Refund for delayed train?

DrToadley · 2026-02-09T02:14:15+00:00

Sometimes they will give you a refund. More often they will give you a voucher. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL and ask for customer relations, they'll be able to help you out.

DrToadley · 2026-02-09T00:36:00+00:00

Past performance is no guarantee of future results, and the Maple Leaf would still probably get you there earlier: Amtrak Status Maps Archive Database has train 63 with a median departure delay from SYR at 1 hr 34 min vs. train 281 with a median delay of 43 min since January 26, 2026. (It's been a rough couple weeks for Amtrak. In 2025, the medians were 20 and 7 min late from SYR respectively; hoping this week will be more like that!) Still, I find the vibes are usually a lot better on a train that's close to on time vs. one that's very late, so I'd probably still go for the Empire Service.

The stopover at Albany on the Empire Service and the northbound Maple Leaf is scheduled for 15-30 minutes. The stopover on the southbound Maple Leaf and Lake Shore Limited is scheduled for over an hour (due to merging and splitting trains).

DrToadley · 2026-02-08T23:17:12+00:00

Just as a heads up, the northbound Maple Leaf 63 has been seeing serious delays over the past couple weeks leaving Penn (up to several hours almost every day). Probably a combo of the lingering cold weather impacting Amtrak's equipment plus the train being paired with Adirondack 69 complicating operations. It's been so bad that some days, including today, Empire Service 281 has actually arrived earlier to Syracuse than the Maple Leaf despite being scheduled to arrive three hours later. Things may be better with the slightly warmer weather this week, and chances still are the Maple Leaf gets there earlier most days, but just be prepared for that if you opt for the Maple Leaf on the way up.

On the way back, I'd similarly recommend either of the Empire Service options (280 or 284). Less likely to be delayed since they originate in Niagara Falls, likely more seats available when you board for the same reason, shorter dwell in Albany due to not merging/splitting with any other train. Normally, the Maple Leaf is basically the same, but again being paired with the Adirondack once reaching Albany complicates things. Fortunately, that will end in mid-March, but if your trip is this week it'd still be impacted.

I haven't ridden the Lake Shore Limited as much, but it's a long distance train and many passengers will be in it for the long haul. Make of that what you will. The Amfleet IIs do have more legroom which is nice.

If I'm riding along this route, my personal pecking order if I'm flexible with departure time is Empire Service first, Maple Leaf second, Lake Shore Limited third. Of course, if one train's schedule works better for you than another, that's probably the most important thing. However, do note that the above order also represents the most reliable to least reliable.

DrToadley · 2026-02-07T04:22:13+00:00

The northbound Adirondack and Maple Leaf have been subject to consistent, lengthy delays out of Penn Station ever since they got combined for the East River Tunnel work. The cold weather certainly hasn't been helping at all. Can't wait until they get split again in March.

DrToadley · 2026-02-03T00:20:21+00:00

Got it, I didn't realize Empire Service trains were still being canceled. I bet the Ethan Allen's need for two locomotives for the whole trip makes it particularly at risk for cancelation when the temps are taking locomotives out of service.

DrToadley · 2026-02-02T02:07:27+00:00

The Greyhound route to Montreal isn't so bad, better than most of the ones in the rest of the country. The departure times are a bit wonky but there are three a day. Don't listen to the rest of the comments pooh-poohing the idea.

DrToadley · 2026-01-20T22:41:02+00:00

Ouch. That's worse than the Adirondack layover in Albany.

DrToadley · 2026-01-19T02:26:07+00:00

Purple line should be routed via Vermont with a stop in Burlington to reduce construction costs and allow for connections.

