The Fairfax Girl Team 
Northern Virginia travelers planning to take Amtrak into or through Washington, DC, this fall should check their itineraries. Amtrak has announced a nine-day infrastructure project that will significantly reduce train service between Virginia + Washington Union Station from October 16th through October 26th, 2026. The project, called “Pause for Progress,” will temporarily close a critical section of track inside DC’s First Street Tunnel while crews replace aging infrastructure. The closure will affect Amtrak routes traveling south of Washington + mean cancellations, shortened routes, and bus connections for some passengers. Read on for what Northern Virginia travelers need to know about Amtrak’s upcoming October closure.
What Is Happening
The work will take place at A-Interlocking, a section of track inside the First Street Tunnel just south of Washington Union Station. The area controls Amtrak + Virginia Railway Express train movements between Washington, DC + Virginia.
According to Amtrak, the switches + crossovers currently in place have exceeded their intended service life. Trains are currently subject to a 10 MPH speed restriction through the area. During the October closure, crews will replace those components, rehabilitate the tunnel’s track base, + install updated electric switch systems.
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The outage begins after train service ends on Friday, October 16th + is scheduled to finish before service starts on Monday, October 26th. Amtrak says completing the work during one coordinated closure is more efficient than attempting the project in phases because of the tunnel’s limited space + access. Amtrak says the project is intended to improve safety + reliability along the Northeast Corridor and routes extending into the Southeast. Replacing the aging infrastructure is also expected to reduce delays + improve on-time performance once the work is complete.
What This Means for Northern Virginia Travelers
Amtrak says travelers heading between Washington, DC + destinations to the south should expect significant service reductions + cancellations during the project. Northeast Regional service will continue normally between Washington Union Station, New York, + Boston. South of DC, however, Amtrak Virginia will operate a much more limited schedule. One daily round trip will operate between Norfolk + Alexandria, along with one round trip between Roanoke + Alexandria.
To help passengers get between Alexandria + DC, the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority will operate three round-trip buses connecting Alexandria with Washington Union Station. Additional express buses are planned between DC + several Virginia destinations, including Roanoke, Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, Newport News, Norfolk, + Virginia Beach. The Carolinian will also be affected. Trains will operate between New York + Washington and separately between Alexandria + Charlotte, with passengers using a bus connection between Washington Union Station + Alexandria.
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Several other long-distance Amtrak routes, including the Cardinal, Floridian, Silver Meteor, Palmetto, + Crescent, will operate on shortened routes during the closure.
Amtrak is coordinating the closure with the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, VRE, + other transportation partners. Travelers with reservations during the affected dates should check their itinerary ahead of time. Amtrak says it will provide rebooking options + alternative transportation for affected passengers.
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