RALEIGH, N.C. — If you are going to Bank of America Stadium on Sunday for the next Panthers home game, try taking the train for the ultimate fan experience.
What You Need To Know
N.C. By Train has many special routes avaiable, including those for Caorlina Panthers home games, the N.C. State Fair and the Lexington Barbecue Festival
The “Football Train” allows fans an optimal gameday travel experience
This year, there are two Football Trains scheduled in the morning and afternoon to make sure fans get to and from the game safely
One-way travel fare for an adult passenger is just shy of $30, but there are many discounts available
For decades, N.C. By Train with Amtrak has been running specialized “Football Train” schedules to bring Panthers fans to Charlotte from across the state.
“The goal was to provide an effective, transportation option for fans to really enjoy, have a leisurely ride down with other fans,” Jason Orthner, the rail division director for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, said.
Orthner said the Football Train started as a way to move a large number of people efficiently, but it now has taken on a life of its own.
An Amtrak passenger train arriving to pick up passengers in N.C. (Spectrum News 1)
“It’s really a sea of blue on the train,” Orthner said.
Over the years, he said the Football Train has grown in popularity. Recently, adjusting the train schedule to allow two trains in both directions to get fans to and from the game has doubled the capacity.
“We’ve been experiencing record ridership on our train services. We sell these trains out. So we really encourage fans to book early,” Orthner said.
This year, there are two trains running to get fans to Charlotte before the 1 p.m. kickoff. The first, Piedmont Train 71, stops in Cary, Durham, Greensboro and Kannapolis, arriving in Charlotte around 9:30 a.m. for fans who want an early tailgating experience.
The second morning route, Piedmont Train 73, will leave the Raleigh Union Station around 9:30 a.m. and get to Charlotte by noon.
The train will drop fans off about a mile and a half away from the stadium, which is just a quick rideshare away so you can “Keep Pounding” with the Panthers.
“You’re avoiding the stress of having to drive and park and be in traffic. You’re also able to enjoy your time, you know, face to face, talk to fans, talk to family members,” Orthner said.
After being immersed in the gameday fun, the Football Train can get you home safely, with two options depending on your post game day events.
Piedmont Train 76 leaves Charlotte around 5 p.m., dropping off fans in Kannapolis, Greensboro, Durham, Cary and arriving in Raleigh by 8 p.m.
Fans walking toward the Bank of America Stadium for a Panthers home game in Charlotte. (Spectrum News 1)
For fans looking to extend their time in the Queen City, Piedmont Train 78 will depart at 7:45 p.m., stopping in Salisbury, High Point, Greensboro, Burlington, Durham and Cary before arriving in Raleigh around 11 p.m.
It allows fans to end an exciting gameday experience with a relaxing ride home.
”We have Wi-Fi outlets at each seat. We’ve got a cafe car that’s got vending machines and coffee and water that are available to passengers included with the ticket. So there’s a lot of great things on the train,” Orthner said.
Orthner said their base fare one-way tickets are $29 for an adult paying passenger, but there are also many discounts available for tickets.
“It’s a great and affordable way to get there,” Orthner said.
NC By Train has other specialized routes, including for the North Carolina State Fair, running from Oct. 16 to the 26, the All Aboard for the Lexington Barbecue Festival On Oct. 25, and the N.C. Ale Trail By Rail, which has 10 daily trips between Raleigh and Charlotte.
The Football Train will run for the remaining Panthers home games. You can find those dates listed below.
Sept. 21: Atlanta Falcons
Oct. 5: Miami Dolphins
Oct. 12: Dallas Cowboys
Oct. 26: Buffalo Bills
Nov. 9: New Orleans Saints
Nov. 30: Los Angeles Rams
Dec. 21: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“We have trains that run every day, seven days a week, supporting a variety of different, you know, transportation needs,” Orthner said.
Orthner said that taking the train is a very safe form of travel and one that takes safety very seriously for both passengers and those crossing or near tracks.
“Our transit system is very, very safe. We have a very controlled environment from the station to the train and a tremendous amount of control of the environment on the train,” Orthner said.