I Rode Amtrak’s Keystone Service from NYC to Harrisburg. Here’s What You Need to Know.
If you’re going to between New York and Harrisburg and looking at taking Amtrak’s Keystone Service to get there, you’re in the right place.
I took it to Harrisburg and back, and I’m going to tell you everything you need to know to decide whether it’s for you, and prepare for the trip.
Now, I’ve ridden a lot of Amtrak trains in many regions of the country. The Keystone Service is one of the most reliable and frequent. It has the classic Amtrak comfort that makes it (in my opinion) a no-brainer over driving.
Summary: What to Know About Amtrak’s Keystone Service
- It’s fast and frequent. Bypass NYC and Jersey traffic, hit 125mph top speed, and with nearly hourly service. Its on-time performance is consistently above 90%.
- Very comfortable. Cushy seats, ample legroom, outlets, (serviceable) wifi, luggage included.
- No cafe car :(. This is the biggest downside. Bring snacks and get coffee beforehand.
- Try to book in advance. Prices jump up last minute and around holidays. If you do, the price is fair.
My Top Tips for Riding the Keystone
Here’s another quick TL;DR with a few tips I’d give based on my trip.
- Book at least a few weeks in advance for better prices. Dynamic pricing means last-minute tickets will hurt your wallet.
- Bring your own food and coffee. There’s no cafe car. I made this mistake once. Don’t be like me.
- Sit backward if you’re leaving from New York. It turns around at Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania views are worth it.
- Use the quiet car if you want to work or sleep.
- Arrive 20-30 minutes early. This gives you time to grab coffee and find your track without stress.
- Download the Amtrak app. It makes boarding and tracking updates way easier.
Okay, now let’s get into the details.
Try To Book at Least a Few Weeks in Advance
Like many Amtrak routes these days, the Keystone uses dynamic pricing.
This is a similar system that airlines use, where prices change based on a supply-and-demand algorithm. That means if you’re booking last-minute or during busy travel times, you can easily pay over $100 for a one-way trip.
But if you book even a few weeks in advance, most tickets are between $52-$61 one-way from New York to Harrisburg. If you’re route isn’t the full way, expect less.
That’s a pretty good deal for a comfortable ride with no airport hassle.
My advice: book in advance. Don’t wait.
Amtrak’s Website Kinda Sucks, But the App is Good
It’s no secret that Amtrak’s website is buggy. If you’re having issues, I recommend booking on the app, which is much cleaner.
When you get on the train, having the app is easiest too because it’ll show the QR code for your trip right there. No need to “check in” like this is a flight. Your ticket is just there. You can also add your ticket to Apple Wallet.
Boarding: Moynihan Train Hall
If you’re leaving from New York, you’ll depart from Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station. This place opened in 2021. It feels like a modern airport terminal with tons of food and coffee options.
You can get quick coffee or a boujie coffee, a grab-and-go snack, or get a full meal.
There’s a ticketed passenger area where you can sit and wait, with screens showing departure times.
Boarding usually starts about 10 minutes before departure. I like to get there 20-30 minutes early, which gives me plenty of time to grab coffee and not rush.
Boarding: Harrisburg’s Historic Building
Harrisburg’s train station was also a gem. Instead of the array of chain stores, it has a little mom-and-pop place inside with coffee and snacks.
They have a kiosk to print out your ticket, and, at least the hours I was there, somebody from Amtrak staffed at the station to help people out.
The station is also a historic landmark, a reminder of a time when the U.S. was built by railroad companies that don’t exist anymore. Cool stuff.
Boarding At Other Stations: Hit or Miss
New York, Newark, Trenton, Philly, Lancaster and Harrisburg stations with bathrooms, indoor waiting areas, and all that other stuff. (Lancaster’s even recently got some upgrades.)
The other stops are hit or miss. Some are just a platform. So if you’re getting on or off, consider the reality that you may have no bathroom and be exposed to the elemetns
The Train: Comfortable Amfleet Cars
The Keystone uses Amfleet coaches. These are the same cars you’ll find on Northeast Regional routes, the Vermonter, and many other corridor trains.
