Photo: RalphCoulter / iStock Editorial / Getty Images
Amtrak will restore all suspended or combined Empire Service trains between New York Penn Station and Albany-Rensselaer station by early March, ending service reductions that began last year due to a major tunnel project.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced the restoration on Tuesday (January 27), highlighting a victory for the nearly three million passengers who rely on this route annually. "When Amtrak proposed to significantly reduce Empire Service trips for several years to accommodate the East River Tunnel project, I demanded better," Hochul said in a statement.
The service reductions were implemented to accommodate Amtrak's ongoing $1.6 billion East River Tunnel rehabilitation project, which involves reconstructing two of the four underground tunnels connecting rail service to Manhattan. The project remains on schedule and within budget, with completion expected in 2027.
At one point, Amtrak had reduced daily service to just 10 trips in each direction between Albany and New York City. Additionally, the Adirondack line (New York City to Montreal) and Maple Leaf line (Toronto to New York City) were combined into a single train between Albany and New York City, forcing many passengers to endure layovers in Albany.
Steve Strauss, executive director of the Empire State Passengers Association, expressed satisfaction with the announcement, noting that the restoration eliminates "a forced layover for many passengers in Albany-Rensselaer" and provides "a welcome news for Amtrak riders across the state."
The service restoration also means the cancellation of a previously announced plan to extend Metro-North Railroad service to Albany. In October, Hochul had announced that Metro-North would run its first trains between Albany and New York City this spring, including one daily round-trip between Albany-Rensselaer Station and Grand Central Terminal. However, Amtrak has notified New York State and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that it will no longer sanction the temporary Metro-North service to Albany.
"With the full restoration of Empire Service, Amtrak has notified New York State and the MTA that it will no longer sanction temporary Metro-North service to Albany at this time," Hochul explained. She added that she remains committed to exploring additional transit options "including expanded Metro-North service if the demand exists."
In December, Amtrak had already begun restoring some service, adding one daily round-trip between Albany and Penn Station and implementing a $99 price cap on coach flex-fare seats. This came after Hochul pressed Amtrak to pause its dynamic ticket pricing system, which had driven prices as high as $109 for coach tickets during the reduced service period.
According to representatives from the Governor's Office, the full service restoration will likely occur during the first or second week of March.