An Amtrak Keystone day trip to New York City Americans is a great way to view Amtrak’s electrified former Pennsylvania Railroad mainline, an important high-speed rail link between Pennsylvania’s capital city of Harrisburg, Pa., Philadelphia, and New York City.
Amtrak’s Keystone Corridor begins at the Harrisburg Transportation Center and continues for 195 miles before reaching Philadelphia’s iconic 30th Street Station. From there, trains continue into New York City’s Pennsylvania Station on the passenger’s railroads Northeast Corridor.
Train speeds on the Keystone Corridor reach up to 125 mph, making it an efficient gateway for Pennsylvanians to gain access to New York City without the hassle of traffic. Several daily departures from Harrisburg provide flexibility, but for the purpose of this day trip, we are profiling weekend eastbound Keystone Service train No. 660, departing Harrisburg at 7:20 a.m. local time. The experience unfolds in Pennsylvania’s downtown capital city at the Harrisburg Transportation Center, built in 1887 by the Pennsylvania Railroad. It serves as a primary hub for Amtrak intercity operations in the region today. Harrisburg is the western terminus of Amtrak’s electrified operations with the diesel-powered Pennsylvanian continuing west on Norfolk Southern-owned tracks to Pittsburgh, Pa. East of Harrisburg, electrified Keystone Service trains, and the Pennsylvanian, provide access to the Northeast.
From Harrisburg, Keystone Service trains skirt along the Susquehanna River for a few miles before the river takes a southeasterly flow away from the Pennsy main. Keystone Service trains will make three station stops within the first half hour of departing Harrisburg at the communities of Middletown, Elizabethtown, and Mount Joy. Each of these stations have received modernizations in recent years, though the Elizabethtown station still retains its Pennsylvania Railroad characteristics, including its 1915 Gothic-inspired architecture. The fourth station east of Harrisburg is Lancaster, also of Pennsy lineage, dating back to the late 1920s. It is the passenger railroad’s second busiest train station in Pennsylvania behind Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station. When on schedule, eastbound Keystone Service No. 660 is scheduled into Lancaster at 7:55 a.m. local time, 35 minutes after departing Harrisburg.
From Lancaster, passenger trains roll through some of Pennsylvania’s small unincorporated communities in Amish Country, a region that attracts thousands of visitors to Pennsylvania each year. Throughout the 8 o’clock hour, No. 660 will provide service to six additional stations before reaching Philadelphia at 9:05 a.m. local time. These stops include Parkesburg, Coatesville, Downingtown, Exton, Paoli, and Ardmore.
An 18-minute layover at Philadelphia isn’t enough time to tour the station, but it does provide a glimpse into the significance of its history and as an important intercity passenger rail hub. The William H. Gray III 30th Street Station is an original Pennsylvania Railroad station that opened in 1933. It is named after the U.S. Congressman who represented the state’s 2nd congressional district. Today, the station is Amtrak’s third busiest in the nation and serves many Amtrak Northeast Regional, Keystone Corridor, and long-distance passenger trains, as well as commuter rail trains operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and NJ Transit. After a brief layover in Philadelphia, No. 660 is scheduled to depart at 9:23 a.m. local time and continues northeast on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor for the remainder of the trip to New York City. Keystone trains will make a few stops in New Jersey before reaching the eastern terminus, including stops at Trenton, Princeton Junction, and Newark. When on time, No. 660 will arrive at New York Penn Station at 10:49 a.m. local time, a little more than 3 hours after leaving Harrisburg.
New York requires no introduction and there’s a countless number of attractions for those with different interests. The city offers plenty of fun for families, sports fans, and those with an appreciation for history and culture. Whether it’s a stroll through Times Square, an afternoon Yankees Game, a Broadway Show matinee, or a concert at Madison Square Garden, of which Penn Station is conveniently located beneath. New York most certainly appeals to all. And for fans of the rail, Penn Station and the Moynihan Train Hall is iconic. It’s no surprise it is the nation’s busiest train station, having served more 4 million riders in Amtrak’s 2021 fiscal year. Before experiencing New York, it is recommended to spend a few minutes visiting the train hall and appreciating how Amtrak and its partners have modernized the station while retaining its historical characteristics.
As for coordinating the westbound trip to Harrisburg, there are currently four weekend Keystone Service trains that depart at various times throughout the afternoon, giving you flexibility on when to return to Harrisburg. For the purpose of this review, we recommend westbound Keystone Service No. 669, scheduled to depart New York Penn Station at 5:17 p.m. local time, returning to Harrisburg at 8:45 p.m., respectively.
Tips & Recommendations:
- Make sure you have Amtrak’s latest timetable to ensure current departure and arrival times for your respective Keystone Service
- Wear comfortable shoes and bring a light jacket in the spring or fall months. There’s plenty to see on-foot in New York City and there’s no shortage of taxis and/or rideshare programs like Uber or Lyft. The author personally recommends visiting in early May or mid-September when temperatures are comfortably mild.
The Harrisburg station is a disgrace. Inside it is very poorly lit and dingy. Overnite parking is I believe about a quarter mile away and involves walking under a structure, roofed but open all around, on a not very busy street and usually with at least one homeless person camped out on the sidewalk. I can’t imagine that more people wouldn’t use it if it was brighter and parking more accessible.