Which state has the best commuter rail system?

Question

Which state has the best commuter rail system?

Answer 1

Very tough call, because you said "STATE".

New York would win otherwise.  They have by far the biggest commuter rail networks (NJ Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro North) but many of them go out of state.

Illinois would snatch the crown, then, with their vast Metra system... EXCEPT...

California.  Metra > Metrolink, but you have to add in Coaster, CalTrain, ACE, and the Amtrak Capitols (which run more frequently than many Metra lines.)  And then we get to argue about whether Sprinter and BART are commuter railroads :)

Answer 2

Nice link from the first answerer... my systems rank 7th and 15th by ridership... but I would have to put the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) higher on a list of timeliness cleanliness, and appropriate placement !!

The commute from Stockton to San Jose, 95 miles by road, is a horrific trip in a car, but VERY relaxing, clean and efficient on the ACE.

I look forward to California putting some MORE money into the rail systems and perhaps FORCING some folks OFF the road and onto the train.

Answer 3

I would guess NY.

Answer 4

Definitively Switzerland! Look at www.sbb.ch

Answer 5

Based purely on numbers travelling, it is New York, with twice as many riders as Chicago, at 635,400 per weekday compared to 310,800.

New York also has three of the USA's four busiest commuter railroads, the Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit, and Metro-North Railroad.

But busiest doesn't of course necessarily mean best for train quality or timekeeping.