Ride a train to an auto race? Amtrak will take fans to NASCAR’s big event in Rockingham
It’s probably been a long time since anyone has ridden a train to a NASCAR race in North Carolina, but next weekend hundreds of people will.
Amtrak and the N.C. Department of Transportation will run a special train for race fans from the Triangle to Rockingham Speedway on April 19, when NASCAR returns to the venerable North Carolina track. The “Rockingham Special” will leave Raleigh Union Station that morning, with stops in Cary and Southern Pines before arriving at the speedway in time for the first of three events.
The train will follow tracks owned by CSX that happen to pass right by the speedway. Amtrak already uses that route for its Floridian train, which runs daily between Miami and Chicago, with five stops in North Carolina.
State Secretary of Transportation Joey Hopkins says NCDOT was inspired to offer the Rockingham train by the success of the “Open Express,” which carried passengers from the Triangle to the U.S. Open golf tournament over four days last June. Those trains sold out.
“Special trains like this provide the chance to introduce even more people to the amazing passenger rail service available in our state,” Hopkins said in a statement.
The morning Rockingham Special will leave Raleigh Union Station at 9 a.m. and stop in Cary at 9:15 a.m. and Southern Pines at 10:28 a.m. before arriving at a temporary station outside the raceway gate shortly after 11 a.m.
The speedway has three events scheduled that day: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying at 11:30 a.m.; the ARCA Menards Series East 125 race at 1 p.m. and the North Carolina Education Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at 4 p.m.
The return train is scheduled to leave Rockingham at 7:30 p.m.
Standard tickets cost $25 each way and must be purchased in advanced at www.amtrak.com/promotions/rockingham. Customers should type or select “Rockingham” for your destination and return trip. Food and beverages, including beer, wine and liquor, will be available to purchase on board.
The train can carry about 300 passengers, and as of Thursday morning seats were still available.
NCDOT subsidizes Amtrak service in North Carolina on the Piedmont and Carolinian trains. It works with Amtrak to make special stops at big events along those routes, including the N.C. State Fair in Raleigh and the Lexington Barbecue Festival.
Last year’s Open Express was the first time NCDOT and Amtrak had provided passenger service outside the corridor served by the Piedmont and Carolinian. The Rockingham Special is the second.
Bob Sargent, president of Track Enterprises, the promoter bringing NASCAR back to The Rock, said they were excited about the special train.
“It is certainly the way I’d like to travel to and from the race,” Sargent said.
This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 10:54 AM.
