I Rode The Amtrak Pennsylvanian from NYC to Pittsburgh. I Have Tips and Thoughts.
Most people would fly from New York to Pittsburgh. But I’m not most people. Maybe you’re not most people either, and you’re looking at taking Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian train.
Well, my girlfriend and I rode the whole thing, both directions, for our weekend trip to Pittsburgh. Today I’ll share my experience. Whether you’re riding the whole thing or you’re getting on and off elsewhere, I’ll try to cover it all:
- Booking tips
- Full review of the seats (I got an Amfleet car, which are among the most comfortable)
- What to know about food
- I’ll even look at its on-time performance and crunch the numbers
I’ve written before about why I prefer to take the train over flying. That holds up here for me, but there are lots of downsides to this Amtrak route over other options.
Booking the Pennsylvanian: Things to Keep in Mind
Amtrak’s website can be confusing and annoying.
Here are my tips and things to watch out for.
Make Sure You Choose Pittsburgh Union Station
When you type in “Pittsburgh,” it’ll give you two options. You want PGH, which is Pittsburgh Union Station. The other one, PGB, is a bus stop across the street. Amtrak uses it for routes that require a bus connection.
From there, the rest of the booking experience is simple.
I like that Amtrak’s displays the full price with no hidden fees. If it says $67, it’s $67.
They pitch a few upsells, like trip insurance (I never get it) and a refundable price option (I also pass on this).
If you’re traveling with more than one person, don’t be confused if it looks expensive. It lists the total price, not the price per ticket.
Once you’ve booked, I recommend the app. That’s the easiest way to get updates, and they scan your ticket as a QR code once you’re on the train. You can also add your ticket to Apple Wallet.
Book in Advance
With their pressure to make a profit, or get closer, Amtrak has adopted a dynamic pricing model that airlines use. This means, prices can vary widly. A few days before, the price can reach well over $100, but if you book in advance, it’s usually less than $70. That’s a pretty good deal. We got it for $64 per person, per direction, booking 4 months in advance.
Baggage Policy
They say you get two big bags plus a backpack. The reality is if you can carry it, they won’t say anything. Huge plus.
There’s Only 1 Train a Day
As you book, you’ll notice the Pennsylvanian only has one route per day. So if you’re going from New York or Philadelphia to Pittsburgh or vice versa, you’re stuck on this once per day schedule.
So don’t miss your train or you’re screwed!
This is a big L, and I’d love to see it improve.
Boarding Experience: Moynihan Train Hall in New York
My trip on the Pennsylvanian began in New York.
Moynihan Train Hall opened in 2021, and it has also been a huge upgrade to the Amtrak experience.
It feels much more like a new airport in terms of food options.
You have many food options, coffee, snacks, books, and anything else you’d find at an airport post-security.
Ticketed Passenger Area
If you want to sit, you can go in the ticketed passenger area. In this area, there are screens that announce when trains start boarding. This area it’s nothing special, and if there are lots of train delays, it overflows.
The boarding usually begins 10 minutes before departure. Once they announce it, you walk down the escalator.
Amtrak also sent me a text and email when boarding began.
I plan on getting there 30 minutes before the train leaves. Honestly, for this route, I’d go even earlier. It leaves New York at 10:52, so it’s not like it’s an early morning. Since there’s only one train per day, I advise against cutting it close on this one.
Boarding Experience: Pittsburgh Union Station
On the way back to New York, we got to Pittsburgh Union Station about 15 minutes before it left at 7:30 am. Fortunately, we were staying within walking distance, so we didn’t need as much of a buffer.
It’s a real station with indoor seating, but it’s basic. There are no vendors at Pittsburgh Union Station. Only vending machiines.
On Train Comfort: Enjoy The Amfleet
The highlight of the Pennsylvanian Amtrak for me was the comfort of the cars. In both directions, we were in an “Amfleet” car.
This car has more legroom, unmatched reclining options for coach, and other nice touches like curtains than other regional Amtrak trains.
Legroom + Reclining Option is Unmatched
This is a great route to take a nap on.
