BARRE, Vt. — Amtrak’s Ethan Allen Express will extend service from its current northern endpoint of Rutland to Burlington, Vt., with additional stops in Vergennes and Middlebury, as of July 29, 2022, the Vermont Agency of Transportation has announced.
The extension follows extensive work to upgrade track infrastructure between Rutland and Burlington to accommodate higher train speeds.
The new schedule will depart Burlington at 10:10 a.m. daily, arriving at New York’s Penn Station at 5:45 p.m., while the northbound train will leave Penn Station at 2:21 p.m. daily and arrive in Burlington at 9:55 p.m.
“Our Agency’s talented and dedicated rail leadership, engineers, and planners deserve immense credit for their steadfast dedication to bringing to Vermonters and visitors to the state this new transportation option for travel between New York City and Burlington,” Vermont Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn said in a press release.
The transportation agency will hold a public celebration of the new service at Burlington’s Union Station on July 29 from 9 a.m. until the train’s 10:10 a.m. departure. It will announce more details on that event soon, as well as ticket-sale information, including plans for 50% promotional fares this summer.
As one who appreciates alternatives to the monotony of driving, and now with $5.00 per gallon gas the expense, I appreciate having the rail alternative. However, my question is: what purpose is this extension to Burlington serving when it leaves Burlington only a few minutes after the Vermonter leaves Essex Jct.? Also, with a departure this late, there are limited opportunities in New York arriving at 5:45 p.m. and with no connections to points beyond Washington possible. Connections to the west via #49 require something on the order of a four hour layover in a Albany; hardly attractive. In fact, the service on the overnight train has declined to the point that I can no longer suggest this option to others.
Though I would like to use this service, it arrives in New York too late and leaves too early in the afternoon. It appears that it is being scheduled for Amtrak’s convenience not for the convenience of potential travelers. I can not see myself using it. I will have to continue driving to either Albany or New Haven, Conn. for more convenient scheduling. It would seem that only the students at Middlebury College will benefit from this extension.
In anticipation of schedule change this fall, I would ask that those at the Vermont AOT consider early morning southbound departures on weekdays with an afternoon departure on Sunday to maximize time in New York or Vermont. True, Amtrak is going to state that the crew needs more time off in Burlington. However, If the running time were 2 1/2 hours for the 100 miles Albany to Rutland, as it could be, and 1 1/2 hours to Burlington that would be four hours plus perhaps 30 minutes preparatory time in Albany for a total of 4 1/2 hours on duty. That will leave 7 1/2 hours to return to Albany before reaching the 12 hour limit. This can be done if there is the will. The problem is that Amtrak does not appear to have much will for very much with the exception of cost cutting. The way Amtrak management has been removing amenities from the trains has been only appalling. I would therefore suggest the Vermont AOT to consider doing what the people in Maine have done. They have, as most are no doubt aware, taken over the scheduling as well as on board services from Amtrak.
I very much would care to see this extension succeed. As the situation stands now, I do not see that happening. The running time is painfully slow and the times are not as convenient as they could be.
Also, I have not heard any consideration of Vermont Rail crews handling the train between Rutland and Burlington if the need for so much time in Burlington can not be circumvented.
Bill McDonald
A lot of Amtrak schedules are not managed to serve the passenger but Amtrak. I remember catching the Lake Shore from Cleveland, spending the day in NYC and then heading back that evening. No more.
Anyway there are actually 2 frequencies to Burlington as the Vermonter serves Essex Jnction which is just next door. Interestingly departure for it from NYP IS ONLY 2.5 to 3 hours earlier
Seems to me if I were a Vermonter wanting to come south, I’d want to leave about four hours earlier, and if I were a New Yorker wanting to go north, I’d want to leave about six hours earlier. Someone help me understand what ridership is served by this schedule, with one train a day.
GEORGE – in you above post, last sentence, delete three words and one comma, as follows:
“… this schedule, with ….”
Thereby your last sentence will read: “Someone please help me understand what ridership is served by one train a day.”
Charles – Point made, either way. I live near Albany. I have frequent occasions to day-trip to Vermont, and would, if I could, but I can’t, on the EAE.
The southbound departure time is partially a mandatory response to the legally required crew rest-time between the northbound arrival and the southbound departure. But these times also make much better national network connections to the LAKESHORE LIMITED at Albany as well.
The afternoon northbound times have long been popular for ETHAN ALLEN ridership. It needs to be remembered that in non-COVID times the ADIRONDACK provided an early schedule on this route as far as Fort Edward.
Of course we in Vermont are concerned to monitor the impact of the Burlington extension on the VERMONTER’s strongest station–Essex Jct. But in truth the only point in common to the two trains is Penn Station, New York and the VERMONTER will continue to offer thru, no change of trains service. It is also the sole Vermont route to Springfield, New Haven, Bridgeport and Stamford (as well as to Philly, Wilmington, Baltimore and DC without changing trains).
The ETHAN ALLEN will be faster from the Burlington market to New York, making the trip in 7 hours 35 minutes southbound and 7 hours 40 minutes returning. By comparison the longer VERMONTER route Essex Jct-New York takes 8 hours, 41 minutes south and 8 hours 45 minutes north. But ironically if you change southbound from the ETHAN ALLEN to a NEC train south of New York the best connection is to the VERMONTER! Northbound you can leave DC later if connecting to the ETHAN ALLEN by changing at Penn (Moynihan) Station.
My guess is the VERMONTER will see a ridership drop at ESX, but only 5-10%, and the ETHAN ALLEN will primarily capture only the New York City market from Burlington.
Carl Fowler
Member of VTRANS Vermont Rail Advisory Council
(These views are my own)
Sounds like the schedule is designed for the convenience of employees, who will service the train overnight. If it arrived in the morning, and left late in the afternoon, that would work better for those in Vermont.
VTRANS has to permit an absolute minimum after transfer from the train to hotels of 9 hours rest time at Burlington between northbound arrival and southbound departure the next day. With the need to move the train to/from the yards, transfer the crews to/from their hotels and allow a safety net for a late northbound arrival 955PM-1010AM is very reasonable.
Of course this reflects the legal requirement (not convenience) of the crew, but it is also worth noting that even before the Burlington extension ETHAN ALLEN ridership on this exact schedule from Rutland to New York had reached 116.2% of that in 2019, when the train did offer a much earlier southbound schedule. I was surprised my self to see this, but it speaks to the value of connections to the LAKESHORE and points in western New York as well.
By contrast the VERMONTER at the end of April was back to 898% of FY 2019 ridership. However the VERMONTER’s 89% represented 6500 passengers for March, compared to 4300 on the ETHAN ALLEN. Chose your data point as you may!
Carl Fowler
Member VTRANS Vermont Rail Advisory Council
(These views are my own)