $54,220,314 | $62.16 | $59.97 | 3.5% |
| 23 |
Altamont Corridor Express
Stockton, CA
|
Purchased transportation | 846,662 | $47,123,858 | $55.66 | $47.65 | 14.4% |
| 24 |
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Harrisburg, PA
|
Purchased transportation | 648,538 | $31,531,648 | $48.62 | $5.27 | 89.2% |
| 25 |
Rio Metro Regional Transit District
Albuquerque, NM
|
Purchased transportation | 605,643 | $50,370,480 | $83.17 | $81.02 | 2.6% |