The black joystick is for lifting up the part underneath your seat. The metal pedal next to your feet is for the footrest. The button on the arm of your seat is to recline.
Curtains: A Nice Touch You Don’t See on Amtrak
Also conducive to taking naps are these blackout curtains.
Wifi: Pretty Good But Spotty in Dead Zones
Since we left on a Thursday, I clocked in a virtual work day on the train. Amtrak has wifi, but what they don’t tell you is that the wifi is dependent on whether Verizon has service. I had no issues with the service until we got west of Lewiston. After that, it was spotty depending on where we were. So if you have work calls and you need internet, plan on doing that east of Lewiston.
Other Comforts
There are lots of other nice touches to these Amtrak cars.
- The outlets are reliable.
- The reading lights work
- The foot rest is handy and makes it even easier to recline
- The tray tables are huge and they slide back and forth, so you can adjust them easily
- The bathrooms are nothing special, but they’re real bathrooms with a real sink
- They’re hidden and annoying to use, but you can fill up your water bottle next to the bathrooms. I’ve had this water on dozens of Amtrak rides, and I’ve never died, so it’s safe. I think it tastes funny to me because I’m used to New York City water.
All of this means that even though speed isn’t this train’s strength, its comfort meant that I didn’t mind as much.
Cafe Car Experience
Another core component of any longish Amtrak ride is the cafe car.
Here are my highlights and tips of the cafe car.
Eat in The Cafe Car
If you have coach class, you can only sit in the cafe car while eating, so I recommend eating in the cafe car. I find that it breaks up the ride and it’s nice to get away from my seat for a little while. (Just do so in-between stops, so it’s impossible for somebody to steal your stuff and get off the train with your computer. I’ve seen this happen before on a different Amtrak route.)
The Menu is Nothing Special, But It’s Something
The snack selection is decent. They have some granola bars, cookies, candies, and other staples. They also have meals that they microwave. You can’t use their microwave for your own food, due to FDA regulations.
You won’t starve, but these aren’t the greatest meals in the world. Since this is an all-day train, I highly recommend packing at least one more nutritious meal. I packed meals for lunch, and then we ate at the cafe car for dinner.
At least the prices are reasonable. These are not airline prices.
The Cafe Car has Sporadic Hours
Over the course of the ride, you’ll hear it opening and closing. If you want to go, make sure it’s open.
Bring Cash
You can pay with a card or Apple Pay, but their card reader doesn’t work if there’s no service. So for the more rural part of the ride, it’ll be more reliable to have cash on hand.
Leg-by-Leg Breakdown
This may not be as interesting to, but here’s a breakdown of what I perceived as the separate sections of the train ride.
Fast and Electric to Philadelphia
As we loved New York City and moved through New Jersey, I was impressed by how the train zipped based cars moving parallel to us on the highway.
The train ride to Philadelphia is a breeze. It’s the part of the trip with the best infrastructure, and it’s the only electrified part of the trip.
When we got to Philly, we had about a 10-minute break for them to swap out the electric car for a diesel engine.
A Break at Harrisburg
The train ride to Harrisburg was smooth. Once we got there, we had a 10-minute “smoke break,” as the conductor called it. I took advantage of the opportunity to stretch my legs and take in some sunlight. I recommend you do too.
West of Lewiston – The Amish Appear and The Service Gets Bad
Who says the Amtrak can’t be a bit of a cultural learning experience? This may be a weird thing to call out, but both times I’ve been on Amtrak trains headed towards the Midwest, I’ve seen many Amish people. Amtrak is the only time I’ve been around the Amish in my life.
My understanding is that the Amish limit their use of modern technology and electricity. This means that the good ol’ long-distance Amtrak trains are often how they travel.
Amtrak nuts often notice this, and there’s a term for it: “Amishtrak.”
There’s probably something to learn from them about limiting the use of all this modern technology, which can be double-edged.
Also, one we passed Lewiston, the wifi and service got spotty. Check the train schedule and make sure you don’t have any important work calls west of Lewiston.
