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Amtrak Long-Distance Trains

Performance for week ending May 31, 2026

Forty (40) percent of Amtrak's named long-distance trains arrived at their scheduled final destination on time or earlier in the week ending May 31, 2026... The remaining trains, on average, arrived one hour and 35 minutes late.

Ninety-one percent of surveyed trains this week operated their full origin-to-destination run. The other trains were truncated or annulled and are not included in this week's data.

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This Week's Performance of Individual Trains . . . .

Auto Train .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 43 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 9 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 2 hours late .

California Zephyr .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 71 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 37 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 2 hours, 9 mins late .

Cardinal (2 of 6 rnns annulled)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 25 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 14 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 38 mins late .

Carolinian (2 of 14 runs truncated)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 25 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 14 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 19 mins late .

City of New Orleans (4 of 14 runs truncated or annulled)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 70 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 9 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 30 mins late .

Coast Starlight ,

• On-time arrival at final destination: 43 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 23 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 40 mins late .

Crescent .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 36 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 50 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 17 mins late .

Empire Builder (1 of 21 runs truncated)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 35 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 22 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 2 hours, 6 mins late .

Floridian (1 of 14 runs truncated)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 8 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 3 hours, 3 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 3 hours, 18 mins late .

Lake Shore Limited (2 of 21 runs truncated)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 68 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 26 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 22 mins late .

Maple Leaf (2 of 14 runs truncated)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 8 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 36 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 39 mins late .

Palmetto (2 of 14 runs annulled)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 42 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 8 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 14 mins late .

Silver Meteor .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 21 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 37 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 2 hours, 3 mins late .

Southwest Chief .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 36 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 8 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 46 mins late .

Sunset Limited .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 33 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 2 hours, 8 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 3 hours, 12 mins late .

Texas Eagle .

• On-time arrival at final destination: 43 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 1 hour, 10 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 2 hours, 2 mins late .

Vermonter (5 of 14 runs truncated)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 56 %. . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 13 mins late . . .(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 29 mins late .

 

COMPOSITE - (Long-DistanceTrains, Week Ending May 31, 2026)

• On-time arrival at final destination: 40 % . . . . . . . . . (avg year-to-date = 47 %). . . . . . . . . . . . . . (
• Average arrival, all trains: 57 mins late . . . . . . . . . . . (avg year-to-date = 39 mins late). .. . . . .. . , , , ,(
• Average arrival, trains arriving late: 1 hour, 35 mins late . . (avg year-to-date = 1 hour, 14 mins late).

_ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

Daily performance	Pct on-time arrival	Overall avg arrival	Avg arrival if late
Memorial Day	48 %	1 hour, 28 mins late	2 hours, 51 mins late
Tuesday, May 26	44 %	37 mins late	1 hour, 6 mins late
Wednesday, May 27	21 %	1 hour, 36 mins late	2 hours, 1 min late
Thursday, May 28	47 %	30 mins late	56 mins late
Friday, May 29	45 %	52 mins late	1 hour, 34 mins late
Saturday, May 30	33 %	1 hour, 15 mins late	1 hour, 52 mins late
Sunday, May 31	42 %	22 mins late	38 mins late

 

MULTI-WEEK PERFORMANCE:

Week ending . . .	Pct on-time arrival	Overall avg arrival	Avg arrival if late
June 1, 2025	44 %	41 mins late	1 hour, 14 mins late
June 8, 2025	42 %	48 mins late	1 hour, 23 mins late
June 15, 2025	34 %	54 mins late	1 hour, 22 mins late
June 22, 2025	26 %	1 hour, 8 mins late	1 hour, 31 mins late
June 29, 2025	26 %	1 hour, 21 mins late	1 hour, 50 mins late
July 6, 2025	35 %	1 hour, 1 min late	1 hour, 33 mins late
July 13, 2025	24 %	1 hour, 33 mins late	2 hours, 1 min late
July 20, 2025	29 %	1 hour, 15 mins late	1 hour, 45 mins late
July 27, 2025	30 %	1 hour, 10 mins late	1 hour, 40 mins late
August 3, 2025	30 %	1 hour, 1 min late	1 hour, 27 mins late
August 10, 2025	33 %	1 hour, 18 mina late	1 hour, 57 mins late
August 17, 2025	34 %	57 mina late	1 hour, 27 mins late
August 24, 2025	33 %	1 hour, 1 min late	1 hour, 30 mins late
August 31, 2025	48 %	44 mins late	1 hour, 24 mins late
September 7, 2025	49 %	37 mins late	1 hour, 12 mins late
September 14, 2025	52 %	36 mins late	1 hour, 15 mins late
September 21, 2025	50 %	38 mins late	1 hour, 17 mins late
September 28, 2025	46 %	30 mins late	57 mins late
October 5, 2025	56 %	30 mins late	1 hour, 7 mins late
October 12, 2025	50 %	33 mins late	1 hour, 5 mins late
October 19, 2025	52 %	32 mins late	1 hour, 6 mins late
October 26, 2025	56 %	24 mins late	54 mins late
November 2, 2025	58 %	23 mins late	56 mins late
November 9, 2025	52 %	27 mins late	57 mins late
November 16, 2025	54 %	34 mins late	1 hour, 14 mins late
November 23, 2025	52 %	22 mins late	46 mins late
November 30, 2025	53 %	25 mins late	52 mins late
December 7, 2025	45 %	42 mins late	1 hour, 15 mins late
December 14, 2025	52 %	28 mins late	58 mins late
December 21, 2025	41 %	56 mins late	1 hour, 35 mins late
December 28, 2025	60 %	19 mins late	49 mins late
January 4, 2026	53 %	31 mins late	1 hour, 8 mins late
January 11, 2026	62 %	17 mins late	45 mins late
January 18, 2026	61 %	25 mins late	1 hour, 3 mins late
January 25, 2026	44 %	58 mins late	1 hour, 43 mins late
February 1, 2026	41 %	53 mins late	1 hour, 30 mins late
February 8, 2026	47 %	45 mins late	1 hour, 25 mins late
February 15, 2026	50 %	36 mins late	1 hour, 13 mins late
February 22, 2026	50 %	48 mins late	1 hour, 36 mins late
March 1, 2026	45 %	44 mins late	1 hour, 20 mins late
March 8, 2026	49 %	32 mins late	1 hour, 2 mins late
March 15, 2026	38 %	58 mins late	1 hour, 33 mins late
March 22, 2026	46 %	41 mins late	1 hour, 16 mins late
March 29, 2026	53 %	40 mins late	1 hour, 23 mins late
April 5, 2026	52 %	30 mins late	1 hour, 3 mins late
April 12, 2026	51 %	29 mins late	59 mins late
April 19, 2026	42 %	33 mins late	56 mins late
April 26, 2026	50 %	26 mins late	52 mins late
May 3, 2026	45 %	32 mins late	59 mins late
May 10, 2026	37 %	41 mins late	1 hour, 5 mins late
May 17, 2026	40 %	43 mins late	1 hour, 13 mins late
May 24, 2026	32 %	1 hour, 6 mins late	1 hour, 37 mins late
May 31, 2026	40 %	57 mins late	1 hour, 35 mins late

