Need weekend plans?
The best things to do around the city, delivered to your inbox.
Amtrak is boosting its seasonal service between the Berkshires and New York City
The Berkshire Flyer will run on weekends between June 21 and Sept. 2.
Amtrak will bring even more travelers from the Big Apple to the Berkshires this summer.
The Berkshire Flyer, which began as a pilot program in 2022, will run on weekends between June 21 and Sept. 2. This year’s itinerary will include an added Sunday morning departure from New York for the first time.
“We’re thrilled to announce this season’s Berkshire Flyer service,” Mass. Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt said in a statement. “The Berkshire Flyer makes visiting Western Massachusetts on weekends convenient, relaxing, and easy. We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Amtrak, the New York State Department of Transportation and CSX.”
Advertisement:
The seasonal train saw a 50% increase in ridership from 2022 to 2023, according to U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, who called the increase “a testament to the desirability of the service.” During the past two seasons, some Pittsfield-bound trains sold out in advance, according to Amtrak.
“We all know what the Berkshires has to offer in the arts, culture, history, and hospitality, and the Berkshire Flyer serves as an accessible, convenient mode of transportation that allows tourists to visit throughout the summer months,” Neal said in a statement.
The Berkshire Flyer departs from New York’s Moynihan Train Hall on Friday at 3:16 p.m. and arrives at Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center in Pittsfield at 7:27 p.m. The Sunday return trip departs Pittsfield at 3:35 p.m. and arrives in New York at 7:55 p.m.
Advertisement:
The new Sunday morning Berkshire Flyer train from New York City to Pittsfield will depart Moynihan Train Hall at 10:50 a.m. and arrive in Pittsfield at 3:15 p.m.
The train makes the same station stops that Amtrak Empire Service does, which includes the following in New York: Yonkers; Croton-Harmon; Poughkeepsie; Rhinecliff; Hudson; and Albany-Rensselaer Station. Customers enjoy the same amenities as other Amtrak trains, such as free wifi, no middle seat, the allowance of small pets, and more.
Tickets are now available for the seasonal service on Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app, or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com