Amtrak Service Begins in Greenfield, Northampton
 The John W. Olver Transit Center has been waiting two years for Amtrak trains. Passenger service between Washington, D.C., and St. Albans, Vt., begins Dec. 29 with stops in Greenfield and Northampton. |
GREENFIELD, Mass. — Amtrak will begin Amtrak Vermonter service to Greenfield and Northampton beginning Dec. 29. Tickets are now available for purchase.
The Vermonter will also add a stop in Holyoke later in 2015 when station work is complete. The added stops because of the reroute will replace service provided to the Amherst station, which will end on Dec. 28.
The restoration of train service to the Knowledge Corridor has been a goal of the state Department of Transportation and Gov. Deval Patrick's administration, which have been leading the effort to improve the Pan Am Southern tracks and shorten trip times within the commonwealth. Funding for the project was provided through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The John W. Olver Transit Center in Greenfield opened in 2012 in anticipation of the restoration of passenger train service and the hope that it will also be restored west through the Hoosac Tunnel to North Adams.
In preparation for the new service, Amtrak has been working with local authorities to raise rail safety awareness by meeting with community groups and schools. A variety of rail safety education tools are available from Operation Lifesaver, a rail safety education organization.
The Vermonter operates daily between Washington, D.C., and St. Albans, Vt., with service to Philadelphia, New York, Hartford, Conn., Springfield and Essex Junction, Vt., and other intermediate stops. In fiscal year 2014, ridership on this route increased 6.6 percent, providing service to more than 89,000 passengers.
Passengers may book travel via Amtrak.com, mobile apps, or by calling 800-USA-RAIL for any station along the route between Washington and St. Albans, Vt., using the attached schedule.
Tags: amtrak, passenger rail, transportation,
