The Showcase Magazine - Articles


by Erik R. Slagle



You CAN Get There From Here, Part 2: More Unforgettable Amtrak Rides that Start in New Jersey

In the last issue we looked at train rides that originate out of Newark’s Penn Station. “Train travel” doesn’t have to be a New Jersey Transit-style experience – it can be comfortable and relaxing. The food is good (no, really, it is), you get to keep your shoes on when boarding, and the accommodations make airline seats look like folding chairs.

It’s a time of “social distancing,” of course, and Amtrak is adjusting accordingly. Some routes might terminate at points earlier than usual. But when (not if) the nation gets back to normal, you can “gear down” and enjoy what’s rolling by outside your window. For now, be sure to check the Amtrak site for the most recent information about crossing into Canada, if Niagara Falls, Toronto, or Montreal is your destination.

From Newark, catch any one of several trains to Penn Station-NYC. And then choose your “long weekend” escape route:

Adirondack to Montreal. Trace the path of the Hudson River, which often emerges from forests right outside your window. Sail through the Palisades, Adirondacks and Catskills on a straight shot north through Newburgh and Poughkeepsie to Albany. After Albany, stay on board and you’ll pass through Saratoga Springs, Westport (for Lake Placid, site of the 1980 Olympics; a visit to the Olympics Center and Museum is a must) and Lake Champlain. A Customs stop at the border is your last pause before reaching Montreal.

Ethan Allen Express to Lake George. As far north as Albany, you’ll follow the same route as the Adirondack. When you reach Saratoga Springs, however, you’ll switch to Amtrak bus service taking you the rest of the way to Lake George, where you can find a stunning reconstruction of historic Fort William Henry and a number of other historic sites. You can also stay on past Lake George while the train swings east into Vermont’s stunning countryside, terminating in Rutland 250 miles north of Manhattan.

(For another Vermont excursion, try the Vermonter, which also departs from Penn Station, to St. Albans. An entirely different trail from the Ethan Allen cuts through Connecticut and Massachusetts. You’ll get a fuller tour of the Green Mountain State, including stops at White River Junction and Montpelier. When you reach St. Albans, you’ll be on the Lake Champlain shoreline, just south of the Canadian border.)

Maple Leaf to Niagara Falls. Any route that involves a border crossing is likely to be running on an alternate schedule, but normally this ride cuts across the Finger Lakes Region and goes all the way to Toronto. It crosses into Canada at Niagara Falls, with stops on both the American and Canadian sides. Your route from Penn Station takes you first to Albany, followed by a left turn and a slow ride all the way to Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. In all, it’s about a 8-9 hour ride from the bustle of Manhattan to one of the wonders of the world – and you can do it all from the comfort of an Amtrak recliner, without having to put miles on your car or cram into a bus seat.