New England Trains & Route Maps

Amtrak trains—Acela, Northeast Regional, Downeaster, Vermonter, Ethan Allen Express, Berkshire Flyer, etc. are supplemented by Metro-North and Shore Line Easttrains in Connecticut, MBTA Commuter Rail trains in Boston, CapeFLYER trains between Boston and Cape Cod, and nostalgic excursion trains just for the fun of it.

Map of Amtrak train & bus routes in New England. (Download full Amtrak system map.)
Heavy red lines = Amtrak train routes; lighter lines = connections by bus.

Ten passenger railroads and four freight railroads share the tracks between Boston, New York and Washington DC, which carry over 2,200 trains per day. Nine of the passenger railroads are for commuters, the tenth is Amtrak, the US national rail passenger system.

Amtrak rail passenger service goes to all six New England states: The Downeaster from Boston to Maine, The Vermonter & The Ethan Allen from New York City to Vermont and New Hampshire, The Berkshire Flyer from New York City to Massachsetts's Berkshire Hills, and The Lake Shore Limited connects Boston with the Berkshire Hills and beyond.

Metro-North trains from New York City run eastward to Connecticut: New Canaan, Danbury, Waterbury, and along the Connecticut Shoreline as far as New Haven.

From New Haven, Connecticut Shore Line East trains take you farther east to New London.

Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail trains run from Boston to the suburbs and as far as Cape Ann, Worcester, and Providence RI's T F Green Airport.

Don't need to get somewhere by train? You can still enjoy the ride on a nostalgic train excursion.

Amtrak Trains - New England


	Amtrak routes in New England

The USA's national rail passenger service runs trains along the "Northeast Corridor" from Washington DC, Baltimore MD, and Philadelphia PA via New York City's Moynihan Train Hall at Pennsylvania Station to New Haven and Hartford CT, Springfield MA, Providence RI, and Boston MA.

Separate services connect Boston with Portland and Brunswick ME via the New Hampshire coast, and Boston with Albany NY via Worcester, Springfield and the Berkshire Hills.

(Here's how to decide whether to travel by train, plane, bus or car between Boston and New York City, considering cost, comfort and travel time.) More...

Northeast Regional Trains

New York City - Providence RI - Boston

Most passengers who come to New England by rail do so along the Northeast Corridor via Northeast Regional train service: conventional trains running from Washington, Baltimore, and Philadelphia via New York City's Moynihan Train Hall at Pennsylvania Station ("Penn Station" for short) to New Haven, New London and Hartford CT, Springfield MA, Providence RI, and Boston MA.

Amtrak Northeast Regional train route map.

The main rail line from New York City to Boston follows the Connecticut shoreline for much of the way, stopping in Providence RI. Monday through Friday, there are 10 Northeast Regional trains on this route; 9 trains on weekends. In effect, there is a train about every hour or less between 5:30 am to 7:00 pm, plus one later train. The journey takes between 4 and 4-1/2 hours, depending on the train. Seating is Coach Class and Business Class, and there is usually a Café Car for beverages, snacks and light meals.

Northeast Regional trains on this route make these station stops:

—New York City, Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station (NYP)
—New Haven CT (NHV; Yale University)
—Old Saybrook CT (OSB; Old Lyme, Essex & Ivoryton)
—New London CT (NLC; US Coast Guard Academy)
—Mystic CT (MYS; Mystic Seaport)
—Westerly RI (WLY; Stonington CT & South County RI)
—West Kingston RI (KIN; for Narragansett, Port Galilee RI and ferries to Block Island RI)
—Providence RI (PVD)
—Route 128 (RTE; Westwood Station/University Ave)
—Back Bay Station (BBY), Copley Place, Boston (map)

...finally arriving at South Station (BOS) in Boston MA.

Amtrak's faster, more expensive, limited-stop Acela Express trains also follow this route 10 times daily during the week, stopping at Stamford and New Haven CT, Providence RI, Westwood (Route 128) MA, and Back Bay (Copley Square, Boston) before terminating at Boston's South Station.

(Here's information on travel from New York City to Cape Cod (Hyannis) by plane, train and/or bus.

Amtrak Hartford Line

Another Amtrak Northeast Regional route departs New Haven, then runs up the Connecticut River Valley stopping at Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin (Kensington) and Hartford CT, then Windsor and Windsor Locks CT (for Bradley International Airport), and terminating at Springfield MA. Tickets can be bought via the CTrail smartphone app.