The Charm of the Wilderness and Cute Town Centers
As we moved west past Philly, the views outside the train were mostly lush green woods that reminded me a bit of Vermont.
Some of the stops, like Huntingdon, reminded me of many Vermont town centers near where I grew up.
After Altoona: The Horseshoe Curve
When we passed Altoona, a man across from me told me that we were a few miles from the supposedly famous “Horseshoe Curve.” There is even a museum for it.
These are the types of people you meet on long Amtrak rides. Since the ride is much slower than driving or flying, it’s mostly people who like trains. I love these people. They are my type of weird.
If you want the best view of it, which we didn’t have, go to the back of the train and sit on the left side heading west or the right side heading east, as our friend advised us before we saw him head to the back of the train.
We went to the front and got a shot of it from the cafe car.
It’s a cool view, but also a representation of partly why this train is so dang slow: so many curves.
You just can’t have high-speed, or even medium-speed trains if the train has to turn so much, which is why the Northeast’s Acela train line only hits xxx mph, even though those trains sets are designed to hit xxx mpg.
Storms Brewing As We Approach Pittsburgh
The next stop after Altoona, they told us we’d be moving slowly because of a big storm up ahead. We ended up sitting at one of the stations for about an hour while we waited for it to pass.
In Amtrak’s defense, a big chunk of Pittsburgh lost power.
In the end, we arrived at 9 pm, 45 minutes after the scheduled time. Not too bad for Amtrak! Would a European or Asian high-speed train have gone right through that storm? Yes.
The Amtrak Pennsylvanian vs Other Options
The Amtrak Pennsylvanian route often won’t make the most sense on paper, but it might be more competitive than you think. Overall, if you’re not in a particular rush, I recommend taking a second look at the train.
Total Time: The Train Is The Slow Ride
The Pennsylvanian route runs 9 hours and 20 minutes.
A flight is between 90 minutes and two hours.
Even the drive in this case is much faster. Depending on traffic, it’s about 6 and a half hours. Why a full three hours faster? The train takes an indirect route through Philadelphia.
But don’t forget to factor in the total time. For a flight, you’ll have to get there 75-120 minutes early, and you’ll have to haul your butt to one of New York’s airports, so tack on an extra 45 minutes at least compared to getting to Penn Station.
For Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, the train is more competitive when you factor in extra time for airport security.
Or if you have an intermediate destination, the train ride could be nearly as fast as flying. After all, Altoona and Johnstown don’t have airports.
But in the end, there’s no doubt the Pennsylvanian is a slower route and for those who aren’t in a rush.
Factor in Reliability
You’ll also have to factor in the risk of delays. Flying, driving, and the train all have their downsides in this respect. With driving, traffic around major cities can set you back an hour or more. With flying, bad weather is more likely to cause major delays than the train. (Although, as I learned, the train won’t go through major storms.)
The on-time performance on the Pennsylvanian is just okay. That’s for two main reasons, which I’ll explain in the FAQ.
Here’s a screenshot from Amtrak’s Status Map Archive Database. In the previous month, the median was to arrive 4 minutes early, which sounds really good. The problem are the times when something goes wrong. 4 times in the previous month it arrived more than an hour late. Once it was four and a half hours late. Yikes.
All told, I wish I could tell you the Pennsylvanian is reliable. You’re more likely to arrive early than late, but it’s also possible you’ll get delayed by an hour or more.
Total Costs
You can get cheap flights from Pittsburgh to New York that will compete with the cost of this train. However, you’ll want to keep the total costs in mind. For example, that baseline air fare often won’t even include a carry-on bag, let alone checked bags. The cost of your flight can balloon based on that.
Second, remember transport to and from the airports. New York’s airports, with the exception of LaGuardia, are more costly to get to on transit than a Subway swipe. If you’re going to take a car, that cost will go up even more.
As for car rentals, that will likely be more expensive than the train for one person, but if you’re going with two or more, the price is comparable.
For the two of us and our bags, the train was the best price overall, but not by much.
