All aboard the future: New River Valley breaks ground on passenger rail

Linda Hazelwood

2 May 2025

President Tim Sands with other officials wearing white hard hats and bright safety vests line up in front of a dump truck, each holding a gold shovel with fresh dirt for the ceremonial groundbreaking. — Virginia Tech President Tim Sands (at far left) joined regional and state officials to mark the start of construction for the long-anticipated return of passenger rail service to the region. Photo by Linda Hazelwood for Virginia Tech.

Cheers and the sound of ceremonial shovels marked a historic moment on April 24 as federal, state, local, and university leaders, including Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Virginia Tech President Tim Sands, broke ground on the New River Valley Passenger Rail Project in Christiansburg.

The long-awaited return of passenger rail service is expected to provide a transformative boost to sustainability, student mobility, and regional connectivity.

The groundbreaking celebration, held at the Cambria site, marked the official start of construction for a new Amtrak station that will restore service to the New River Valley for the first time since 1979.

Led by the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority and the New River Valley Passenger Rail Station Authority, the project is expected to serve tens of thousands of riders annually. It will connect Virginia Tech, Radford University, and surrounding communities to major metropolitan areas through an expanded Amtrak Virginia network.

Youngkin celebrated the project as a major win for the region and the commonwealth.

"This is about investing in the future of Virginia, connecting our communities, creating new opportunities, and making it easier for Virginians to thrive," Youngkin said. "Passenger rail in the New River Valley means more growth, more innovation, and more prosperity for generations to come."

Sands said the station will support broader innovation and collaboration goals for the university and the region.

“Passenger rail expansion supports the innovation network we are developing across the commonwealth,” Sands said. “The addition of the station in Christiansburg strengthens connections between Virginia Tech campuses, the New River Valley, Roanoke, and the greater Washington, D.C., area. It brings us closer to each other and to the communities we serve.”

The station will feature a high-level platform with a canopy, updated signaling, parking, and access roads. There will be a layover facility for the trains in nearby Radford. The project also includes track improvements and the construction of a Norfolk Southern staffing and maintenance facility. These efforts are part of a 2024 agreement between the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority and Norfolk Southern to secure access along the N-Line into Christiansburg.

Amtrak Virginia service at the New River Valley Station is expected to begin in 2027. Current plans call for two daily roundtrips between Christiansburg and Washington, D.C., with stops in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Burke Centre, and Alexandria. Trip times are estimated to be about 50 minutes between Christiansburg and Roanoke and just under six hours between Christiansburg and Washington, D.C. From Washington, D.C., the trains will continue north along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor to Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and numerous points in between.

The return of passenger service to Cambria, which operated from 1904-79, represents the culmination of years of regional collaboration involving local governments, higher education institutions, business leaders, and community advocates.

“The extension of passenger rail service to the New River Valley is significant for the region’s economic opportunity because it will connect us to major metropolitan areas along the East Coast, including Washington, D.C.; New York; Boston; and numerous points in between,” said Kevin Byrd, executive director of the New River Valley Regional Commission. “Also, anyone boarding a train southbound will see New River Valley as the final stop, which will greatly increase name recognition for the region in the most populated corridor in the country.”

The New River Valley Passenger Rail Station Authority, created by the Virginia General Assembly in 2021, includes representatives from seven localities and two universities. It will own and operate the station building, which will be known as the New River Valley Station. Norfolk Southern is managing the design and construction of associated infrastructure.

The project is designed to expand regional rail capacity, enhance on-time service, and provide a sustainable alternative to driving on Interstate 81. It will also help ease congestion during major events, including Virginia Tech football games.

Preliminary construction began in late February with full construction now underway. When complete, the New River Valley Station will offer an option for students traveling home for breaks, families visiting campus, and professionals commuting to Washington, D.C., and destinations beyond.