Amtrak is Fully Resuming 3 Popular Routes to Spring and Summer Travel

Avoid crowded flights and exhausting road trips. This spring and summer, train travel will be our preferred mode of transportation, due to the return to scenic Amtrak routes to highly sought-after destinations. Specifically, Amtrak is resuming three notable, passenger-favorite routes—each one snaking its way through picturesque landscape, including mountains, lakes, rivers, and seashores—and into cities in Quebec, the Pacific Northwest, and the Berkshires. 

Amtrak travels are more relaxing than flying, because they offer comfortable seats and free Wi-Fi. We are excited to take these three train routes on warm days. 

For the first time since 2020, the Adirondack line resumes to Montreal

Amtrak’s Adirondack route between New York City and Montreal has been on pause for almost three years because of the pandemic. It will be back in service on April 3, after being out of commission for nearly three. Passengers and politicians alike—including U.S. senators Chuck Schumer and Kristin Gillibrand—had long been pushing for the beloved route’s resumption. 

The complete route from New York Penn Moynihan Station takes about 10 hours. It passes through the Hudson River Valley and Lake Champlain before coming to Montreal’s Central Station. 

“From Plattsburgh to Poughkeepsie and into Penn Station, the Adirondack Line runs through some of the most beautiful parts of Upstate New York and resumption of this service will help pump vital tourism dollars into Main Streets across Upstate NY,” Schumer said in a statement. 

Amtrak does not yet have tickets on sale.

Berkshires Flyer train returns this summer

After a successful pilot year last summer, travelers loved the Berkshires Flyer train. The new season is here. The route was conceptualized as an alternative to the traffic-choked roads between New York City and the Berkshires, and it runs from New York Penn-Moynihan Station with six stops—including Poughkeepsie, Hudson, and Albany—before arriving in charming Pittsfield, Massachusetts. 

Summer 2023 tickets go on sale March 20. It is important to book your tickets as soon as possible. Last summer, many trains sold out quickly, especially on holidays weekends. Amtrak is still looking at the 2023 season in its pilot program. The train’s popularity this summer could determine if it becomes a permanent offer.

Only weekends are available for service on the seasonal route. It is open from July to September. The Berkshires Flyer left New York Penn-Moynihan on Fridays at 3:16 p.m., arriving at Pittsfield’s Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center by 7:12 p.m. For the southbound leg, it left Pittsfield at 3:00 p.m., arriving in New York at 7 :05 p.m. 

Round-trip coach fares were approximately $90 in 2022. Business-class tickets were closer at $250. The 4.5-hour journey from New York City to Pittsfield will offer passengers breathtaking views of the Catskills as well as the Hudson River Valley. 

Service to Portland, Oregon is resumed on the full Cascades route

Amtrak’s scenic Pacific Northwest route was resumed by the Cascades Train in fall 2022. Passengers were able to once again travel from Seattle to Vancouver, British Columbia. 

The route from Portland, Oregon to Vancouver has been restored fully as of March 6. “By adding staffing and equipment to the region, we can once again offer customers a direct connection between Portland and Canada,” Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said in a statement.

The Portland-to Seattle leg of the journey features some of the most stunning views, including breathtaking views of Mount St. Helen’s snow-capped peaks as well as pine-laden cliffs crossing the Columbia River Gorge. 

Round-trip fares start from $50 for coach travel and $100 for business class. Amtrak’s Metropolitan Lounge has been reopened inside Portland Union Station. Business class passengers who book in business class will be able to access Amtrak’s newly renovated Metropolitan Lounge.