Plans to bring Amtrak through Nashville may curb city traffic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) continues to work with neighboring states on the potential of bringing Amtrak to Nashville, connecting high-speed passenger rail service to other major cities in Tennessee.

The effort began in 2019, and the vision is to connect a potential high-speed rail corridor from Atlanta to Louisville, via Chattanooga and Nashville.

TDOT is looking for a way to combat the rise in traffic through Nashville, which is expected to grow worse each year with the region’s growing population.

The plan is years in the making and several lawmakers are on board, but there is much work to be done still to make this a reality.

Amtrak began service in 1971, serving 43 states with a total of 21 routes. Its headquarters is in Washington D.C.

The Amtrak network encompasses approximately 49 routes in 46 states, Washington, D.C. and Canada. Amtrak serves more than 500 destinations, carrying nearly 30.2 million riders annually.

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