Corridor Growth

Despite being less than 250 miles apart, the last time Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati were connected directly by rail was in 1967. The three cities, commonly referred to as the “Three C’s," are the largest in the state of Ohio. Columbus’ metropolitan area is home to over two million residents, making it the second-largest metropolitan area in the country without Amtrak service. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, since 2000, Columbus has added over 200,000 jobs to its economy, and Cincinnati has added over 100,000 jobs in the same time period.

Amtrak’s vision would turn both Cincinnati and Cleveland into new hubs for Amtrak service. In addition to the existing Long Distance trains that operate through Ohio – the Capitol Limited, Cardinal, and Lake Shore Limited – the following improved services are included in Amtrak’s vision:

• Cincinnati - Chicago: +4 daily roundtrips

• Cleveland - Detroit: +3 daily roundtrips

• Cleveland - New York City: +2 daily roundtrips

These new rail connections would improve mobility for underserved communities and provide reliable and efficient transportation to education and employment opportunities along the route. Connections would be available to Cleveland’s RTA Light Rail System, Columbus’ COTA system, and Cincinnati’s Metro system. The proposed route would serve dozens of colleges and universities and connect 18 Fortune 500 companies.

Proposed Stations

• Cleveland, OH

• Cleveland Hopkins Airport*

• Crestline, OH*

• Delaware, OH*

• Columbus, OH*

• Springfield, OH*

• Dayton, OH*

• Sharonville, OH*

• Cincinnati, OH

  * New Amtrak stations

Community Support for Amtrak Service

Communities across Ohio are enthusiastic about the prospect of more trains connecting new places across the state. Here are some of the towns and cities who have formally expressed support for more Amtrak service:

• Cincinnati

• Columbus

• Cleveland

• Crestline

• Dayton

• Franklin County

• Hamilton City

• Hilliard

• Norwood

• Oxford

• Sandusky

• Worthington

Environment and Transportation Equity

As the 3C+D Corridor continues to grow, residents and visitors are demanding faster and more efficient transportation alternatives. Due to the relatively short distance between the three cities – 250 miles – there are no direct flights between them. This results in I-71, which runs between the three cities, as the most popular means of travel between them. The American Transportation Research Institute found that I-71 in Cincinnati, the main highway connecting the three cities, was the sixth-most congested highway in the country in 2019. Similarly, Columbus was ranked in the top 50 of cities with the worst traffic in the country.

Currently, the state of Ohio is in the middle of widening many parts of Interstate 71 in Columbus and Cincinnati to accommodate the increased number of cars. The new rail corridor between Cleveland and Cincinnati would give residents an alternative to driving, avoiding the congestion on the region's highways.

Connections to Higher Education

The 3C+D Corridor would create new connections between major metropolitan cities, medium-sized cities, and colleges and universities. Students, their families, faculty, and staff will be able to take advantage of frequent Amtrak service to avoid traffic between destinations and enjoy a sustainable, convenient travel option.

Colleges and universities served by the 3C+D Corridor include:

• Case Western University (Student Population: 5,000)

• Central State University (Student Population: 2,000)

• Cleveland State University (Student Population: 17,000)

• John Carroll University (Student Population: 3,700)

• Ohio Wesleyan University (Student Population: 1,400)

• The Ohio State University (Student Population: 61,000)

• University of Cincinnati (Student Population: 47,000)

• University of Dayton (Student Population: 11,300)

• Wilberforce University (Student Population: 700)

• Xavier University (Student Population: 6,800)