For those looking to take a quick getaway from the city, Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express, which runs from NYC to the beautiful state of Vermont, is the perfect choice for a summer weekend adventure. And with brand new improvements, the journey’s even faster than before!
Amtrak, Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTRANS), New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), and the Vermont Railway (VRS) have joined forces to improve the passenger experience on the Ethan Allen Express which will shave minutes from the trip. Moreover, riders can expect more reliable service and a new schedule.
The southbound train will now leave Burlington at at 9:50 am, 20 minutes ahead of the previous schedule. This will result in an earlier arrival time at New York City’s Moynihan Train Hall by 30 minutes (at approximately 5:17pm). Whereas northbound trains will now arrive five minutes earlier (9:50pm) at Burlington.
Passengers will get a stunning view from their window as the Ethan Allen Express follows a scenic route through the Hudson River Valley. The entire journey takes a little over seven hours, but luckily Amtrak is equipped with WiFi, plenty of outlets and comfortable seating to make the time more manageable.
“Vermont and New York represent two of the most popular states for train travel demand throughout the country, and we appreciate the support of all of our partners, as residents and visitors from these two states will benefit from our collaboration,” said Amtrak Vice President, State Supported Services Ray Lang. “The new, faster trip times, combined with the earlier southbound departure out of Vermont’s largest city, makes train travel even more appealing to our customers and allows us to build upon our recent, successful expansion to Burlington.”
Most recently, the Ethan Allen Express expanded with additional stops in Burlington, Vergennes and Middlebury back in 2022. Since then, Amtrak has seen an influx in riders on the route. 86,638 passengers were recorded on the Ethan Allen Express in the Fiscal Year 2023. That’s a major growth in ridership from the FY19 with only 50,515 customers.
See more on Amtrak’s website.