For most vehicles, a one-way trip from Albuquerque to Santa Fe — a drive of about 65 miles — takes two to three gallons of gasoline. With Albuquerque’s current average gas price — about $4.32 per gallon, according to AAA — the cost falls somewhere between $8.64 and $12.96.
Meanwhile, a ride on the New Mexico Rail Runner Express — the commuter train that recently celebrated its 20th anniversary — costs about $9 round trip. Riders eligible for reduced fares pay even less.
The difference has led to an influx of passengers in recent months, Rail Runner staff say, even as its own diesel prices climb.
“More people take the train when we see gas go up,” said Rio Metro Regional Transit District spokesperson Augusta Meyers. “We’ll see ridership sometimes go up as much as 30%.”
The most recent data from the transit district shows a steady increase in riders from January through July, before a dip in August, outpacing numbers from 2025 and 2024. July saw 62,263 passengers across the train’s 15 stops from Belen to Santa Fe, up 8.5% from the previous month and about 5% from the previous year.
Gas prices in the City Different rose in July to about $4.13 per gallon as tensions rose in the Middle East.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
‘Affecting everyone’
A small crowd lingered at the Santa Fe Depot on Monday afternoon. Some stood armed with suitcases, ready for a flight; others peeked at their wristwatches as they talked on the phone.
“It’s great to just come to a different city — a totally walkable city — and be able to get around,” said Bekki Vaden, an Albuquerque resident and one such prospective passenger. “And I’m spending less than 10 bucks to get here and back.”
Vaden moved to New Mexico three months ago from eastern Tennessee, she said — an area with very little accessible public transportation. She researched the transit options in the Land of Enchantment before her family sold their house and made the trek out West, she said.
Vaden cited high gas prices as one reason she’s opted to take the train several times.
“I love public transportation,” she added. “And I love trains.”
Railroad photographer Thomas Scalf echoed that sentiment in a phone call Monday. He and his wife take the train from Bernalillo to Santa Fe about once a month to get lunch; they deliberately go on Wednesdays, when senior citizens ride free.
“Gas prices are affecting everybody,” Scalf said. “And this is a really good way to get around that.”
During recent trips, he has noticed about 100 people getting off the train alongside him at the Santa Fe Depot.
The train is more cost effective than driving — even with his hybrid car, Scalf said.
“Not only does it save money — you know, $8 or $9 worth of gas — but the time is just about exactly the same,” he said.
Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
Doubling diesel costs
The cost of gas in the United States overall has surged more than 40% since the U.S. and Israel launched the war in Iran in late February, NBC reported last week.
The hike has not only affected commuters. In January, the price of diesel for the Rail Runner — which travels the full 100-mile route five times per weekday — was about $2.46 per gallon, Meyers said.
Now, it’s well over $5 per gallon.
Typically, the money from ticket sales is enough to cover fuel costs, Meyers said, “but that’s not been the case recently, because they’ve gone up so much.”
The Rail Runner has been able to absorb the financial hit in other areas, she added, so price increases aren’t currently on the table.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen if fuel continues to go up … but we don’t ever want to pass it on to our passengers,” Meyers said. “We’ll just have to adjust accordingly.”
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Gabriela Campos/The New Mexican
Lily Alexander is a state accountability reporter for The New Mexican and Searchlight New Mexico, focusing on equity and transparency. Her position is part of the New Mexican Public Service Journalism Fund, and her stories are available to all readers without a paywall.
