Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin broke ground on the New River Valley Rail Project in Christiansburg to bring Amtrak service back to the region after 46 years. The $264.5 million initiative aims to boost connectivity, economic growth and transportation alternatives, with service set to begin in 2027.
VPRA render
A render of the finished Christiansburg station
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin broke ground April 24, 2025, on the highly anticipated New River Valley Rail Project in the town of Christiansburg, located southwest of Roanoke, Va.
As part of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority's (VPRA) Transforming Rail in Virginia (TRV) initiative, the construction encompasses railroad infrastructure upgrades that will allow VPRA to extend its Amtrak Virginia service from Roanoke to Christiansburg and return passenger rail service to the New River Valley for the first time since 1979.
"Today's groundbreaking represents a lot of hard work, determination and collaboration," Youngkin told the event's guests. "We are here today because people came to the table and worked together to execute a new and dramatically better deal — one that accelerates the return of passenger rail service to the New River Valley years earlier, on a better line, and at a much lower cost to Virginia's taxpayers — than the one I inherited. I look forward to all that this station will do to support and grow such an important region of the Commonwealth."
Amtrak Media noted that the new passenger rail effort in Christiansburg will include:
- a new station platform with a canopy;
- a parking lot and access roads;
- track improvements and an updated signaling system; and
- an Amtrak layover facility in the nearby community of Radford, Va.
The estimated cost of the entire VPRA project is $264.5 million. Preliminary construction began in late February 2025, with the bulk of the work set to commence in May 2025.
The extension of service to Christiansburg will be via Norfolk Southern's main line (N-Line), the result of an agreement between VPRA and Norfolk Southern completed last September through which VPRA purchased the Manassas Line and gained access to the N-Line, according to Amtrak.
By expanding service from Roanoke to Christiansburg on the N-Line, VPRA will use existing infrastructure with a focus on developing a station stop at the Cambria site, which previously served the community from 1904 to 1979.
The project also will enhance Norfolk Southern's freight service through the area.
"I want to thank VPRA and Norfolk Southern for coming together last year to reach an all-around better deal for Virginians," said Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard Miller III. "The new agreement between VPRA and Norfolk Southern is the reason we are here breaking ground on a project that will provide additional connectivity and promote economic growth in the New River Valley."
Created by the Virginia General Assembly in 2021, the New River Valley Passenger Rail Station Authority has the lead in renovating the historic Christiansburg station building at Cambria — to be called the New River Valley Station. Construction is expected to begin in 2027.
"Extending passenger rail from Roanoke to Christiansburg will provide a much-needed transportation alternative along the increasingly busy I-81 Corridor," said Virginia State Sen. Travis Hackworth. "I'm excited to see this region of Virginia benefit from the Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative. I want to thank all those involved for making this project a reality."
Project Latest Boost to Virginia's Amtrak Ridership
Amtrak Virginia service is expected to begin in 2027 with two daily roundtrips between Christiansburg and Washington, D.C., with stops in Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Burke Centre and Alexandria. Travel times are estimated to be 50 minutes between Christiansburg and Roanoke and just under six hours between Christiansburg and Washington.
From the nation's capital, the service will continue north onto Amtrak's Northeast Corridor to Philadelphia, New York, Boston and points in-between.
One of VPRA's four corridors of service, the Roanoke corridor began with one daily roundtrip between Lynchburg and Washington in 2009. Since that time, the service was extended from Lynchburg to Roanoke and increased from one daily roundtrip to two.
Ridership along the corridor also has grown — from a little more than 100,000 between Lynchburg and Washington during its first year, to more than 343,000 passengers between Roanoke and Washington in 2024.
Since its formation, VPRA's service has grown to include eight roundtrips daily along four corridors with stops at 17 stations in Virginia and one in Washington, D.C.
"Passenger rail creates greater potential for sustained economic growth, facilitates job creation and provides an efficient, affordable travel alternative to riding on the crowded interstate highway system," noted Virginia's U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith. "Today's groundbreaking announcement means that the New River Valley will reap tremendous benefits and more. Extension of passenger rail to the New River Valley is an encouraging sign of things to come."
VPRA was established in 2020 to promote, sustain and expand the availability of passenger and commuter rail service across the state of Virginia. The agency is committed to delivering and expanding its state-supported Amtrak Virginia passenger rail service.
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