2 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Trains magazine, 4/27/24:

 

 

 Tickets on sale for return of Amtrak’s Berkshire Flyer    

 

 

Ticket sales have begun for the Berkshire Flyer, the seasonal Amtrak service between New York and Pittsfield, Mass.

 

Details

[KevinKorell]

Amtrak press release  4/26/24:
 

 

   Tickets Now on Sale for Berkshire Flyer Seasonal Passenger Rail Service between New York City and Pittsfield, Massachusetts  

Passenger rail service runs on weekends from June 21 through September 2

 

Friday and Sunday service, including a Sunday morning train from NYC, from Amtrak, in conjunction with MassDOT and NYSDOT

 

PITTSFIELD – Amtrak, in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), is announcing tickets are now on sale for the Berkshire Flyer, the seasonal summer passenger rail service that operates between New York City from Moynihan Train Hall and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The service, which began as a successful pilot in 2022, is scheduled to resume on Friday, June 21 through Monday, September 2 for Labor Day weekend. Trains depart New York City Friday nights and return at the end of the weekend, leaving Pittsfield Sunday afternoon. In addition, for the first time this year, the Berkshire Flyer service now includes a train from New York City to Pittsfield on Sunday mornings.

 

We’re thrilled to announce this season’s Berkshire Flyer service,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt.  “The Berkshire Flyer makes visiting Western Massachusetts on weekends convenient, relaxing, and easy. We are pleased to continue our successful partnership with Amtrak, the New York State Department of Transportation and CSX.”

 

Massachusetts Rail and Transit Administrator Meredith Slesinger added, “MassDOT continues to implement its Compass Rail program to enhance existing and launch new passenger service, and the Berkshire Flyer is one element of our larger vision. We are pleased to offer this service for a third season and continue to advance other elements of the program with Amtrak, CSX, and our federal and state partners.”

 

“The Berkshire Flyer provides a comfortable and fun way for our guests to visit the Berkshire Mountains, all while enjoying unmatched scenery that you can only experience on America’s Railroad,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eiliot Hamlisch.  “Thanks to the support of our partners at MassDOT, NYSDOT and CSX, Amtrak travelers can enjoy their journey and the local culture all summer long.”

 

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “NYSDOT is proud to support this wonderfully successful passenger rail service, which provides a relaxing and enjoyable experience for travelers of all ages.  Whether it’s a weekend getaway, or a longer vacation, the Berkshire Flyer experience offers a convenient and eco-friendly way for travelers and adventure seekers to explore the beauty and charm of the Berkshires and Upstate New York.”

 

CSX is pleased to extend our commitment to pilot passenger service, the Berkshire Flyer, that will run between New York City and Pittsfield, MA on our network this summer,” said Senior Director of Passenger Operations at CSX, Andy Daly. “CSX has a long history of working in partnership on projects that benefit both passenger and freight rail service, and since acquiring Pan Am, we have made significant investments in the infrastructure to provide a safer, more reliable freight rail network throughout New England.”

 

“I have been a staunch supporter of the Berkshire Flyer from the beginning. As a catalyst for regional economic growth and sustainability, it underscores the importance of improved and expanded passenger rail service throughout the Commonwealth. I am thrilled that the service will soon be underway for the summer of 2024,” said Congressman Richard Neal. “FY23 marked a nearly 50% increase in ridership from FY22, a testament to the desirability of the service. We all know what the Berkshires has to offer in the arts, culture, history, and hospitality, and the Berkshire Flyer serves as an accessible, convenient mode of transportation that allows tourists to visit throughout the summer months. I am grateful to the folks at Amtrak, CSX, MassDOT, and NYSDOT for their continued efforts to support the operation of this service.”

 

The Berkshire Flyer departs from Moynihan Train Hall at 3:16 p.m. on Fridays and arrives at Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center in Pittsfield at 7:27 p.m. The train will make all intermediate station stops as the scheduled Amtrak Empire Service train does in New York State on Fridays, which include Yonkers, Croton-Harmon, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, Hudson, and Albany-Rensselaer Station. The Sunday return trip, making all the same station stops, will depart Pittsfield at 3:35 p.m. and arrive in New York at 7:55 p.m. The new Sunday Berkshire Flyer train from New York City to Pittsfield will depart Moynihan Train Hall at 10:50 a.m. and arrive in Pittsfield at 3:15 p.m.

 

The Berkshire Flyer is building upon two successful seasons where some of the Pittsfield-bound trains were sold out well in advance. Based on that experience, passengers planning a trip are encouraged to purchase tickets early by visiting Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.

 

Berkshire Flyer customers can expect the same amenities onboard as they do on all other Amtrak trains including, free Wi-Fi, the freedom to always use phones and electronic devices (no “airplane mode”), the ability to travel with small pets, large spacious seats with plenty of leg room and no middle seat.,

 

For MassDOT information, please visit:  https://www.mass.gov...-transportation.

 

To learn more about NYSDOT, please visit: https://www.dot.ny.gov/index.

 

Learn more about Amtrak at Amtrak.com or on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

[KevinKorell]

That Sunday New York-Pittsfield trip is not really a "new" train but it's being marketed as such.    Last year, there was a Sunday revenue move from Albany to Pittsfield, Train 1245, and that turned at PIT for Pittsfield-New York train 1244 (which ran in the slot of 244 which ran all other days of the week).   Now in 2024, they combined the revenue move with New York-Albany Train 233 with what was 1245 to become 1233, operating in the slot of 233 (which continues on other days).    What was 1244 on Sundays will be 1246 this year and run in a later slot.