EXPANDED AMTRAK SERVICES WILL ADD A SECOND DAILY ROUND TRIP FROM PITTSBURGH TO NEW YORK CITY, VIA HARRISBURG AND PHILADELPHIA. | PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

All aboard!

For the first time in decades, Amtrak is expanding service in Western Pennsylvania by adding a second daily round trip to New York City from Pittsburgh, via Harrisburg and Philadelphia. 

In January, Amtrak announced it will introduce its Airo fleet in 2026. The streamlined trains will travel at 125 mph and feature spacious and modern cabins with other amenities.

To support the expansion, the state is investing more than $200 million in infrastructure and safety improvements that will be constructed and maintained by Norfolk Southern. PennDOT has also applied for grant funds through the Federal Railroad Administration to help pay for these improvements.

“Ensuring more Pennsylvanians have access to safe and reliable transportation to Western PA will reduce commute times, help connect hundreds of thousands of residents and boost local economies.” PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll said in a press release.

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.

It is one of the busiest and fastest links on Norfolk Southern’s network, connecting with terminals in Toledo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and the Lehigh Valley.

For more information on Pennsylvania’s railways, visit PennDOT’s website.