Spotlight: Hudson Valley Amtrak Route to Be Closed ‘For Years’

A popular Amtrak route that cuts directly through the Hudson Valley has been modified, and passengers might not see the return of these scheduled route for years to come.

Train travel can be a bit of a sore subject in New York. While rail companies like Amtrak are trying to lure new customers with special direct routes to destinations like the New York State Fair and the MTA is introducing new hybrid trains, some customers remain focused on what they're losing instead.

Amtrak Schedule Cut During Tunnel Construction

The schedule of Amtrak's scheduled route is being slashed due to new construction and maintenance of train tunnels in New York City that take the trains to a yard in Queens (below). New construction requires less train traffic, including this Hudson Valley route:

Which Amtrak Routes Are Affected by New Schedule

Amtrak's Empire Line as well as their Maple Leaf and Adirondack trains will see cuts in service. To clarify, these route schedules are not completely cancelled, but rather the schedule has been reduced from 13 daily trains to 10. The route times that have been suspended are as follows:

Train Routes Between Albany and New York City Currently Suspended

The 8:20am train leaving New York City for Albany as well as the 6:35 train that leaves Albany for New York City will be suspended for upwards of three years. Amtrak is also reportedly combining Maple Leaf and Adirondack train lines as part of the new schedule.

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Not only does this move eliminate certain routes, but many riders are also worried about extended wait times in between transfers now that their previous train has been suspended. If affected customers are still looking for travel options (and a different means of transportation), consider one of the many scenic road trips below.