Rail Runner ridership is climbing as higher gas prices lead more New Mexicans to consider public transportation
As gasoline prices in New Mexico rise above $4 per gallon, more residents are considering public transportation, contributing to increased ridership on the New Mexico Rail Runner Express.
The train is averaging between 2,200 and 2,500 passengers a day, according to Rail Runner communications manager Augusta Myers. She said the system has recorded about 4,000 to 5,000 more riders than it did during the same period last year.
AAA reports the statewide average for regular gasoline is $4.31 per gallon, more than $1.50 higher than a year ago. A Rail Runner day pass from Albuquerque to Santa Fe costs about $9. Driving the roughly 65-mile route could cost between $8 and $12 in gasoline.
Rail Runner officials said ridership can increase by as much as 30% when gasoline prices jump. Data from 2024 to August shows July was the year’s busiest month, with more than 62,000 riders.
“If people even try it one time, they might see that they could implement that into their work schedule, maybe two or three times a week,” Meyers said. “You don’t have to ride it every day to appreciate what the Rail Runner brings to that situation.”
The Rail Runner has added weekday service, including more midday trains, to accommodate hybrid employees and riders with flexible schedules. Meyers said those changes reflect shifts in commuting habits since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The train operates from about 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. and serves 15 stations along a nearly 100-mile corridor through central New Mexico. Riders also use the service for leisure and entertainment, a shift from before the pandemic, when about 60% of passengers were commuting to state government jobs in Santa Fe.
