Tickets available this week on Amtrak website, mobile app.
The roundtrip Amtrak Pennsylvanian service between New York City and Pittsburgh via Harrisburg will expand from once daily to twice daily, giving more Pennsylvanians access to modern, safe, reliable passenger rail.
Ongoing Commonwealth and federal investments in freight rail infrastructure and safety upgrades between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh are making passenger rail service expansion possible.
Johnstown, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll announced today that the second daily roundtrip Pennsylvanian train service will begin service on November 18, following close collaboration with Amtrak and Norfolk Southern. Tickets for the second daily train will be available this week, doubling the service on the 444-mile route between Pittsburgh and New York via Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and stops in between.
The Shapiro Administration has invested more than $80 million into the rail expansion, with construction already underway or completed. Service expansion will give more Pennsylvanians access to modern, safe, reliable passenger rail service that gets them where they need to go – connecting Pennsylvania communities and bringing jobs, economic development, and infrastructure investment along with it.
“Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, PennDOT has been working hard to make transportation work better for everyone, no matter how you travel,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Thanks to a critical investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, years of hard work and collaboration, and the tireless advocacy of the community and elected officials, we have reached this exciting milestone.”
Tickets for the second daily Pennsylvanian will be available this week on Amtrak’s website and mobile app. Riders can enjoy coach and business-class seating, onboard wi-fi, and café service featuring Pennsylvania-inspired menu items.
“With tickets becoming available this week, customers will soon have even more opportunities to travel aboard the Pennsylvanian,” said Amtrak Board Member and Chair of the System Growth Committee Rob Gleason. “This second daily round trip will provide greater flexibility, strengthen connections across Pennsylvania and demonstrate the value of strong partnerships in growing passenger rail.”
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. In 2023, to support increasing the passenger rail frequency on the rail line, the Shapiro Administration received $143 million in federal passenger rail funding to help complete necessary infrastructure and safety improvements. The federal investments and additional Commonwealth transit funding will fund the design and construction of remaining improvements that Norfolk Southern will complete.
"The expansion of Pennsylvanian service demonstrates what is possible when public and private partners work together toward a shared vision for rail transportation," said Norfolk Southern Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Mike McClellan. "Norfolk Southern is proud to support efforts that expand transportation options for Pennsylvanians while maintaining the safe and efficient movement of freight across the Commonwealth. We are excited about the official launch. We remain committed to our partnership with PennDOT and Amtrak as we support efforts that benefit communities, passengers, shippers and rail customers alike."
The Pennsylvanian is a key passenger rail route connecting the citizens of the Keystone State from east to west, and, in conjunction with the Floridian, with Cleveland, Chicago and beyond. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Line is one of the busiest and fastest links on Norfolk Southern's network, connecting with major terminals in Toledo, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and the Lehigh Valley.
PennDOT has remained among the nation’s leaders in driving out federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law investments in other projects as well, including the transformative Scranton to New York Penn Station Passenger Rail Corridor.
Pennsylvania has 65 operating railroads – the most of any state in the country – and ranks third in total track mileage with more than 5,500 miles. The 2025 Pennsylvania State Rail Plan reported that in 2022, 169 million tons of freight moved over the state's rail transportation system.
More information on the Shapiro Administration’s work to improve intercity passenger rail in Pennsylvania is available on PennDOT's website.
MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Campbell, 717-783-8800 or alecampbel@pa.gov
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