On October 30, 2025, Amtrak predicted that Thanksgiving travel on its trains would set a record, citing double-digit growth in early bookings compared with the previous year. That was a forecast—not confirmation that a record was ultimately set. Amtrak did not disclose an exact booking-growth percentage or a final 2025 Thanksgiving passenger count in the announcement.
What Amtrak forecast for Thanksgiving 2025
Amtrak described the outlook as “record breaking 2025 Thanksgiving travel” in its October 30 announcement. The company said early bookings were up by double digits year over year, but did not give a percentage, booking count, or methodology. The announcement therefore signals stronger early demand without establishing how many people eventually traveled.
For context, Amtrak said more than 1.2 million people traveled on its trains during the previous Thanksgiving season. That is a rounded threshold for the prior season, not an exact count or the result for 2025. Read the October 30 announcement.
What extra service Amtrak announced
To respond to expected demand, Amtrak said it would add extra cars to Northeast Regional trains from November 25 through November 30, 2025. It also announced expanded service at Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston. These measures applied to the service and locations named in the announcement; they should not be read as a systemwide increase across every Amtrak route.
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What the forecast means for ticket planning
Amtrak urged customers to reserve tickets early, saying high demand could mean fares rise and guaranteed seats sell out. That is a practical caution from the company, not a published estimate of how much fares would change or a guarantee that every train or fare would sell out. Check the particular route, departure, and fare available when booking.
Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch called the train a “comfortable, convenient alternative to congested highways and crowded airports all year round – especially during the busy holiday season.” That is Amtrak’s promotional description, not an independently established comparison of travel times, prices, or convenience.
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How company-wide FY25 results differ from holiday ridership
Amtrak reported 34.5 million customer trips in fiscal year 2025, up 5.1% from FY24, and $2.7 billion in adjusted ticket revenue, up 10.4% year over year. FY25 ran from October 2024 through September 2025. Those figures describe company-wide annual performance; they are not Thanksgiving-specific totals and do not verify the holiday forecast. See Amtrak’s FY25 results release.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was a 2025 Thanksgiving record ultimately confirmed?
The October 30 release establishes what Amtrak predicted and what it planned for certain Northeast services. It does not establish the final 2025 Thanksgiving passenger count or show that the predicted record occurred. The early-booking claim remains qualitative in that release because Amtrak did not publish an exact percentage or a Thanksgiving-specific measurement method.
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