Amtrak Now Serving the Connecticut River Valley!

AMTRAK VERMONTER SERVICE TO THE KNOWLEDGE CORRIDOR STARTS DECEMBER 29; Tickets now available for service to Greenfield and Northampton, Mass.

Amtrak announced today that Amtrak Vermonter service to the Knowledge Corridor will start on December 29, 2014, with stops in Greenfield and Northampton, Mass.  Tickets are now available for purchase.  This is big news for those of us who publish this blog because this is RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD!!

The Vermonter will also add a stop in Holyoke, Mass., later in 2015 when station work is complete. The added stops due to the reroute will replace service provided to the Amherst station, which will end on December 28.

The restoration of train service to the Knowledge Corridor has been a goal of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and Governor Patrick’s Administration, who have been leading the effort to improve the Pan Am Southern tracks and shorten trip times within the Commonwealth. Funding for the project was provided through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In preparation for the new service, Amtrak has been working with local authorities to raise rail safety awareness by meeting with community groups and schools. A variety of rail safety education tools are available from Operation Lifesaver, a rail safety education organization.

The Vermonter operates daily between Washington and St. Albans, Vt., with service to Philadelphia, New York, Hartford, Conn., Springfield, Mass. and Essex Junction, Vt., and other intermediate stops.  In Fiscal Year 2014, ridership on this route increased 6.6 percent, providing service to more than 89,000 passengers.

Passengers may book travel via Amtrak.com, mobile apps, or by calling 800-USA-RAIL for any station along the route between Washington and St. Albans, Vt., using the attached schedule.