Comfort: Where Amtrak Shines
Here’s where Amtrak will always win. It could go 5mph, but it’d still be more comfortable than flying.
The reasons for this are simple
- Way bigger seats
- Cafe car
- Real bathrooms and sinks that aren’t cramped
- Wifi, outlets, and big tray tables
I’d way rather be on a slower train than a flight where I waste half my day anyway and can’t get any work done. But that will be a personal prefernce.
Environmental Impact: Amtrak Wins
As I wrote about in my article on Amtrak vs flying, short flights are a disaster for the environment. I try to avoid them at all costs.
Amtrak will be the most environmentally friendly option. However, not by as much as you’d hope, because it runs on a diesel engine from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. So if you’re going with 2+ people, a car rental won’t be that much worse from a strict CO2 emissions perspective.
With that said, it’s the more climate-conscious option. Also, you’re giving your dollars to Amtrak, an organization that, if properly funded, could further electrify its routes and run more trains for less cost. This is what could, in the future, make our transportation on mass sustainable.
Service + Frequency Options: Amtrak Loses Hard
Another area where the Pennsylvanian route clearly loses is the fact that it only leaves once a day. If that time doesn’t work, then you’ll have to go with another option.
There are dozens of direct flights from New York to Pittsburgh a day, which gives you more flexibility.
I Will Still Take This 10 times out of 10
With all that said, I loved taking the Pennsylvanian. It was comfortable, I worked or read or hung out the entire time. I was not in a rush. I got a good price. It was the best option for the planet.
All of that is enough for me. I don’t like to be in a rush anyway.
Questions About the Amtrak Pennsylvanian? I Got Answers.
Why is This Train So Slow???
How much time do you have?
The simplest answer is a lack of investment in passenger rail like other developed countries. Every country with successful passenger rail invests a lot in it. Yes, that means tax dollars. And yes, I think this is a good investment.
Most often, the national government funds and owns the tracks. Think of this like how we use roads. The government pays for the roads. Or airports. These are government-funded, and then the airlines profit off this government investment. So that’s the overarching reason. We invest a heavy amount of taxpayer money to make driving and flying reliable, but we don’t apply the same logic to passenger rail. We should.
Driving and flying don’t make a profit on their own, and transit shouldn’t be expeced to either.
The more specific answers for why Amtrak faces delays are a fewfold:
- The freight trains own the tracks. This is a fundamental issue with Amtrak. West of Philadelphia, Norfolk Southern owns the tracks, and their freight trains get priority. This means your passenger train often has to pull over and wait for freight trains to pass. During our trip, we had to stop multiple times for this reason alone.
- Curves (it’s an old route). The Pennsylvanian route follows historic rail paths that weren’t designed for high-speed travel. The Horseshoe Curve near Altoona is a prime example. Modern higher-speed rail requires much straighter tracks.
- Speed restrictions. Due to the condition of the tracks and the terrain, there are numerous speed-restricted zones throughout the route. Even in areas where the train could theoretically go faster, it’s often limited to slower speeds for safety.
- Amtrak’s aging train sets. Amtrak is hobbling with train sets that should have been taken out of service by now. This means they often have mechanical issues.
What’s the On-Time Performance of the Pennsylvanian?
Based on Amtrak’s own statistics, the Pennsylvanian arrives on time about 70-75% of the time. When it is delayed, it’s usually by 30-60 minutes, though delays of 2+ hours aren’t uncommon.
The most common causes of delays:
- Freight train interference (the biggest culprit)
- Weather issues (especially in winter)
- Track maintenance
- Mechanical problems (which is getting worse, as Amtrak’s cars keep getting older, and politicians keep holding Amtrak hostage and demanding they make a profit which I think is dumb.)
Future Plans for Improved Pennsylvanian Service?
There have been discussions about adding a second daily trip on the Pennsylvanian route, which would be a welcome improvement to the current once-a-day service.
However, as reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, due to the current administration attacking passenger rail, the funds from Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill to make this a reality have been paused.
