Works for the New River Valley Rail Project in Christiansburg have commenced with the recent groundbreaking ceremony. As part of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority’s (VPRA’s) Transforming Rail in Virginia (TRV) initiative, the project involves rail infrastructure upgrades that will enable VPRA to extend its Amtrak Virginia service from Roanoke to Christiansburg, restoring passenger rail service to the New River Valley for the first time since 1979.
The estimated cost of the New River Valley Rail Project is USD264.5 million. Preliminary construction began in late February 2025, with full construction commencing this spring.
The New River Valley Rail Project includes the construction of a new station platform with a canopy, a parking lot, access roads, track improvements, an updated signaling system, and an Amtrak layover facility in nearby Radford.
The extension of service to Christiansburg will utilize Norfolk Southern’s main line (N-Line), following an agreement between VPRA and Norfolk Southern signed in September 2024. Under the agreement, VPRA purchased the Manassas Line and gained access to the N-Line.
By expanding service from Roanoke to Christiansburg on the N-Line, VPRA will be able to utilize the existing infrastructure, focusing on developing a station stop at the Cambria site, which had previously served the community from 1904 to 1979. The project will also enhance Norfolk Southern’s freight service in the area.
Amtrak Virginia service is anticipated to commence in 2027 with two daily round-trip trains between Christiansburg and Washington, D.C., with stations at seven locations. Travel times are estimated at 50 minutes between Christiansburg and Roanoke and just under six hours between Christiansburg and Washington, D.C. From Washington, D.C., the service will continue onto Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor to Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and other points.