Connectivity between Major Airports and Intercity Passenger Rail Remains Limited, as Does Passenger Usage

		Most Major Airports Are near Intercity Passenger Rail Stations, but Air-Rail Connectivity is Rare

Most major U.S. airports have some degree of physical proximity to  intercity passenger rail stations; however, few are collocated with rail  stations. Specifically, our analysis found that 42 of the 60 large and  medium hub airports in the contiguous United States are located within 10  miles of an Amtrak station; 21 of the 42 airports are within 5 miles of a  station. Newark Liberty International Airport and Bob Hope  (Burbank) Airport are the only airports where passengers can access the  Amtrak stations via an automated people mover (Newark) or by walking  (Burbank). Amtrak and state transportation agencies are considering projects to  expand connectivity with airports. Some states, such as California, Illinois, and Texas, are looking at options  to enhance air-rail connectivity by developing high-speed rail connections  at nearby large and medium hub airports. Few Passengers Use Air- Rail Connections

Studies and data, while limited, suggest that relatively few passengers  and airport employees use the limited air-rail connections available to  travel to and from U.S. airports. Collocated Airport Terminals and Rail Stations Allow for Code Sharing

The only current code-sharing agreement for air and rail travel in the  United States is at Newark Liberty International Airport, though code- sharing has been implemented or explored at other airports. Air-Rail Connectivity May Provide a Range of Benefits for Passengers and Others, but Costs Can Be Significant

		Benefits

We found that air-rail connectivity has the potential to provide a range of  mobility, economic, and environmental benefits. In our discussions with  stakeholders, including state departments of transportation, local  transportation-planning organizations, and airlines; our review of  academic literature; and the expert opinions obtained from our survey, we  found that a general consensus exists that air-rail connectivity can  provide a range of mobility benefits for travelers; however, we found less  agreement exists on the importance and extent of other types of benefits,  including economic and environmental benefits. 2.) Costs

Expanding the current intercity passenger rail network and connecting it  to airports would be expensive. Air-Rail Connectivity Is Influenced by a Variety of Factors

Based on input from our expert survey; discussions with stakeholders,  including state departments of transportation, local transportation  planning organizations, airports, and airlines; and our review of academic  literature, we identified five categories of factors that can greatly affect air- rail connectivity, including the degree of leadership and collaboration  among stakeholders, resource availability, the extent of passenger  demand for air-rail connectivity, the ease of the air-rail connection, and  the passenger rail service operating characteristics. In addition, our prior work also  identified challenges of funding intercity passenger rail projects. While this funding will allow many  projects to begin construction, it is not sufficient to complete them. The frequency of Amtrak service is highly variable across the  nation. For example, some of the strategies that experts suggested to  improve connectivity, such as increasing connections with other  transportation modes, could be related to the implementation of other  strategies, such as providing additional funding for air-rail connections. However, in many locations, particularly  in the Northeast Corridor, the rail network was developed decades before  the airport. Furthermore, as previously noted, the commitment of financial resources  for air-rail projects may also impose opportunity costs as a result of  canceling or delaying other projects or initiatives that could be funded by  these federal programs. DOT  and Amtrak provided technical comments on the draft, which we  incorporated as appropriate. GAO staff who made key contributions to this report are  listed in appendix V.

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

This report addressed the following objectives: (1) the nature and scope  of existing air-rail connectivity in the United States; (2) the benefits and  costs of developing air-rail connectivity; (3) the factors that facilitate and  hinder the development and use of air-rail connectivity; and (4) potential  strategies, including lessons learned from other countries, that may help  inform deliberations regarding air-rail connectivity policy. We interviewed officials from DOT and Amtrak, transportation experts,  and representatives from U.S. airlines and industry associations to obtain  their perspectives on air-rail connectivity issues. We also analyzed Amtrak’s distance and connectivity to the 28 large and  32 medium hub airports located in the contiguous United States based on  the 2011 Federal Aviation Administration’s Air Carrier Activity Information  System database. To obtain additional insight on issues related to air-rail connectivity, we  collaborated with the National Academy of Sciences to identify 25 experts  from the aviation and rail industries, Amtrak, state and local governments,  academia, and the private sector. We conducted a web-based survey in which we asked these 42 experts  for their views on the benefits of air-rail connectivity, factors that facilitate  and hinder the development and use of air-rail connectivity, differences  between air-rail connectivity in the United States and Europe, and  strategies that could improve air-rail connectivity. The full survey and  responses are available at GAO-13-692SP.
Why GAO Did This Study