It’s sad, but passenger rail is deeply politicized in this country.
As for speed improvements, don’t hold your breath. Pennsylvania would need the political will to see the benefits it would bring to have faster, more frequent, and more reliable train service to Philly.
Does the Pennsylvanian Have a Sleeper Option?
No, the Pennsylvanian doesn’t offer sleeper cars or roomettes. It’s classified as a day train rather than a long-distance service.
However, the seats recline quite generously, and with the blackout curtains, you can get a decent nap in. The Amfleet cars on this route are among Amtrak’s most comfortable for coach passengers.
If you’re headed further west and want a sleeper, you could connect in Pittsburgh to the Capitol Limited, which does have roomette options. Before you do, check out my experience and full review of Amtrak’s roomettes. If you’re taking that train, you’ll have a layover of a few hours, or you can stop and spend a day in Pittsburgh.
Where Does the Amtrak Pennsylvanian Stop?
The Pennsylvanian makes the following stops (from east to west):
- New York (Penn Station/Moynihan Train Hall)
- Newark, NJ
- Trenton, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Ardmore, PA
- Paoli, PA
- Exton, PA
- Downingtown, PA
- Parkesburg, PA
- Lancaster, PA
- Elizabethtown, PA
- Middletown, PA
- Harrisburg, PA
- Lewistown, PA
- Huntingdon, PA
- Tyrone, PA
- Altoona, PA
- Johnstown, PA
- Latrobe, PA
- Greensburg, PA
- Pittsburgh, PA
That’s a total of 21 stops across the journey.
Is Business Class Worth It on the Pennsylvanian?
On the way back, I submitted a BidUp attempt and we got upgraded to Business Class for $17. The seating is not better in Business Class. In fact, they didn’t have the puffy footrest. However, it did come with some nice perks
- A complimentary non-alcoholic beverage. I got a free coffee, which at 7:30am was a blessing.
- A quieter car. There’s no quiet car on this route, but business class was extra chill.
- You can go to the cafe car before it opens. Sometimes when it’s closed to Coach Class it’s still open for Business Class.
- You can hang out in the cafe car. This is possibly the best part. There’s a separate cafe car section with booth seating where you can go, and you don’t need to be eating to go there.
Is it worth it? That depends. I wouldn’t pay more for it again on this route. It’s not any more comfortable, it just comes with those perks.
You can try to get it for less by using Amtrak Bidup.
Can I Bring My Bike on the Pennsylvanian?
Yes. The Pennsylvanian has roll-on bicycle service, but space is limited to only 3-4 bikes per train. You need to reserve this service in advance when booking your ticket, and there’s an additional $20 fee each way.
If you’re planning a bike trip, this is a great option, especially since you can access numerous bike trails near several stops along the route.
What’s the Best Side of the Train for Views?
For the most scenic views:
- Left side (facing forward) from NYC to Pittsburgh: Best for views of the Susquehanna River and the famous Horseshoe Curve
- Right side (facing forward) from Pittsburgh to NYC: Same views but on the opposite side
My favorite views came after Harrisburg as we climbed into the Allegheny Mountains.
Is There a Quiet Car?
No, unlike the Northeast Regional and Acela trains, the Pennsylvanian doesn’t designate a Quiet Car. If noise is a concern, I’d recommend bringing noise-canceling headphones.
Can I Stretch My Legs at Stops Along the Way?
At Philadelphia nad Harrisburg, they announce short breaks. But don’t wander off. It’ll leave without you.
I’m Visiting New York. DO You Have Tips?
Yes I do!
What Should I Pack for the Journey?
For a comfortable 9+ hour journey, I recommend:
- Your own snacks and at least one meal.
- A water bottle (there are water fountains on board)
- Entertainment (books, tablets, downloads for when WiFi is spotty)
- A light jacket or sweater (the AC can get cold)
- A neck pillow if you plan to nap
- Cash for the café car (in case their card reader isn’t working)
Have more questions about the Pennsylvanian? Drop them in the comments below and I’ll update this FAQ.
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