Today, Governor Kathy Hochul, Metro-North Railroad President Justin Vonashek, and Amtrak President Roger Harris announced a series of rail service improvements along the Empire Service Corridor, which connects Albany and New York City. These enhancements, supported by the New York State Department of Transportation, are essential for the Empire Service, an economic driver along the Hudson River that carries two million passengers annually and achieved record-high ridership in 2024.
In response to the suspension of three daily Amtrak Empire Service round-trip trains, Governor Hochul directed the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to explore potential solutions that would utilize existing Metro-North Railroad services to assist affected customers. The MTA is now advancing a plan in collaboration with partners to offer Metro-North service between Albany and Grand Central, beginning with one daily round trip in the spring of 2026. Additionally, Amtrak has committed to restoring one daily round trip between New York City and Albany, which will resume on December 1.
“Restoring Amtrak service and debuting Metro-North service to Albany is a huge win for riders. The Empire Service is vital to communities along the Hudson River,” Governor Hochul said. “While Amtrak’s repairs to the East River Tunnels are necessary, riders from Albany to New York City have had to endure sold-out trains and higher fares for the past five months. I’ve been clear from the moment this plan was proposed that New Yorkers deserve better. This new plan will provide more travel options and lower fares for over two million annual riders, saving them time and putting money back in their pockets.”
Launching Metro-North Service to Albany
To provide mitigation for rail commuters affected by the suspension of Amtrak service during the rehabilitation of the East River Tunnel, Governor Hochul challenged the MTA and Metro-North Railroad to develop a plan to run Hudson Line service beyond Poughkeepsie to connect Grand Central Terminal with Albany-Rensselaer Station. Metro-North is now advancing a plan to commence this service in early spring of 2026, with non-passenger test trains set to run later this year.
The proposed schedule aims to address the service gaps left by the Amtrak suspension earlier this year. The train from Grand Central to Albany will depart in the mid-morning, while the train from Albany-Rensselaer to Grand Central will leave in the afternoon, arriving in time for evening events in New York City. This will be the first time Metro-North operates a service connecting New York City with New York’s Capital Region.
Amtrak Service Restoration Between Albany and New York City
Following the cancellation or consolidation of three weekday round-trip trains between Albany and New York Penn Station earlier this year to accommodate Amtrak repairs to the East River Tunnels in New York City, Governor Hochul sought the restoration of as much rail service as possible along the corridor. In support of these efforts, Amtrak will be restoring one round-trip between Albany and Penn Station on December 1. Amtrak has also committed to a first-of-its-kind price cap on trips between Albany and New York City, with coach seats capped at $99.
In May 2025, in coordination with NYSDOT and other partners, Amtrak began operating a reduced Empire Service schedule to accommodate planned work to the East River Tunnels, which were damaged by Superstorm Sandy and are in urgent need of repair. Amtrak service between Albany-Rensselaer and Penn Station was reduced with the suspension of three trips in each direction.
Thanks to joint efforts by the State of New York and Amtrak, one additional Amtrak trip in each direction between Penn Station and Albany-Rensselaer will be restored starting December 1, 2025. Train 235, which departs Penn Station at 3:15 pm, and Train 238, which departs Albany-Rensselaer at 12:10 pm, will both be resumed.
The reduced service starting this May led to fewer tickets available at higher prices, with some Coach Class tickets reaching $109 between Albany and Penn Station. To ensure that commuters were not adversely affected by Amtrak’s tunnel rehabilitation project, New York State and Amtrak coordinated on a first-of-its-kind fare cap of $99 on coach seats on all Empire Service trains, bringing down the maximum ticket price by nearly 10 percent. To provide additional affordable fares, Metro-North fares are anticipated to be competitive with the low end of existing Amtrak fares between Albany and New York City.
Lake Shore Limited Service Restoration
Amtrak will also restore direct rail service between Albany-Rensselaer and Boston on the Lake Shore Limited on December 1, which is currently running with a temporary bus service. This restoration will reconnect rail service between Albany and Massachusetts for the over 80,000 Lake Shore Limited riders who use the station.
Specific details, such as schedules and fares for the new Metro-North service, will be released in the near future. For complete details on the Amtrak Empire Service, visit Amtrak.com.