Amtrak Hartford Line Route Map.

There are two through trains (about 3-1/2 hours) daily on this route (a Northeast Regional train, and The Vermonter), and five Shuttle trains (3-1/2 to 4 hours) between Springfield and New Haven, where you can transfer to a Northeast Regional or Acela rain to New York City (Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station).

An Amtrak Northeast Regional train awaits passengers...

Amtrak's Named Express Trains

Amtrak's named express trains (not to be confused with the fast Acela Express trains) follow these routes in New England:

The Downeaster

Amtrak's Downeaster Train Route Map.

Five round-trip trains daily connect Boston's North Station with Portland, Freeport and Brunswick ME stopping at Woburn and Haverhill MA; Exeter, Durham and Dover NH near the New Hampshire seacoast; Wells, Saco and Old Orchard Beach ME on the southern Maine coast. More...

The Vermonter

The Vermonter Amtrak train route map.

Great for skiers, autumn foliage tourers and anyone wanting to enjoy a beautiful ride up the Connecticut River Valley through three New England states, The Vermonter is also a vital connection between Vermont, other New England states, New York City and beyond. More...

The Ethan Allen Express

Ethan Allen Express Train Route Map

Named for the commander of Vermont's Revolutionary War Green Mountain Boys, this train runs daily between New York City's Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, Albany NY and Rutland VT. In winter, there's an easy bus connection to the Okemo ski resort. More...

The Berkshire Flyer

This Northeast Regional service connects New York (Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station) with Poughkeepsie and Albany NY, and Pittsfield MA in the Berkshire Hills. In Pittsfield you can take buses, taxis or rideshare app cars to any other point in the Berkshires, including Lenox for Tanglewood concerts. More...

The Lake Shore Limited

Amtrak's Lakeshore Limited train route map in New England.

The daily train between Boston and Chicago stops at Worcester and Springfield MA in the Pioneer Valley, Pittsfield MA in the Berkshire Hills, Albany and other points in New York State. More...

Acela Express Trains

Amtrak Acela Express train route map.

Acela Express is the faster, more comfortable, more expensive type of Amtrak train traveling between Boston (South Station) and New York City (Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station), via Stamford and New Haven CT, and Providence RI in about 3-1/2 hours.

There is no Coach Class on Acela Express, only Business Class and First Class. In Business Class you get a big, comfortable seat with electrical outlet, large tray table, adjustable lighting, and a refreshments cart or café car with bar service.

In First Class, hot towels, newspapers, beverages, meals (breakfast, lunch or dinner) served at your seat, and access to the Club Acela Lounges in train stations (including Boston's South Station and New York City's Moynihan Train Hall are all included in your train fare.

An Amtrak Acela Express train at Boston's South Station.

Monday through Friday there are ten Acela Expresses in each direction between Boston and New York City; two Acelas on Saturday, five on Sunday.

The alternative is Northeast Regional trains (see above).

Metro North-New Haven Trains

Besides Amtrak service from New York City's Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station, there is Metro North train service from New York City's Grand Central Terminal to New Haven CT (the New Haven Line), every hour on the hour from 7 am until after midnight on weekdays, with extra trains put on during the peak morning and evening hours. Tickets can be bought via the CTrail smartphone app.

Metro-North Railroad Route Map. Click on the map for a larger version.

Service on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays is almost as frequent, with a train at least every two hours. The trip from Grand Central to New Haven takes 1-3/4 hours. See the Metro North Railroad website for more.

Connecticut Shore Line East Trains

Shore Line East trains run along the Connecticut shoreline between New Haven and New London, stopping at Branford, Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook and Old Saybrook along the way. Tickets can be bought via the CTrail smartphone app.

You can use a Metro North train on the New Haven Line to go from New York City (Grand Central Terminal) to New Haven, or an Amtrak train to New Haven or New London, then continue your journey eastward on a Shore Line East train. More...

Massachusetts Bay Commuter Rail

Commuter Rail Route Map. Click on the map for the latest version in a larger format.

MBTA Commuter Rail trains connect Boston with suburban communities on the North Shore and South Shore of Massachusetts Bay, inland westward as far as Worcester, and south as far as Providence RI and T F Green Airport (PVD). Tickets can be bought via the mTicket smartphone app. More...