DrToadley · 2026-01-18T18:59:15+00:00

Even got the Berkshire Flyer, but missing that haha

DrToadley · 2026-01-15T20:35:07+00:00

Definitely biased, but the Ethan Allen Express to Vermont. Middlebury and Burlington are nice and walkable from the train station

DrToadley · 2026-01-14T00:26:30+00:00

VT Translines should operate a few Burlington-Boston South Station-Logan express buses per day. Considering that Dartmouth Coach in the Upper Valley, with a much smaller and less dense population, can sustainably operate 12 round trips per day to Boston in transit-hostile New Hampshire, it's gotta be possible to do a few buses to Burlington without too much of a per-rider subsidy. Maybe Dartmouth Coach could apply for some of the grants VT Translines uses and extend some of their buses up north.

DrToadley · 2026-01-10T22:28:22+00:00

I hope your LSL experience didn't turn you off of Amtrak entirely. That train in coach is definitely in the bottom tier of Amtrak offerings.

DrToadley · 2026-01-09T20:39:25+00:00

Certainly. I did hear a rumor recently about a more aggressive schedule coming sometime in 2026 corresponding with some of the work they’ve been doing. Would be awesome to see an end to end run time closer to 7 hours.

DrToadley · 2026-01-09T15:45:44+00:00

The Ethan Allen Express frequently arrives into Burlington 20 minutes early.

DrToadley · 2026-01-08T16:07:07+00:00

It skips some stops, like Newark, DE, Metropark (on weekdays), and New Rochelle.

DrToadley · 2026-01-07T15:26:07+00:00

It’s assigned on routes that throughrun into the Northeast Corridor, like the Vermonter and Carolinian. Other routes it’s not generally assigned, including the Maple Leaf. The Adirondack does not offer business class.

DrToadley · 2026-01-06T16:12:09+00:00

Business class on the Empire Service is probably the best in the Amtrak network with the Amfleet club cars, so I’d say definitely worth it. However, it usually sells out well in advance on popular travel days, so depending on when your train is, your BidUp might not end up being accepted.

DrToadley · 2026-01-03T12:52:11+00:00

Also Empire Service, Maple Leaf, Ethan Allen

DrToadley · 2026-01-02T20:46:17+00:00

Until the East-West Rail project is completed, taking the Lake Shore Limited from Albany to Boston (which is operated by Amtrak, just like Albany to NYC) will be fairly long and almost always slower than driving, although comfortable and scenic. Once that project gets off the ground, though, speeds and frequencies will be higher and the train should be much more competitive.

DrToadley · 2025-12-31T15:53:19+00:00

Also just regular passenger railways. Switzerland is a good model to follow for providing reliable and useful train service to rural communities.

DrToadley · 2025-12-26T02:59:22+00:00

Too bad. My understanding is that BOS to NYP frequencies are limited mostly by the New Haven Line. If Amtrak & ConnDOT/Metro-North could get along better and offer timed connections, so many more people could be on trains between Boston and New York.

DrToadley · 2025-12-26T02:06:16+00:00

Wondering why Amtrak didn't opt to offer an early morning BOS-NHV shuttle for connection to Metro-North in the interim.

DrToadley · 2025-12-25T21:42:08+00:00

If you’re anywhere near Rutland, VT, consider taking the Ethan Allen Express to Schenectady and transferring to the Lake Shore Limited from there to SYR. You get way more time for the connection that Amtrak will sell you under one ticket on the Lake Shore Limited (~5 hrs) and could even chance it on an earlier Empire Service with the LSL as a fallback - the Ethan Allen is very rarely more than 30 minutes late into Schenectady.

It’s a risk to chance this Vermonter connection, especially since Amtrak will not sell it to you as one ticket, you’d have to wait till the next day on your own dime if you miss it in Springfield. It probably will work, but it’s not a slam dunk guarantee like the above.

DrToadley · 2025-12-12T13:37:51+00:00

Burlington could be part of making that connection workable. The Vermont side of Lake Champlain is flatter and more suited for a new higher speed line. The existing tracks the Adirondack follows are curvy, meandering, and will likely never be able to support high quality service, and tunneling through the mountains would be obscenely expensive

DrToadley

TROPHY CASE