What if we told you you could get easily from NYC to Canada, no driver’s license required and without hopping on a flight? Well, you can! There’s actually a train route that takes straphangers on a stunning journey from NYC straight to Montreal. Even more, it’s just $72!
The caveat: the journey will take over 10 hours, but the beautiful views you’ll pass along the way make it all worth it. In the end, it’s not the destination but the journey, right?
Amtrak’s Adirondack route travels from New York City, through the lush wine country of the Hudson Valley, into Montreal, one of our favorite winter destinations. Its service will give New Yorkers a chance to explore all of the exciting activities Montreal has to offer, whether you’re going in the dead of winter or wait until the weather warms up.
Covering a distance of approximately 381 miles, this famous passenger rail route is renowned for its stunning scenery and considered one of the most beautiful rail routes in North America.
You’ll depart New York’s Moynihan Train Hall in the morning and arrive in Montreal in the evening. The entire trip will take just under 12 hours, as the line will make numerous stops along the way at Yonkers, Croton-Harmon, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, Hudson, Albany-Rensselaer Station, Schenectady, Saratoga Springs, and more.
Amenities and accommodations vary by train, though your trip will include spacious seating, free WiFi, and onboard café service. Since the route travels internationally, passengers will have to present their passports and complete customs procedures.
Amtrak’s website writes:
Enjoy nature’s kaleidoscope of colors on the Adirondack, rated a “Top 10 Most Scenic Train Ride in the World” as you discover why hikers, leaf peepers and snow lovers make annual pilgrimages to Lake Champlain’s shores. Along the way, history comes alive in places like Saratoga Springs and Ticonderoga, while le enchantement of Montreal gives this journey a distinctively international flavor.
Tickets are now on sale and you can grab yours and learn more about the Adirondack route on Amtrak’s website. And while you’re in Montreal be sure to head to this whimsical, snow-dusted pine forest that you can ice skate through and feed exotic animals along the way!