Taking Amtrak Adirondack from NYC to Montreal and Back
February 19, 2015, February 22,2015
Document Last Modified: April 7, 2018
During the winter season, Amtrak had this amazing deal - $90 round trip from NYC to Montreal. So I decided to take this opportunity to travel to Montreal. There are two things you need to beware of if you want to take the Amtrak Adirondack to Montreal: 1) The time is not flexible - there is only one train per day. The train leaves Penn Station at 8:15AM; 2) The travel time is long - Amtrak website states the travel time is 10 hours and 56 minutes. If these two conditions do not bother you, then you may enjoy an affordable trip to Montreal just like I did.
From NYC to Montreal
The train was scheduled to depart at 8:15AM on Thursday from Penn Station. I got there around 7:30. I always like to get to the station or airport early when I travel, just in case something unexpected happens (such as traffic or long waiting lines).
Once I arrived at Penn Station, I was told to have my documents checked at a small counter labeled with the word “Canada” and a red maple leaf symbol before I could line up for departure. After the checking, I received a Canadian Border Crossing pass. I needed to present it to the Amtrak gate agent before boarding the train. (Note: It is not the same as your ticket. Your ticket will be checked once the train leaves the station.)
Tip: Before getting on the train, buy some food for lunch and dinner. The food on the train are expensive and there are only a very limited selection to choose from.
8:00 AM
I boarded the Adirondack #68.
The train was a bit old but it was comfortable to sit inside. There is a lot of legroom. It was good to travel off season; the car I was in was only half full so I was able to occupy two seats. If you want to see the beautiful Hudson River, make sure to choose a window seat on the left side of the train. If you want to see Lake Champlain, then you should sit on the right side of the train.
The Wi-Fi signal was not reliable. There were 120 Volt electric outlets on the side wall of the train next to each seat. They worked perfectly fine. I was able to charge my laptop in my seat. I made a big mistake not bringing lunch with me during this trip. The café car was very small and it only offered a very limited selection of food items.
8:18 AM
Train left Penn Station. My 11 hours of train ride began. The train travelled along the east bank of the Hudson River.
10:46 AM
The train arrived at the Albany-Rensselaer Station. The train stopped here for about 20 minutes. This was the only stop where passengers were allowed to step outside of the train.
11:16 AM
The train left the Albany-Rensselaer Station; about 8 more hours of train ride until reaching Montreal.
1:15 PM
I was given a customs declaration form to fill out. This was 3 hours before crossing the Canadian border.
4:00 PM
The train arrived Rouses Point - the last stop before entering Canada.
I found a marker of the United States border.
4:11 PM
The train arrived at the Canadian border checkpoint. Several Canada Border Services agents entered the train to check passports, ask questions, and collect the customs declaration form.
4:53 PM
The train left the check point. There was no much to see for the next 2 hours; everything was covered with snow. Occasionally I saw a few houses. Slowly it became dark outside.
7:07 PM
Finally the train arrived at the Central Station (Gare Centrale) in Montreal after 11 hours of long ride.
The train ride from NYC to Montreal was long but comfortable. The train slowed down and stopped very frequently throughout the whole trip. If it went full speed all the time, I am sure it could get to Montreal in about 6 hours. Next time when I take this train again, I will make sure to bring plenty of water and food with me.
From Montreal to NYC
After spending three great days in Montreal, it was time to go back to New York. There is only Amtrak train each day traveling from Montreal to NYC which leaves at 10:20 AM. I got to the Central Station (Gare Centrale) at 8:35AM so that I had plenty of time to get ready and to have breakfast (Note: The metro station that connects to the Central Station is Bonaventure). Most of the restaurants were not open at that time, so I had breakfast at the McDonald's in the train station. This time I made sure that I brought some food with me on the train.
The departure checking in Montreal was much simpler than the checking in Penn Station. I just needed to show the gate agent my passport before boarding the train. Probably because it was Sunday, there were more people on the train. This time I sat on the left side of the train so that I could see Lake Champlain.
10:20 AM
Train left Central Station. My 11 hours of train ride to NYC began.
12:05 PM
The train stopped right before Rouses Point station. Several U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents entered the train to check passports, ask questions, and collect the customs declaration form.
12:56 PM
The train started moving again. We were still an 8 hours train ride away from Penn Station.
5:53 PM
Our train arrived at Albany-Rensselaer Station. The train stopped here for about 20 minutes. During this time, passengers were allowed to step off the train.
9:00 PM
After about 11 hours of train ride, finally we arrived at Penn Station.
The train ride from Montreal to NYC was very similar to the train ride from NYC to Montreal. The train slowed down and stopped very frequently throughout the whole trip. Will I ever take this train again? Sure! Compared to travelling by bus or airplane, it is the most affordable and comfortable way to travel between NYC and Montreal.