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Tag: virginia railway express

  • Virginia Railway Express, Amtrak adjust schedules to accommodate Long Bridge Project – WTOP News

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    Virginia Railway Express will adjust its rail service due to the Long Bridge Project, with some trains operating from Alexandria instead of Union Station.

    This article was reprinted with permission from Virginia Mercury. 

    Starting in January 2026, Virginia Railway Express will adjust its rail service due to the Long Bridge Project, with some trains operating from Alexandria instead of Union Station. The company is also welcoming the return of the Amtrak Step-Up Program, offering additional travel options.

    The Long Bridge Project, once completed by 2030, will enable more freight and passenger rail service by separating the lines between Washington, D.C. and Virginia. The current two-track system, widely regarded as a bottleneck, has negatively impacted travel times.

    The estimated cost of the entire Long Bridge Project is $2.3 billion.

    Long Bridge view from a cruise on the Potomac River. (Getty Images/izanbar)

    “The Long Bridge Project is one of the largest railroad construction projects undertaken in the commonwealth in years,” the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority said in a statement to the Mercury. “This new two-track railroad bridge is currently under construction and will increase rail capacity across the Potomac River. Its completion will mean generational changes in passenger rail for Virginians.”

    Beginning in January, the four VRE trains to terminate at Alexandria will be the last four morning trains, two on the Manassas line and two on the Fredericksburg line. Travelers can also transfer to using Metro’s rail service in Alexandria.

    No VRE trains will be eliminated, according to the commuter rail service, adding that planners may refine service adjustments over the 2026-2030 project period.

    Amtrak Virginia will also implement temporary service changes, expanding its list of combined roundtrips on train and bus in Virginia from five to six. The list of daily round-trip trains includes four trains to Norfolk and Newport News, and two daily express buses to and from Hampton Roads, providing Newport News with an additional connection to Washington, D.C.

    Travelers should expect slight changes in departure and arrival times.

    VPRA is working to create a new service plan that accommodates current Amtrak Virginia passenger rail service and construction plans for the new Long Bridge “while remaining on time and on budget,” the authority said.

    During the construction planning process, Amtrak Virginia is also reinstating its Amtrak Step-Up Program, providing VRE multi-ride ticketholders with more options to travel in and out of Union Station as early as next month. The commuter rail service suspended the program in 2020 due to how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted ridership.

    The Step-Up program will allow VRE 10-trip or monthly ticket holders to select an additional $4 “step-up” ticket through the VRE Mobile app. Riders can then hop on an Amtrak train traveling in the VRE service area instead of on a VRE train, at any time, seven days a week. Within the VRE Mobile app, riders can view the upcoming Amtrak trains and the number of available seats.

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    Tadiwos Abedje

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  • Rare Lahore pigeon rescued after weeks abandoned at Alexandria’s Union Station – WTOP News

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    For the past few months, passengers waiting to climb aboard a VRE or Amtrak train have become familiar with an out-of-the-ordinary ‘regular’ — a rare, Lahore pigeon, known for its black and white tuxedo plumage, and feathered feet that resemble bell-bottoms. WTOP had to see for ourselves.

    A rare Lahore pigeon at Union Station in Alexandria.
    (Courtesy photo)

    Courtesy photo

    A rare Lahore pigeon was spotted at Union Station in Alexandria, Virginia.
    (Courtesy photo)

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    An Alexandria employee took the domesticated and abandoned Lahore pigeon home.
    (Courtesy photo)

    Courtesy photo

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    Rare, feather-footed pigeon caught living at Amtrak station in Va.

    For the past few months, passengers waiting to climb aboard a VRE or Amtrak train have become familiar with an out-of-the-ordinary regular — a rare Lahore pigeon, known for its black and white tuxedo-like plumage and feathered feet that resemble bell-bottoms.

    WTOP had to see it for ourselves.

    “I noticed him about two months ago,” said one passenger during a Friday morning visit to the station. “Every now and then, he’ll wander along the platform and come up close to the passengers, as well.”

    But why would such a fancy pigeon be hanging out at Alexandria’s Union Station, located across from the King Street-Old Town Metro station?

    “After seeing him a couple times, someone said someone dropped him off with his cage, and just abandoned him, and station staff took care of him for quite a while,” said the passenger.

    The accidental commuter was dubbed Gregory.

    When arriving at the station, a station employee said Gregory wouldn’t be found at the station anymore: “Oh, he’s at my house.”

    The employee recalled the first time seeing the fancy pigeon, when a passenger asked, “Why is there a penguin on the platform?”

    Even without an ornithology degree, the employee knew this wasn’t a penguin. Using an app on their phone, the employee snapped a photo and the app identified it as a Lahore pigeon, a domesticated bird named for the city in Pakistan.

    Word spread about the attention-grabbing pigeon residing at the station.

    According to the employee, visitors tried to catch Gregory. One passenger even joked that he wanted to eat the pigeon.

    That was too much to bear for the employee, who had fed Gregory at the station and realized that the domesticated pigeon enjoyed human interaction.

    After checking with animal and legal experts, the employee learned caring for a domesticated pigeon as a pet was fine, and last week decided to care for Gregory at home.

    In a shared photo of Gregory, in a new cage, the employee reports he’s doing well in his forever home.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    Neal Augenstein

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  • MARC and VRE unveil ticket-sharing agreement for easier transfers – WTOP News

    MARC and VRE unveil ticket-sharing agreement for easier transfers – WTOP News

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    The D.C. region’s two commuter rail services announced Thursday they are bringing back a ticket-sharing agreement, making train travel between Maryland and Virginia a little smoother for passengers.

    The D.C. region’s two commuter rail services announced Thursday they are bringing back a ticket-sharing agreement, making train travel between Maryland and Virginia a little smoother for passengers.

    As of Thursday, MARC and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) riders with a weekly, monthly or 10-trip pass on either service can transfer to the other at D.C.’s Union Station without having to buy a new ticket. The program currently does not apply to single-trip tickets. The two train systems previously had a similar agreement, but it ended in 2015.

    “This agreement represents a significant step forward in regional transit integration,” Maryland Transit Administrator Holly Arnold said in a statement. “We are not only fostering a more connected and efficient transportation network across our states but fueling economic growth by facilitating easier movement of people, supporting tourism and attracting business to the National Capital Region.”

    The move comes as the Metropolitan Council of Governments launched a new task force earlier this year with the goal of better integrating the region’s various transit options. VRE CEO Rick Dalton said the move is a first step in aligning the two rail services.

    “It lays the groundwork for future efforts to better align MARC and VRE operations, which is consistent with our long-range plan to grow VRE from a peak-period, commuter-focused rail service to an all-day, bidirectional transit system that can better meet the transportation needs of a growing region,” Dalton said in a statement.

    Both train systems have looked into expansion options in recent years.

    Last year, Maryland officials reached a framework with the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to potentially allow MARC trains to go to Alexandria in the future. Meanwhile, Virginia has explored extending VRE to Richmond and the New River Valley.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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