Amtrak to restart Adirondack route by April

WASHINGTON (WCAX) - New York’s Senate delegation says Amtrak plans to reopen the Adirondack line on April 3rd following its pandemic closure more than two years ago.

The route between Montreal and New York City makes stops in Plattsburgh and other towns along the way and had been scheduled to reopen in August. In a recent letter to Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner, Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand appealed for an expedited start.

“I am proud to announce that after months of advocacy Amtrak has heeded our calls and will officially reopen the Adirondack Line between the Empire State and Canada, finally restarting this vital economic engine for the North Country and Capital Region,” Senator Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

Before closing down, Schumer’s office says the route had an annual ridership of 117,490 passengers in 2019, providing a boost to the North Country’s tourism economy.

“The Adirondack Line is a crucial resource for the North Country. It’s a transportation service for our residents and with its ability to connect visitors from Canada and across out state to this region, a major economic driver,” state Senator Dan Stec (R-Queensbury) said in a statement. “Its closure had a major impact on our ability to move forward from the pandemic and get our economy back on track.