5 most scenic Amtrak routes on the East Coast

When it comes to scenic Amtrak routes, most people think of the trains that travel along the Pacific Ocean, through the Southwest deserts and into the Rocky Mountains — all in the western half of the United States. However, there are also beautiful sights to see east of the Mississippi River, including the Appalachian Mountains, New River Gorge (pictured above) and the Hudson River Valley.

To start exploring the natural beauty in the eastern United States, here are the five most scenic Amtrak routes on the East Coast listed in alphabetical order. For current train schedules and ticket prices, visit Amtrak.com.

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Adirondack

For stunning views of the Hudson River Valley and Lake Champlain, including travel along rocky cliffs, book tickets on Amtrak’s Adirondack route. You’ll have hours of water scenery and the option to travel to Montreal (passport required). New York City is at one end of the route and is a popular place to start this trip, especially with connections to other Amtrak trains (view the list).

Plan a trip in October to view the stunning fall foliage or in summer for the most daylight. Consider a stop at the Fort Edward Station to visit beautiful Lake George via Enterprise rental car. Call to make pickup arrangements. Drive time from Enterprise to the edge of the lake is approximately 15 minutes.

Cardinal

New River Gorge with railroad tracks next to river — *Photo by John W. Iwanski (New River Gorge in West Virginia)*

A long-distance route that connects Chicago with East Coast cities, the Cardinal is one of Amtrak’s hidden gems. You’ll see the Shenandoah Valley and travel through the beautiful New River Gorge in West Virginia (pictured above).

Summer travel is best, especially if you are traveling from the East Coast. Consider booking tickets to Charleston, WV if you are heading west. You can rent a car there and drive to the New River Gorge National Park. Trains operate three days per week so you’ll need to stay two nights in the area or book a flight out of Charleston for the return trip (view airline information).

If traveling east from cities such as Chicago or Indianapolis, late spring, summer and fall are good times to ride. We recommend booking your tickets to Washington D.C. or Alexandria, Virginia to end this trip and sightsee. Washington Reagan National Airport is close to the Alexandria Station and there is also WMATA Metro train service to Dulles International Airport from both stations. Learn more about taking transit to/from these airports or plan to get a ride via taxi, Lyft or Uber.

Empire Service

The Hudson River in Poughkeepsie,_NY — *Photo by Jason (wangjs/Flickr) – Hudson River in Pughkeepsie*

Multiple Empire Service trains travel through the Hudson River Valley each day with departures from cities in New York State (including from Penn Station in Manhattan). It’s easy to enjoy the scenery on a day trip. We recommend traveling between New York City and either Poughkeepsie (1.5 hours one way) or Hudson, New York (2 hours one way).

Some Empire Service trains travel further into Upstate New York and you can stay overnight and explore attractions in cities including Albany, Syracuse, Rochester and Niagara Falls. Note that Lake Shore Limited (private accommodations available) and Maple Leaf trains stop at many of the same stations and have the same Hudson River views.

Ethan Allen Express

Vermont in the fall — *Photo by Circe Denyer*

Like the Adriondack and Empire Service, trains on the Ethan Allen Express route depart from New York City and travel through the beautiful Hudson River Valley. The difference is that the Ethan Allen Express trains travel to and from Vermont with views of charming towns, forests and mountain ranges. You’ll even cross over a small waterfall near Rutland, Vermont.

Consider a fall trip to view the foliage or in winter when snow is on the ground. You’ll see the most scenery on southbound trains, so if you plan to travel to Vermont, be sure to ride Amtrak on the return trip. Rutland is one destination to consider — you can stay overnight in town or at the nearby Killington Resort where you can ski and enjoy other activities. Or travel to Burlington‘s Union Station at the end-of-the-line to explore events, food, culture and Lake Champlain.

Vermonter

Winooski River in Montpelier, Vermont — *Photo by Michael Calore via Creative Commons (Winooski River in Vermont)*

For charming scenery in Vermont and travel along and over three rivers (Winooski River, White River and the Connecticut River), book an Amtrak trip on the Vermonter. You can board this train as far south as Washington D.C. and travel as far north as St. Albans. There are also stops at other major East Coast cities, making it easy to escape urban life for time in nature.

You’ll need to be on a southbound train to see Vermont in daylight. One option is to fly to the Burlington International Airport and board the Vermonter at the nearby Essex Junction-Burlington Station. Or if you are traveling by train to Vermont, plan to stay at least one night (two nights if you want to sightsee) and return on Amtrak. Consider booking your tickets to Brattleboro, Waterbury-Stowe or St. Albans where you can walk to lodging from the Amtrak stations.