6 East Coast Amtrak Routes to Take This Summer
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I consider myself a bit of an expert on East Coast Amtrak routes. I live car-free in New York, I love to travel, I love seeing nature (and let’s be honest, I just love riding trains). I’ve taken the Ethan Allen Express probably half a dozen times, the Vermonter more times than that, and have ridden routes all the way from New York to Chicago in a private roomette.
This summer is a great time to take a lot of these routes. Whether it’s beaches, lakes, mountains, or cities, they make for great weekend trips.
Here are six East Coast Amtrak routes worth putting on your list.
1. Ethan Allen Express — Burlington, Vermont
This is my ride-or-die route. I grew up outside Burlington and have taken this train so many times since it extended to Burlington in 2022.
The train leaves New York’s Penn Station in the afternoon and gets you to Burlington Union Station by evening. One train per day, so don’t miss it. On the way back, it leaves Burlington mid-morning and arrives in the late afternoon. Book early. Prices are usually around $65 if you do.
The train itself has some incredible views of the green mountains. With the long summer days, on the way to Burlington, you’ll catch a great sunset.
Once you’re in Burlington, it’s a cute city to explore for a weekend. Right there is Burlington’s North Beach, which is a total vibe in the summer. It sits right on Lake Champlain with a view of the Adirondacks. On a nice day it is, without exaggeration, one of the most underrated beach and outdoor scenes on the entire East Coast. You have mountains in the background and a fresh water lake.
My full Ethan Allen Express review →
2. Downeaster — Portland, Maine
Full disclosure: this is one I haven’t taken yet. It’s firmly on my list. But I can’t make a summer East Coast Amtrak list and leave out Maine.
The Downeaster runs from Boston’s North Station up through southern Maine, with stops in Portland, Saco, and all the way to Brunswick. If you’re in New York or anywhere along the Northeast Corridor, you’d catch a train or bus to Boston (I review the NYC to Boston options here) and connect from there.
3. The Vermonter — Stowe or Brattleboro
While the Ethan Allen Express goes from the city through upstate New York, the Vermonter starts all the way back in DC and goes through Connecticut and Massachusetts, stopping in towns in Vermont where the Ethan Allen Express doesn’t.
This train hits those hiking and ski towns.
For summer specifically: take it to Waterbury-Stowe station if you want hiking. Stowe is one of Vermont’s best summer destinations.
Mount Mansfield is nearby with trails everywhere.
Or get off at Brattleboro for a low-key, artsy Vermont town that doesn’t get nearly enough credit.
The Vermonter is slower and more delay-prone than the Ethan Allen Express, but for Stowe, Brattleboro, and other Vermont towns, it’s your route.
4. The Northeast Regional to Norfolk, VA (Visit Virginia Beach)
The Northeast Regional runs the whole spine of the East Coast from Boston down through New York, Philadelphia, D.C., and continues on. Some go to Norfolk, Virginia.
Norfolk is right next to Virginia Beach. Like, 20 minutes away.
Yeah, it’s a bit touristy, but it’s a real beach trip that you can access with frequent, reliable Amtrak service from the east cost.
The Northeast Regional is also one of the more comfortable and reliable options on the corridor. Unlike most of the other routes on this list, you’ll have more than one departure a day. No need to hit a specific once-a-day window.
My girflriend and I have visited friends twice now in the Norfolk/Virginia Beach area, and this Amtrak route makes it is.
Norfolk itself is decently transit accessible, but to get to Virginia Beach, you’ll likely be calling rideshares.
5. The Pennsylvanian — Pittsburgh
Best for: A weekend city trip with an excuse to ride a really comfortable train
Most people fly from New York to Pittsburgh. My girlfriend and I took the train, both directions, for our weekend trip — and I loved it.
The seats on the Pennsylvanian are genuinely the most comfortable I’ve been in on any Amtrak coach car. Amfleet cars with more legroom than you could ever use, real reclining, blackout curtains. It’s a 9-hour ride, which I know sounds brutal, but I worked, read, napped, and hung out in the cafe car. I didn’t mind it one bit.
Pittsburgh’s underrated. It’s walkable, has a great food scene, and plenty to do. It’s not known for its good weather, which is why the summer might be the time to visit.
My full Pennsylvanian review →
6. Lake Shore Limited — All the Way to Chicago (If You’re My Kind of Crazy)
Best for: Long days, big views, getting a private room and watching the country go by
This one is still on my bucket list too. Though I have taken the Capitol Limited (now renamed the Floridian since they extended it to Miami) to Chicago in a private roomette. This route covers similar territory and gives you the same experience of watching the American landscape roll by from your own bunk bed.
So I feel like I’m close enough to vouch for this.
The Lake Shore Limited runs from New York or Boston all the way to Chicago. It’s a full overnight. You leave in the afternoon and wake up in the Midwest. Summer is the ideal time to do this, because the long days mean you get hours of golden light through the windows before you even go to sleep. If you can swing it, book a roomette. Meals are included. You’ll wake up to views that feel like a different country. It’s absolutely worth it over riding it out in couch.
I wrote a full breakdown of what the roomette experience is actually like.
Amtrak is My Favorite Way to See the Country
Flying sucks. Long hours operating a dangerous vehicle (a car) isn’t much better. All of these Amtrak routes are much more comfortable than both. Sure, they may be slower, but it’s nice to appreciate the ride sometimes.
