Amtrak Illinois does not plan on slowing down anytime soon.

The passenger train company carried a record 31.6 million passengers in fiscal year 2013, according to an Oct. 14 press release. The release also stated that ticket revenue increased to a record $2.1 billion.

The Amtrak in Illinois provides services from Chicago to St. Louis, as well as many college towns. When Amtrak’s fiscal year ended Sept. 30, Illinois made up for about 16.4 percent of its travelers nationwide, Columbia Broadcasting System Chicago reported. Carbondale was named one of the busiest Amtrak stations in Illinois, with the Chicago- Carbondale route being at an all-time high.

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Marc Magliari, media spokesman for Amtrack, said college communities bring in large numbers for Amtrack.

“The college community is a great part of our business and that extends to students, faculty, and staff,” Magliari said.

Magliari named Carbondale, Champaign, Bloomington-Normal, Macomb and Charleston as some of the college towns Illinois Amtrak regularly provides service for.

“Anywhere there’s a college community, you will find college students, faculty, and staff using our service,” Magliari said.

Magliari said the Chicago to Carbondale route set a record high in the past year.

“I think anyone who has driven I-57 versus taking the Amtrak train knows they’re better off on the train than they are on I-57,” Magliari said.

Magliari said cost efficiency as well as productivity are pros of taking Amtrak.

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“They can be more productive, it’s more relaxing, and you know exactly how much it’s going to cost you,” Magliari said. “You can study, text or doze off while on the Amtrack, and you can’t do that while driving.”

Magliari said fluctuating gas prices make driving an inconsistent mode of transportation, while Amtrak services may remain constant if a traveler plans ahead and locks in their price.

“You never know what gasoline is going to be the next week or next month,” Magliari said. “Whether you’re traveling for breaks or holiday or to visit family and friends, you can lock in your price with Amtrak, but you can’t when you’re driving.”

Magliari said Amtrak plans to expand in the future. He said the states of Illinois, Missouri and Michigan are providing funds for new rail cars. Within the next three years, Magliari said Amtrak will be able to add capacity to current trains.

Several years down the line, Magliari said rail cars will not be the only thing that Amtrak will increase.

“Over time, a conversation will be started to add new trains,” Magliara said. “It’s a growing service that we enjoy providing through the state of Illinois.”

Students said they think Amtrak is an efficient service, but agreed that transportation in general, including Amtrak, is expensive.

Jacob Cleek, a senior studying history from Harrisburg, said using the train would not be a good option for him since Harrisburg is in closer proximity to Carbondale, but he has had relatives living in northern Illinois who have used the service.

Portia Taylor, a senior studying English from Chicago, said she took Amtrak her freshman through junior years, but now does not since she has a car.

“At the time, it was my only possible way to get home,” Taylor said. “No one really has a car when they’re an underclassman.”

Taylor said for her, Amtrak has become more expensive.

“Amtrak is way expensive now,” Taylor said. “I prefer to take my car so then I can leave on my own time.”

Donitta Offord, a junior studying animal production from Chicago, said she agreed with Taylor that Amtrak can be expensive, but said she still does not mind using it.

The key, Offord said, is to plan ahead, which is sometimes hard for college students to do.

“You often have to buy your ticket a month ahead of time which can be hard since you have to plan around finals and sort out your traveling plans,” Offord said.

Another transportation option used by student is Greyhound buses, which serve students who might want to go from Carbondale to St. Louis, a route Amtrak does not offer.

Alexandra Pedrini, media spokeswoman for Greyhound, said Greyhound services 25 million passengers each year on average.

“Greyhound has a network of over 3,800 destinations across the country and North America,” she said. “So if a student wants to go from Chicago to Dallas, they can.”