Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Elise Stefanik today announced that the day after her phone call with the President of Amtrak and following her continuous advocacy, Amtrak has committed to fully reopening the Adirondack Line by April 3.
The Adirondack Line runs from Albany to Montreal, including stops in Plattsburgh, Whitehall, Ticonderoga, Rensselaer, Port Henry, and Rouses Point. It has been closed since the onset of the pandemic.
“I am proud to announce that just one day after my call with the President of Amtrak and following my continued advocacy, Amtrak will finally resume service for the Adirondack Line by April 3,” said Congresswoman Elise Stefanik. “Families throughout Upstate New York and the North Country rely on the Adirondack Line for transportation, and it serves a significant economic driver, connecting tourists and our Canadian neighbors, to our region. When Amtrak initially left the North Country out of their reopening plans, I brought New York’s 21st District’s concerns to the highest levels to reopen the Adirondack Line. I continued my push to secure a date and deliver this result, so our families can have certainty about their access to transportation.”
"The long-awaited resumption by Amtrak of the Adirondack rail service between Montreal and New York City not only reestablishes one of just three vital train links between the U.S. and Canada but restores Amtrak service to several North Country communities and represents another important step in normalizing cross border travel post pandemic," said Garry Douglas, President of the North Country Chamber of Commerce. "The service, which had been growing before the COVID shut down in 2020, has been recognized as one of the world's most scenic train rides, used by Montrealers and New Yorkers as a travel option to reach either end or to access the Adirondacks. For Plattsburgh, it has been popular with area college students who live in the New York metro region. We thank Congresswoman Stefanik and Senator Gillibrand for their active advocacy and now look forward to working with Amtrak to help spread the word that the link is back. Onward and upward and on track!"
As soon as constituents brought this to her attention in May 2022, Stefanik’s office has been engaged with Amtrak to reopen the Adirondack Line. In July, after Amtrak resumed its Maple Leaf line from New York City to Toronto, Stefanik publicly called for Amtrak to restore the Adirondack line. Since then, her office has been pushing Amtrak to commit to a deadline for reopening.