These train cars are old, but they’re very comfortable.
Seats and Legroom
Coach seats aren’t assigned, so sit wherever you want.
The legroom is extremely generous, way more than you’d get on a plane or bus. The seats are wide with decent recline.
Each seat has two outlets at the window, though they’re sometimes spaced oddly, so check before you settle in.
The outlets work reliably, which is huge for getting work done or keeping your devices charged.
The tray tables are also quite big. You can comfortably eat food or plop your laptop down.
No Cafe Car—Bring Your Own Food
Here’s the one major downside: there’s no cafe car on the Keystone Service. No hot food, no coffee service, no tables with views.
So bring your own food and grab coffee before you board.
Quiet Car
The Keystone has a designated quiet car. If you don’t want to hear other people’s conversations or want to lock in on some quiet work, then grab yourself a seat in the quiet car.
There’s no business class on the Keystone, just coach seating.
In this respect, it’s sort of like a commuter train you’ll find, like Amtrak’s Hartford Line.
The trade-off to frequent, reliable service sometimes you don’t get the niceties you find on Amtrak’s longer routes.
Baggage Policy: Generous as Always
Like other Amtrak routes, they say you get two full-size bags plus a backpack. In reality, if you can carry it yourself, nobody’s going to say anything. There’s plenty of overhead storage and space at the end of each car for larger bags.
How Likely Are You to Get Your Own Seat?
It can get packed between Philadelphia and New York. If you’re traveling at a busy hour, it’s possible you’ll have somebody seated next to you. But for the rest of the route, except on busy travel days, you’ll have your own seat.
WiFi: Pretty Good Throughout
The wifi on the Keystone is solid for the entire route, even through the more rural parts of Pennsylvania. Like most Amtrak wifi, it’s not suitable for streaming or video calls, but it works fine for browsing, email, and documents.
I got work done on this train without major issues.
The Route: Fast and Fully Electric
The journey from New York to Harrisburg takes you through some of America’s oldest cities and into Pennsylvania Dutch country. The train is fully electric the entire way, which is why it can hit those high speeds. Electric trains accelerate faster than diesel.
It also runs on dedicated Amtrak tracks. This means no freight trains are slowing it down or forcing it to pull over.
This is what passenger rail should and could be all over the country. I’m not begging for 200mph trains here, just a train that’s comparable to driving and frequent enough to rely on.
The Train Turns Around at Philadelphia
Here’s something to keep in mind: the train reverses direction in Philadelphia. If you’re seated facing forward when you leave New York, you’ll be facing backward for the rest of the trip.
I actually recommend sitting backward if you’re getting on in New York. The views through rural Pennsylvania are better on the western half of the journey.
Travel Time Varies by About 30 Minutes
Some Keystone trains make the trip in around 3 hours and 20 minutes, while others take closer to 4 hours. The difference is usually due to a longer stop in Philadelphia, which I think is for crew changes.
Also, some trains skip certain stops between Philadelphia and New York. All of them stop at Newark, but some also stop at Newark Airport and other stations along the way. Check your specific train’s schedule.
On-Time Performance: One of Amtrak’s Stronger Routes at 90%+
For context, “on-time” means arriving within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.
The Keystone Service has consistently strong on-time performance compared to most Amtrak routes. In 2019, it hit 93.3% on-time performance.
A more recent report from August 2025 showed that it hit 92.9% that month. (August is usually a bad month for Amtrak, as its trains and tracks don’t do well in the heat.)
Why is the Keystone so reliable? Electrification and the fact that it runs exclusively on Amtrak-owned tracks.
Freight trains are the biggest cause of delays on routes like the Pennsylvanian and other longer and long-distance trains. The Keystone avoids that problem.
Keystone Service vs Driving vs Buses
Even if you have a car, you should consider taking the train.
