
New York City – Burlington
Connecting New York City with the Green Mountain State's biggest city

Amtrak's Vision: New York City – Burlington

This extension of the Ethan Allen Express service would connect communities in Vermont with those of New York, the region, and the greater Amtrak network.
Amtrak Connects US
Corridor Growth
Although New York and Burlington are 300 miles apart the two cities do not have a passenger rail connection. The last time Burlington was connected to the national passenger rail network was in 1953. Burlington, like much of Vermont, is a year-round travel destination with lakes for water activities, countless trails for hiking, and an endless number of ski slopes in the winter. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, since 2000, Burlington has added over 20,000 jobs to the economy and New York City added 750,000 jobs in the same period.
The new route would connect the seven universities from the Burlington area to the over 50 universities and 20.3 million residents of the New York City metropolitan area. At New York Penn Station, riders will be able to connect to services through the Northeast, Amtrak’s national network, and onto regional commuter railroads such as the Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit. These new rail connections for smaller cities would improve mobility for underserved communities and provide reliable and efficient transportation to education and employment opportunities along the route.
Proposed Stations
- Burlington, VT (NEW)
- Vergennes, VT (NEW)
- Middlebury, VT (NEW)
- Rutland, VT
- Castleton, VT
- Fort Edwards-Glen Falls, NY
- Schenectady, NY
- Albany-Rensselaer, NY
- Hudson, NY
- Rhinecliff, NY
- Poughkeepsie, NY
- Yonkers, NY
- Croton-Harmon, NY
- Yonkers, NY
- New York Penn Station
Environment and Transportation Equity
As the New York – Burlington region continues to grow, residents and visitors will seek faster and more efficient transportation alternatives. Due to the distance between the cities, few direct flights exist between the two of them. This results in traffic on I-87 which connects New York City to the Vermont border. From the Vermont border, the roads to Burlington mostly consist of single-lane roads.
The new route would allow for travelers an alternative to driving through the congested New York City. In 2019, INRIX ranked New York City as the fourth most congested city in the country, drivers on average lost 140 hours, at a cost of over $2,000.
Connections to Higher Education
A New York – Burlington Amtrak service would create new connections between major metropolitan cities, medium-sized cities, and colleges and universities. Students, their families, faculty, and staff will be able to take advantage of frequent Amtrak service to avoid traffic between destinations. Colleges and universities served by the New York – Burlington corridor include:
- University of Vermont (Student Population: 12,000)
- Middlebury College (Student Population: 2,600)
- Castleton University (Student Population: 2,300)
- Champlain College (Student Population: 2,100)
- Saint Michael's College (Student Population: 1,600)
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Student Population: 7,200)
- Siena College (Student Population: 3,200)
- SUNY Albany (Student Population: 17,300)
- City Universities of New York (Student Population: 275,000)
- CUNY – Medgar Evers College (Student Population: 5,800)
- St. John’s University (Student Population: 20,500)
- New York University (Student Population: 51,100)
- Fordham University (Student Population: 15,300)
- Columbia University (Student Population: 31,500)
Recent News
“ Western Corridor expected to reach Burlington next year .” Rutland Herald, Gordon Dritschilo. Jun 28, 2021.
“ Expanding Passenger Rail Service is a Priority .” Saratoga Today, Todd Shimkus (Opinion). May 20, 2021.
“ Amtrak's new map outlines vision for Vermont routes to Montreal, NYC .” Burlington Free Press, Maleeha Syed. Apr 1, 2021.
“ Progress on Burlington Amtrak service and bike path relocation moves along .” Burlington Free Press, Ethan Bakuli. Jan 27, 2021.