Dec 10, 2019

Fewer Kansans use Amtrak in 2019

Posted Dec 10, 2019 11:09 PM
Amtrak's Southwest Chief makes a late stop in Hutchinson. Ridership aboard the Chief in Kansas fell by more than 3,000 passengers in 2019. 4,059 passengers boarded or detrained from the Chief in Hutchinson this year.
Amtrak's Southwest Chief makes a late stop in Hutchinson. Ridership aboard the Chief in Kansas fell by more than 3,000 passengers in 2019. 4,059 passengers boarded or detrained from the Chief in Hutchinson this year.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Although ridership aboard Amtrak's Southwest Chief increased by about 1% in 2019, the number of riders in Kansas fell when compared to 2018.

According to numbers released Tuesday by Amtrak, there were 46,482 boardings or detrainings in Kansas for the Chief compared with 49,447 in 2018.

Only two of the six stops in Kansas saw an increase in passenger activity, Dodge City and Lawrence. Newton was once again the busiest station. The station saw 13,764 passengers compared with 15,219 in 2018. Hutchinson was the least-used station in Kansas with just 4,059 passengers coming or going compared with 4,415 the previous year.

Some of the drop off may be attributed to the fires in New Mexico over the summer, which limited some of the Boy Scout camping activity at Philmont Scout Ranch near Raton. Most of those scout groups travel to New Mexico on the Chief.