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City endorses renewal of passenger rail service to Asheville

Southern Railway's Asheville Special emerges from the 260-foot Burgin Tunnel, east of Ridgecrest, on July 24, 1949. [DAVID P. DRISCOLL/American-Rails.com collection]

By Lightning Reports, Published: June 4, 2026

The Hendersonville City Council has endorsed the renewal of passenger rail service that would connect Asheville to Salisbury and link train travelers to destinations across North Carolina and up and down the East Coast.

The letter supports Gov. Josh Stein's resommended $28 million appropriation as the first installment of a required state match to drawn down substantial federal infrastructure dollars.

Asheville was served by passenger rail from October 1880 until July 1975, when Southern Railway discontinued the run of the Asheville Special. The resurrected service would connect Asheville to Salisbury, where passengers could connect to the state's existing rail network and destinations across the Southeast.

"This investment represents a transformational opportunity for Western North Carolina and for the state as a whole," the council's letter said. "A total state match of approximately $133 million over the next four years would leverage approximately $532 million in federal funding to advance this important transportation initiative. The ability to draw down competitive federal infrastructure funding at this scale means our state would receive $4 for every $1 we invest in passenger rail for our state! Without this state matching dollars, these federal dollars will not be spent in our state.
"Importantly, Western North Carolina destinations have consistently been identified as the most requested additional service among NC By Train customers," the council added. "Expanding passenger rail service into new regions of the state will improve travel access, strengthen tourism opportunities, and create additional economic connections between communities across North Carolina."