The Cardinal Amtrak route travels between New York and Chicago (through DC) three times each week. It has some of the best scenery in the eastern United States as the train travels through the New River Gorge, Alleghany Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley.
On board, private Viewliner roomettes and bedrooms are available at an extra cost, flexible dining service is an option for sleeper car passengers, and a café is open to all passengers. Note that the Cardinal is popular in the summer and fall, so be sure to book roomettes or bedrooms in advance if that’s your preferred accommodation type.
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Things to Know
- The Cardinal is the only Amtrak route that stops in Indianapolis and Cincinnati.
- The Greenbrier Resort is a historic luxury retreat next to the White Sulphur Springs Station.
- Exit in Charleston, West Virginia to rent a car and drive to the New River Gorge National Park.
- Exit in Staunton, Virginia to reach the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum.
- The Capitol Limited train also travels between Washington D.C. and Chicago and is about 300 miles shorter as another option.
Schedule Highlights
- Trains travel through Ohio and part of Indiana overnight.
- Trains depart Chicago’s Amtrak Station in early evening.
- Trains depart from New York’s Penn Station in the morning.
- Chicago is in Central Time Zone and the other cities on the route are in Eastern.
View latest schedules and timetables on Amtrak.com.
Popular Stops
- New York City
- Philadelphia
- Wilmington, DE
- Baltimore
- Washington D.C.
- Alexandria
- Charlottesville
- Charleston, WV
- Indianapolis
- Chicago
Stations
- New York, NY – Penn Station (NYP)
- Newark, NJ – Penn Station (NWK)
- Trenton, NJ (TRE)
- Philadelphia, PA – 30th Street Station (PHL)
- Wilmington, DE (WIL)
- Baltimore, MD – Penn Station (BAL)
- Washington, DC – Union Station (WAS)
- Alexandria, VA (ALX)
- Manassas, VA (MSS)
- Culpeper, VA (CLP)
- Charlottesville, VA (CVS)
- Staunton, VA (STA)
- Clifton Forge, VA (CLF)
- White Sulphur Springs, WV (WSS)
- Alderson, WV (ALD)
- Hinton, WV (HIN)
- Prince, WV (PRC)
- Thurmond, WV (THN)
- Montgomery, WV (MNG)
- Charleston, WV (CHW)
- Huntington, WV (HUN)
- Ashland, KY (AKY)
- South Portsmouth, KY (SPM)
- Maysville, KY (MAY)
- Cincinnati, OH – Union Terminal (CIN)
- Connersville, IN (COI)
- Indianapolis, IN (IND)
- Crawfordsville, IN (CRF)
- Lafayette, IN (LAF)
- Rensselaer, IN (REN)
- Dyer, IN (DYE)
- Chicago, IL – Union Station (CHI)
Sights and Landmarks
- Chicago Loop
- Willis Tower
- Purdue University
- Lucas Oil Stadium
- Indiana Convention Center
- Bankers Life Fieldhouse
- Ohio River
- Maysville, KY (settled by Daniel Boone)
- New River Gorge
- Hinton Historic District
- The Greenbrier (golf resort with casino)
- Allegheny Mountains
- Blue Ridge Mountains
- Shenandoah Valley
- C&O Railroad Heritage Center
- Staunton, VA (birthplace of Woodrow Wilson)
- University of Virginia
- Alexandria/Old Town
- U.S. Capitol Building
- Washington D.C. museums
- Delaware History Museum
- Delaware Children’s Museum
- The Delaware Contemporary Art Gallery
- Wilmington Rowing Center
- Drexel University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Manhattan
- Madison Square Garden
- Empire State Building
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