Rail for All:  Equitable, Sustainable Travel

Building an Efficient Passenger Rail Network in Alberta

 

Arpan Goyal, ASU

Integrated Travel

June 2025

 

America’s intercity passenger rail system is falling behind: economically, socially, and environmentally. Unlike the highway and aviation networks, which have thrived due to dedicated public funding and centralized oversight, U.S. passenger rail remains skeletal and fragmented. Outside the Northeast Corridor (NEC), many regions receive infrequent or no rail service, leaving Americans with few practical alternatives to driving or flying, even for short-to-medium distances. This lack of connectivity worsens transportation inequity, weakens rural economies, and increases dependence on high-emission modes of travel [1]