Increasing passenger travel has led to growing congestion in the nation's air transportation system, and projections suggest that this trend is likely to continue. The integration of air and intercity passenger rail service, which is provided in the United States by Amtrak, has been suggested by some transportation experts as a strategy to increase mobility and reduce congestion in the United States. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 mandated that GAO review issues related to air-rail connectivity. This report discusses (1) the nature and scope of air-rail connectivity, (2) the benefits and costs of air-rail connectivity, (3) factors affecting the development and use of air-rail connectivity, and (4) potential strategies to improve air-rail connectivity.
GAO reviewed laws, strategic plans, and academic studies. GAO analyzed data to determine distances between Amtrak stations and large and medium hub airports and interviewed officials from DOT, and representatives from Amtrak, the airlines, and aviation and rail industry associations. GAO interviewed stakeholders at eight large and medium hub airports, which were selected based on geographic location and extent of connectivity with Amtrak. In addition, GAO surveyed experts from the aviation industry, rail industry, state and local governments, academia and the private sector about air-rail connectivity issues. The survey and results can be found at GAO-13-692SP .
GAO is not making recommendations in this report. DOT and Amtrak provided technical comments, which were incorporated as appropriate.

What GAO Found

Most major U.S. airports have some degree of physical proximity to intercity passenger rail stations, though only 2 airports are currently collocated with intercity rail stations. Specifically, 42 of the nation's 60 large and medium hub airports are located within 10 miles of Amtrak stations; 21 of the 42 airports are within 5 miles of Amtrak stations. At the 2 collocated airports, passengers can access Amtrak either via an automated people mover (Newark Liberty International Airport) or by walking (Bob Hope Burbank Airport). At some airports, such as Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, passengers can take a direct shuttle between the airport and the nearby Amtrak station, while at other airports, connections to Amtrak can be made through other modes of transportation. Studies and data, while limited, suggest that relatively few passengers in the United States use intercity rail to travel to and from the airport or through more integrated travel such as code-sharing agreements, whereby airlines sell tickets for Amtrak's service. The only existing air-rail code-sharing agreement in the United States is at Newark Airport. Amtrak and states are considering projects to expand intercity rail connectivity with airports, including as part of the construction of high-speed rail in California.
Air-rail connectivity may provide a range of mobility, economic, and environmental benefits, though the financial costs of building these connections could be substantial. Specifically, based on discussions with industry stakeholders, input from surveyed experts, and a review of academic literature, GAO found a general consensus that air-rail connectivity can provide a range of mobility benefits for travelers, though less agreement existed on the importance and extent of economic and environmental benefits. However, achieving these benefits could require significant trade-offs, because the costs of expanding the existing intercity passenger rail network and constructing viable connections can be significant. Given these costs, based on GAO's work, there are currently limited locations where benefits are high enough to justify funding to improve air-rail connectivity.
Air-rail connectivity remains limited in the United States, according to experts, as a result of institutional and financial factors, among other things. In particular, the limited nature of the existing intercity passenger rail network, including the frequency of service and connectivity to other transportation modes, remains an obstacle to developing and using air-rail connections. Securing funding for air-rail projects also remains a barrier. While funds from some federal grant programs can be used to help facilitate air-rail connections, there is no single funding source for air-rail projects.
There are strategies to improve air-rail connectivity, but adopting them involves trade-offs. Experts generally focused on, among other things, leadership, funding, and infrastructure improvements, though the effectiveness of these strategies may depend on a project's local characteristics. There has been little emphasis on air-rail connectivity by either the Department of Transportation (DOT) or Amtrak. Furthermore, experts noted that some of the strategies could be particularly challenging or costly to implement, such as in locations where the rail network was developed decades before airports. For example, increasing intercity passenger rail's frequency could improve air-rail connectivity but could also be expensive.