Highlights continued demand for more trains in New England
WASHINGTON – Amtrak, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) are pleased to announce two additional Amtrak Northeast Regional trains serving Springfield Union Station beginning Monday, June 5, 2023. Amtrak Northeast Regional trains offer customers single seat rides and direct access from Springfield to New York City in three and half hours and connections to the Northeast Corridor for travel to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and more.
“Adding two new Northeast Regional trains between Springfield and New York City meets the growing demand of train travel and allows more people to experience the benefits of passenger rail,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “Thanks to our collaboration with MassDOT and CTDOT, and with support from MTA Metro North, we can offer more service, reduce travel times and provide greater travel flexibility for our customers, including arriving in New York from Springfield and Hartford before 9 a.m.”
“Bringing additional train service and more options for riders along the Hartford and New Haven Lines is the result of a strong collaboration between CTDOT and our partners. We worked closely with Amtrak, MTA Metro-North Railroad, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to make this happen,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “Governor Lamont has charged us to improve rail travel in the state and give people more sustainable travel options. We delivered on the Super Express trains, which get riders from New Haven to New York in as little as 99 minutes, and now we are bringing this service to riders through funding provided in the Governor’s budget last year. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this possible. I look forward to future collaborations with our regional partners so we can continue to provide additional environmentally friendly commuting options for riders.”
“We appreciate the partnership with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, MTA Metro-North Railroad, and Amtrak which is leading to additional train service from Springfield,” said Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Gina Fiandaca. “These additional trips providing direct service between Western Massachusetts and New York City enhance the rail network and will make passenger train service an even more attractive travel option for visitors and residents. Additional travel by train will have many benefits, including taking vehicles off the roads, lessening traffic congestion, and helping to reduce greenhouse gases.”
Amtrak Northeast Regional trains offer single seat ride options from Springfield and Hartford to Moynihan Train Hall at New York Penn Station. Customers can depart Springfield at 4:45 a.m. or Hartford Union Station at 5:26 a.m. and arrive at Moynihan Train Hall at New York Penn Station at 8:10 a.m. or leave Springfield at 7:50 a.m. or Hartford at 8:35 a.m. and arrive in New York at 11:21 a.m. Heading north riders can depart New York at 6:59 p.m. and get into Hartford at 9:51 p.m. or Springfield at 10:40 p.m. or leave New York by 8:50 p.m. and get into Hartford at 11:41 p.m. or Springfield at 12:26 a.m.
Travelers can save on the stress from driving, lower their carbon footprint and expect the same amenities onboard Northeast Regional, trains as they do on most Amtrak trains. This includes free Wi-Fi, the freedom to use phones and electronic devices at all times (no “airplane mode”), the ability to travel with small pets within the US, large spacious seats with ample leg room and no middle seat.
Some additional service changes were made to the Springfield-Hartford Line service to accommodate this addition. Tickets are now available via Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app, Amtrak ticket desks and kiosks, and through 1-800-USA-RAIL.