TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The possibility of Amtrak service returning to the capital city has been an ongoing discussion for years but Leon County Commissioner Rick Minor is optimistic after the most recent meeting of the Southern Rail Commission.
One of the biggest elements of that meeting was the success of the newest train route from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans.
“With this new route, you now have the route running twice daily from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama. What we’re trying to do is state a strong case for extending that passenger rail, going from Mobile, to Pensacola, Tallahassee to Jacksonville as well as going down to south Florida as well as the rest of the country,” Minor said.
In about three months, 46,000 people have ridden the new restored route, something Minor said helps Leon County advocate as to why the service should be extended here and beyond.
“We think that these great ridership numbers that they have with the Mardi Gras route helps us make the case for restoring passenger rail here in North Florida,” Minor said.
The passenger rail in Tallahassee stopped after Hurricane Katrina hit. The tracks were repaired enough for commercial use, but not passenger use.
Rick Minor says they have signatures from 73 other local elected officials, including the mayor of Jacksonville, in support of restoring the rail service.
One resident, Kaye Crawford, said rail service in the capital city is long overdue.
“I also think that as the population continues to increase, we need a variety of modes of transportation to get from one city to the other,” Crawford said.
She also pointed out that flying isn’t always convenient for residents. “The cost of flying is a concern of mine, and with a rail service, I just think it would be beneficial to the community and personally to myself.”
In 2025, leaders filed House Bill 53 for Florida to join the Southern Rail Commission with the goal of restoring rail service to the area. The last bill died in committees before getting a final vote.
Minor said they re-filed HB 53 for the upcoming 2026 session as well.
If it passes, Minor said that would be a big hurdle removed to help steer the process forward.
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