In spring and summer last year, the Georgia Department of Transportation kicked off the public engagement phase of its Atlanta-to-Savannah intercity rail study with online surveys. According to GDOT, more than 20,000 responses came in. 

Key takeaways from the first round of results indicate a lot of people around Atlanta visit Savannah multiple times per year (53 percent of respondents)—and up to once a month. Almost none of them, according to GDOT, are willing to fork over the cash to fly down there. 

GDOT isn’t finished collecting 2 cents from Georgians as the $10-million intercity rail study’s quest to finalize a Service Development Plan chugs along. 

The transportation authority released a new survey this week, requesting information on how much metro Atlantans are willing to pay for the convenience of getting to Savannah in as little as two and ½ hours—no driving or pricey gasoline required. Our survey test run, this time, took about two minutes to complete.

It’s another indication GDOT is serious about working with the Federal Rail Administration to develop a gameplan for passenger rail transit between two major, growing Georgia employment and tourism hubs over the next two years. The study kicked off in late 2023, and GDOT’s goal is to finalize the development plan and an Environmental Impact Statement in early 2028. 

A timeline for actually implementing the intercity rail line between ATL and the Hostess City—and how it might be funded—hasn’t been determined. 

Amtrak is one intercity rail provider GDOT is currently considering. Shutterstock

The project study area in question covers a wide swath of Georgia. Georgia Department of Transportation

The current, $10-million study was funded with $8 million from the Federal Rail Administration, awarded in 2023, plus a $2 million match from GDOT. The broader goal is to develop a program that helps guide the creation of an intercity rail network around the country, starting with rail projects deemed ready for implementation. 

The communal surveys are the first step. The most recent one will close Aug. 6. 

The Atlanta-Savannah Intercity Passenger Rail Project, as it’s formally called, will evaluate benefits and costs of the passenger rail line, weigh financial feasibility, and whittle down the range of service alternatives. 

Exactly where the rail line could travel remains unclear as well, with most of east and southeast Georgia under evaluation. (A 2025 survey asked for information on Atlantans’ travel patterns to Athens, Macon, and Augusta, too.)  

According to GDOT, Amtrak is just one of the “successful private operators” that’s being vetted for cost and feasibility for operating the rail line in Georgia, along with freight operators. (Amtrak has praised intown Atlanta as a strategic intercity rail hub location and in 2024 requested nearly $30 million in federal funding to secure a development site at a still-undisclosed location here.)

For 2026, a GDOT summary indicates that “work is ongoing, including a detailed technical analysis, coordination with partners, and ongoing review of potential alternatives.” 

Meanwhile, here’s a recap provided by GDOT for the first round of survey results:  

Sample results from the initial intercity rail survey released by GDOT last year. Georgia Department of Transportation

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