For those who want to escape the city without worrying about traffic or airport chaos, Amtrak launched a new train service Friday from New York City to Burlington, Vermont.
The leisurely ride, which takes about 7.5 hours, passes through the Hudson Valley, the Green Mountains, and along Lake Champlain.
New stops along the way include Middlebury and Ferrisburgh-Vergennes, and the ride ends in Burlington, a small town with New England charm and a thriving arts scene. There has been no direct Amtrak service between New York City and Burlington since 1953.
Prior to the extension, the Ethan Allen Express rail line terminated in Rutland, Vermont. The line is extended 66 miles northwest to Burlington as part of the new route, and two new stops are made at Middlebury and Ferrisburgh-Vergennes.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express to downtown Burlington,” Jeff Lawson, Director at Hello Burlington, said. “It has been decades since the city had rail service, and with today’s traveler looking for more sustainable transportation options, the timing could not be better.”
Every day at 2:21 PM, the northbound Ethan Allen Express will leave Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan and get to Burlington at 9:55 PM. At 10:10 a.m., the southbound train departs from Burlington and reaches New York at 5:45 p.m.
Prices start at $75 roundtrip. Find out more about the route here and the Ethan Allen Express itinerary here.
“Passengers who want to experience the beauty, outdoor fun, and diverse offerings of Middlebury, Vergennes, and Burlington or travel to New York City can now do so sustainably, without being in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and while taking in some of the best views in the country via Amtrak,” Roger Harris, president of Amtrak, said.
“The extension of service to Burlington highlights the continued growth in demand for train travel throughout this country, and we are proud to meet this demand with our partners at AOT.”
Amtrak also restarted service from New York to the Berkshires earlier this month for the first time in 50 years. On Fridays and Sundays through September, the Berkshire Flyer will take travelers from New York to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, in just over 4 hours.
Stops include Yonkers, Croton-Harmon, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, Hudson and Albany-Rensselaer. The pilot program will be evaluated to determine if the service should continue.