Total Time
The drive from New York to Harrisburg is about 3 hours and 30 minutes without traffic. But if you’re leaving from Manhattan, add at least 30-45 minutes to get out of the city. And if you hit traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike or I-78, add even more time.
The train takes 3 hours and 20 minutes to 4 hours, depending on your specific departure.
With the train, you show up 15-20 minutes before departure, board, and relax. No traffic stress, no need to stay focused on the road, and you can work or read the entire time.
Buses like Greyhound and Flix may be cheaper (around $35), but slower and way less comfortable.
(I’ve written about riding Flix in the U.S., if you want another firsthand account.)
They’re stuck in the same traffic as cars, with cramped seats, unreliable schedules, and worse service.
Cost
If you book in advance, at all times of day the Keystone is usually between $52-$61. Of course, if you’re getting on or off between NYC and Harrisburg, it’ll be less.
This is a pretty good deal. If you’re driving, you have to factor in tolls and parking in addition to gas.
Buses might save you $20-$30, but the comfort and time savings of the train are worth it to me.
The exception may be if I have to do this at the last minute.
Another savvy option if prices are crazy is to take the Keystone to Philadelphia, and then a bus like Peter Pan to NYC. Usually, the Philly to NYC portion is what makes Amtrak ticket prices crazy.
Comfort: Not Even Close
The train wins decisively here. Wide seats, outlets, wifi, and the ability to walk around make it far more comfortable than driving or taking a bus. You don’t have to stay focused on the road, deal with stiff legs, or endure highway monotony.
I’d take this train over driving every single time.
Reliability
With 92.9% on-time performance, the Keystone is more reliable than driving (where traffic is wildly unpredictable) and buses (which face the same traffic plus additional delays).
Environmental Impact
The Keystone Service is fully electric, which makes it way better for the environment than any bus or car, whether gas-powered or electric. Electric trains produce far fewer emissions per passenger mile, especially when you’re traveling alone.
Why the Keystone Service Works
The Keystone is proof that passenger rail can work in America when we actually invest in it. It is a “state-supported” route with funding from the State of Pennsylvania. Why? Because Pennsylvania knows it’s good for Pennsylvanians when they have more options.
It also means that somebody like me, who otherwise hardly knew Harrisburg existed, went for a day trip. I saw a charming small city I never would have if they didn’t have an inexpensive Amtrak service. I spent money at their museums (the National Civil War Museum was great) and restaurants (I got incredible tacos in the Allison Hill neighborhood).
I’d love to see more routes like this across the country. Imagine if we had this level of service connecting more cities. We’d actually have a functional passenger rail network.
What’s Next for Pennsylvania Rail?
Pennsylvania’s cities are an ideal distance for more and more frequent passenger rail.
And they’re planning on expanding! Who knows what will really happen, and it’s often a matter of political will. If you’re a PA resident and you want these, I recommend you telling your elected officials to invest more in passenger rail! (And tell them to fund SEPTA, please.)
On the potential menu for the coming years includes…
A Second Round Trip from Pittsburgh to NYC
Earlier this year, I also took the Pennsylvanian all the way from New York to Pittsburgh and back. That’s a distance where Amtrak has to compete with flying. I booked in advance (my partner and I had a wedding to go to in Pittsburgh), so it was a good price, but it was slow. And with only one trip each direction each day, that’s tough.
The line all the way to Pittsburgh will see upgrades and a second round trip. The details are explained in this PennDot report on “Keystone West.” This could happen in 2026!
Increased Keystone Service Frequency
According To Amtrak’s 2024-2029 business plan, they aim to upgrade to as many as 17 daily round trips on the Keystone Service, and improve the track between Lancaster and Harrisburg. This could speed it up a few minutes.
New Routes?!
Many Biden-era federal grant programs have provided funding to explore new routes, including a Scranton to NYC and a Reading to Philly train. This will likely take longer.
Questions? Let Me Know
My comment section is open. If you have questions about the Keystone Service, drop them below. Your questions help me improve these articles over time, and honestly, I just like talking about trains.
