As the hours count down to $ 85 billion in government-wide spending cuts , there 's one transportation service that wo n't be derailed -- Amtrak . Officials of the nation 's only long-haul passenger railroad say there will be no cutbacks or changes in its schedule , especially on its popular Northeast Corridor route between Washington , New York and Boston . That 's much different than the scenario facing U.S. airlines , which may be forced to alter schedules if federally run air traffic control services are disrupted by spending cuts due to take effect on Friday . Just how is Amtrak able to absorb a hit from the so-called budget sequester ? Part of the answer lies in its charter as a for-profit government corporation , which allows it to operate like a business and charge fares and fees . `` Amtrak is planning to take actions to allow it to withstand a funding cut and not cut service . During ( fiscal year ) 2013 , Amtrak is experiencing solid revenue growth and we have been controlling our costs and managing our budget in anticipation of a possible reduction in federal funding , '' said Kimberly Woods , an Amtrak spokeswoman . Congressmen leave as spending cuts loom . However , she acknowledged that the `` continued lack of predictable federal appropriations makes proper budgeting and future planning extremely difficult . '' Rail service has been a priority for the Obama administration . While in the Senate , Vice President Joe Biden commuted for years to his home in Delaware on Amtrak and is one of its biggest supporters . The railroad has instituted a number of business reforms over the years , some of them under pressure from Congress , lowered debt , and has been able to make infrastructure improvements to boost operating efficiency . Amtrak carried more than 31 million passengers last year and covers most of its operating costs from passenger revenue . Why Washington ca n't cut wasteful spending . But it also receives taxpayer help each year . In fiscal year 2012 , Amtrak was approved to receive an operating subsidy of $ 466 million . The remainder of government help for capital improvements and debt service was estimated at $ 950 million . If Amtrak is going to continue to stay on track , it will have to rely on its money-making short haul routes , where it competes with airlines . Nearly 90 percent of the rail service 's ridership since 1997 has been on trips under 400 miles . Along with a 55 percent jump in passengers , it generated a positive operating surplus of $ 47 million in 2011 , according to a new report released by the Brookings Institution . Amtrak has been the fastest-growing domestic transportation mode over the past 15 years , the report said . By the numbers : Congress and fiscal delays . Ten metropolitan areas , mostly on the coasts , account for nearly two-thirds of its ridership . Its signature line , the high-speed Acela , operates in the Northeast and is aimed at premium-paying business travelers . `` The Brookings report shows that Amtrak ridership has been growing faster than any other domestic mode of transportation , faster than GDP , and faster than population growth . These ridership numbers include our long-distance train passengers , '' Steve Kulm , Amtrak spokesman , said in an e-mailed statement . Heavily subsidized long-haul routes have long been a target of criticism from Amtrak opponents , especially in Congress . What you need to know about spending cuts . The report on rail travel trends found ridership on long distance routes carry less than 20 percent of system riders and contributed a drag to Amtrak 's bottom line to the tune of $ 614 million . `` We appreciate their suggestion to allow states the flexibility to use their federal surface transportation dollars for rail investments . With regard to how long-distance trains are funded , Congress has determined that these services are vital and a necessary part of America 's national transportation system and economy , '' Kulm said . Robert Puentes , a Brookings senior fellow and co-author of the report , said that Amtrak is `` too often considered a big , bloated bureaucracy that depends heavily on federal subsidies and is no longer relevant to the technologically oriented metropolitan economies of today . '' Read the Office of Personnel Management 's furlough guide .
Amtrak made no changes or cutbacks in schedules due to federal budget cuts . The line carried record numbers of passengers last year and has reported strong revenues . It has also cut costs and made capital improvements to boost efficiency . Amtrak receives annual taxpayer subsidies for operating and capital improvements .