2026 Year-to-Date Standings - Percentage On-Time Arrival

Train	Pct on time arrival
California Zephyr	68 %
Sunset Limited	68 %
City of New Orleans	67 %
Texas Eagle	63 %
Coast Starlight	59 %
Crescent	55 %
Lake Shore Limited	52 %
Auto Train	50 %
Palmetto	49 %
Silver Meteor	48 %
Empire Builder	47 %
Vermonter	39 %
Carolinian	36 %
.Cardinal	29 %
Southwest Chief	27 %
Maple Leaf	21 %
Floridian	20 %

2026 Year-to-Date Standings - Overall Average Arrival

Train	Overall Average Arrival
Vermonter	12 mins late
City of New Orleans	20 mins late
Palmetto	20 mins late
Carolinian	23 mins late
Crescent	26 mins late
Maple Leaf	28 mins late
Lake Shore Limited	31 mins late
Coast Starlight	33 mins late
Silver Meteor	35 mins late
California Zephyr	38 mins late
Sunset Limited	38 mins late
Texas Eagle	38 mins late
Auto Train	38 mins late
Empire Builder	58 mins late
Cardinal	1 hour late
Southwest Chief	1 hour, 24 mins late
Floridian	1 hour, 37 mins late

2026 Year-to-Date Standings - Average Arrival When Late

Train	Average Arrival When Late
Vermonter	20 mins late
Carolinian	36 mins late
Maple Leaf	36 mins late
Palmetto	39 mins late
Crescent	58 mins late
City of New Orleans	1 hour, 1 min late
Lake Shore Limited	1 hour, 5 mins late
Silver Meteor	1 hour, 8 mins late
Auto Train	1 hour, 16 mins late
Coast Starlight	1 hour, 21 mins late
Cardinal	1 hour, 24 mins late
Texas Eagle	1 hour, 41 mins late
Empire Builder	1 hour, 51 mins late
Southwest Chief	1 hour, 56 mins late
California Zephyr	1 hour, 58 mins late
Sunset Limited	1 hour, 58 mins late
Floridian	2 hours, 2 mins late

 

ABOUT THESE REPORTS:

This is strictly a 'statistical study.' It harmonizes actual performance into an average, and is intended to evaluate operation of the respective trains over their particular route over a specified period. The performance of each train on a specific run is a single statistic within itself. Always consider traveling by Amtrak as an adventure! . . . (Anything can happen!)

The Bull Sheet calculates arrival performance at final destination of Amtrak's named long-distance trains. The data are based upon the reported arrival times of each of the affected trains, and there is no grace allowance for minimal lateness. If a train arrives at its final terminal behind schedule, even by a minute, it is considered 'late.' The Bull Sheet considers that long-distance trains have sufficient padding in their schedule to offset typical en route delays, and it is not necessary to apply a grace allowance on top of that padding to bolster the presumption of on-time reporting. Accordingly, these reports offer a more realistic analysis than what is routinely reported by Amtrak.

No consideration is given to the impact of late departures from originating points impacting subsequent late arrivals at destination, and not for any time advanced during that run following late origination. Again, calculations refer solely to arrival at final terminal.

Data apply only to final destination, not to intermediate stops. Moreover, it does not identify specific causes for delay, or to apply responsibility to any of the host carriers involved en route.

Trains that are truncated, annulled, originated or terminated at an intermediate station, or reported with incomplete or ambiguous data are excluded from the survey.

 

 

 

 

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