Amtrak can drop you off at the 2026 NC State Fair from Charlotte. Here’s how
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It can easily take more than nine hours to drive across the state of North Carolina, meaning plenty of North Carolinians aren’t all that close to the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.
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This didn’t stop more than 1,800,000 people from visiting the N.C. State Fair in 2025, and it doesn’t need to stop you this year either.
Amtrak offers a stop outside the State Fair each fall, and this year the train service will drop people off there five times a day, rather than four times as in previous years. The platform is wheelchair accessible but does not have shelter, bathrooms, water fountains or a waiting area.
Both the Piedmont and Carolinian lines will stop at the grounds. The Carolinian line heads from Charlotte to Raleigh and up the coast to New York City, and the Piedmont line traverses North Carolina. The train schedule will also accommodate the yearly Lexington Barbecue Festival on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Amtrak tickets are available online, on the Amtrak app or in person at a train station via employee or kiosk.
NC by Train advises you to book a ticket as soon as you can, given the other 2 million possible visitors. The fair runs Oct. 15-25.
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Charlotte has one Amtrak station (CLT), at 1914 North Tryon St. Select NSF (North Carolina State Fair) as your station when booking tickets to and from the State Fair. Trips from CLT to NSF start at $60 round trip on Oct. 15.
Trains will make three stops at the fairgrounds on opening day:
Then five daily stops Oct 16-25:
Arrival and departure times will vary slightly Oct. 24 and 25 due to other events around the state, according to a press release from the North Carolina Department of Transportation.
The News & Observer and Charlotte Observer cover the N.C. State Fair each year. Visit newsobserver.com/ncstatefair for our most up to date coverage, including:
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