A second daily Pennsylvanian train between New York City and Pittsburgh – via Harrisburg – will begin operating in mid-November, following close collaboration with Amtrak and Norfolk Southern.
Service expansion will give more Pennsylvanians access to modern, safe, reliable passenger rail service that gets them where they need to go – connecting Pennsylvania communities and bringing jobs, economic development, and infrastructure investment along with it.
“This momentous milestone was made possible by the department successfully securing federal infrastructure funding and this Administration’s nonstop coordination with Amtrak and Norfolk Southern,” said PennDOT Secretary Carroll. “Combined with the relentless advocacy of elected officials and community members along this corridor, this tireless work is making this long-awaited service expansion a reality.”
Amtrak anticipates beginning ticket sales for the additional Pennsylvanian train in October, ahead of the start of service.
“The second daily Pennsylvanian train will give customers more travel options and convenience between Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New York, and communities along the route,” said Amtrak Board Member Robert Gleason. “This expansion highlights the strong partnership between Amtrak, PennDOT, and Norfolk Southern and our shared commitment to improving mobility and connectivity across Pennsylvania. We look forward to continuing our work with President Trump to strengthen America’s passenger rail network.”
The Pennsylvanian travels Norfolk Southern’s Pittsburgh Line, which is part of the Premier Corridor, a main artery for double-stack intermodal traffic moving between Chicago and metropolitan New York. In 2023, to support increasing the passenger rail frequency on the rail line, the Shapiro Administration received $143 million in federal passenger rail funding to help complete necessary infrastructure and safety improvements. The federal investments and additional Commonwealth transit funding will fund the design and construction of remaining improvements that Norfolk Southern will complete.
The Pennsylvanian is a key passenger rail route connecting the citizens of the Keystone State from east to west, and, in conjunction with the Floridian, with Cleveland, Chicago and beyond. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Line is one of the busiest and fastest links on Norfolk Southern’s network, connecting with major terminals in Toledo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and the Lehigh Valley. In a typical year, more than half of Norfolk Southern’s time-sensitive parcel and less-than-truckload shipments use the route at some point. The company’s trains deliver or pick up freight at 140-plus locations along the corridor, serving more than 800 customers.
