Taking the train from the Steel City to the Big Apple, the City of Brotherly Love, and other stops will soon be easier thanks to upgrades from Amtrak.

Outgoing President Roger Harris confirmed that Amtrak will add a second Pennsylvanian service during a July 29 public board meeting.

The Pennsylvanian operates daily between Pittsburgh and New York City, traveling through the Allegheny Mountains, the Horseshoe Curve near Altoona, and Pennsylvania Dutch Country. It makes 18 stops, including Greensburg, Latrobe, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, and Newark.

According to Amtrak’s website, the total run time for the route is nine hours and 20 minutes, and it also connects Pittsburgh to the Floridian train, which offers travel through Cleveland, Chicago and Toledo.

Harris stated that Amtrak is “really on a roll,” with a 20% increase in ridership since 2019, which is twice the growth rate of domestic air travel.

“June was our best month ever in Amtrak history, with $280 million,” Harris said. “That brings our revenue forecast for 2026 to $3 billion for the first time.”

The Pennsylvanian currently travels between Pittsburgh and New York City via Harrisburg and Philadelphia, leaving Pittsburgh at 7:30 a.m. and arriving in NYC around 5 p.m.

In 2023, PennDOT, collaborating with Norfolk Southern, which operates the tracks between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, upgraded tracks and stations along the route. This will make travel to western parts of Pennsylvania more accessible, according to PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll.

“This agreement lays the groundwork for expanded passenger rail service in Western Pennsylvania while simultaneously preserving a critical freight rail corridor,” Carroll said. “Ensuring more Pennsylvanians have access to safe and reliable transportation to Western PA will reduce commute times, help connect hundreds of thousands of residents, and boost local economies. This expansion of service on the Pennsylvanian will provide key mobility and economic benefits.”

Those upgrades are nearly complete.

Amtrak officials did not give an exact date for when the new Pennsylvanian line would be offered, but did say it would be arrive later in 2026.

“The American public is definitely waking up to the potential and the convenience of rail travel,” Harris said.

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