Pittsburgh’s Daily Train to New York Is About to Become Two

Amtrak will double its Pennsylvanian service between New York City and Pittsburgh on November 18, expanding the route from one daily round trip to two. The second frequency is the result of a partnership between the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern, the freight railroad that owns the tracks.

Those tracks are the reason this took years. The Pennsylvanian runs over Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line, part of a corridor that carries heavy double-stack freight between Chicago and the New York area. PennDOT signed an agreement with the railroad in 2023, following a 2021 study that identified 11 infrastructure projects between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh needed to keep passenger and freight trains from delaying each other.

Four early-action improvements are finished, which is what allowed the extra train to start. The remaining projects, including upgraded rail lines, sidings and signal infrastructure, are projected to be complete by 2030. The work is partly funded by $143 million in federal grants, with additional state transit money covering design and construction of the rest.

For travelers, a second departure each way means more flexibility on a route that previously offered a single option per day, whether you are visiting Pittsburgh from the East Coast or heading across Pennsylvania for the holidays. Check Amtrak’s timetable for the new departure times before booking, since the schedule only takes effect on the 18th.

Sources: Progressive Railroading, Railway Age