Now is the time to plan your trip and book your tickets if you’re traveling by train during the Thanksgiving period.
Ticket prices on most Amtrak trains will be higher than normal, and many trains will sell out early.
To make things easier, we’ve prepared this guide for traveling by train during the busy Thanksgiving holiday period.
Contents
– Valley Flyer connecting with Amtrak in New Haven
– Valley Flyer connecting with Metro-North in New Haven
– Hartford Line connecting with Metro-North in New Haven
Your Thanksgiving travel options
Option 1 | Amtrak’s Vermonter service
Route: Vermont – Northampton – NY Penn Station – Washington, DC
Pros
• One-seat ride
• Business class seating available
• Café car
Cons
• Most Vermonter trips will sell out
• Higher fares on peak travel days
👉 Fare and ticketing information is available on the Vermonter page.
Option 2 | Valley Flyer + Amtrak Northeast Corridor connection
Route: Greenfield – Northampton – Springfield – Hartford – New Haven
– connecting to/from Amtrak service to NYC and points south
Pros
Convenient scheduled connections with Amtrak in New Haven
Cons
Most connecting Amtrak trains to/from NYC will sell out
High ticket prices on peak travel days
👉 Fare and ticket information for this option is available on the Valley Flyer page.
Option 3 | Valley Flyer + Metro-North New Haven Line
Route: Greenfield – Northampton – Springfield – Hartford – New Haven
– connecting to/from Metro-North to Grand Central Terminal NYC
Pros
• Scheduled connection with Metro-North in New Haven
• Much lower fares on peak days (1/3rd the cost of taking Amtrak on peak days)
• Plenty of seats are available on most days
Cons
• Requires two tickets (Amtrak + Metro-North)
👉 Fare and ticketing information for this option is available on the Valley Flyer page.
Here’s the current schedule for these three options —
Southbound schedule
Northbound schedule
Option 4 | Amtrak to/from Springfield
Route: Springfield – New Haven – NY Penn Station – Washington, DC
Pros
• Multiple trains
• The PVTA operates an express bus (the G73E) between Northampton and Springfield daily, except on Thanksgiving Day.
Cons
• High ticket prices on peak travel days
• Many trains sell out
• Need to get yourself to/from Springfield Union Station
👉 Fare and ticketing information of this option can be found on Amtrak.com
Option 5 | Hartford Line + Metro-North connection
Route: Springfield – Hartford – New Haven
– connecting to/from Metro-North to Grand Central Terminal NYC
Pros
• 12–13 daily trains between Springfield and New Haven
• Low fixed fare on the Hartford Line
• Low fares — for example, one-way Springfield to NYC (Grand Central) for as little as $20 (senior fare.) The Adult fare is $33.25.
Cons
• Need to get yourself to/from Springfield Union Station
👉 Fare and ticketing information for this option can be found on the Hartford Line page.
Special notes (Options 4 & 5)
All PVTA buses, except the B79 bus (between Amherst and Worcester Union Station), are FREE until June 2026.
If you’re traveling on an Amtrak-operated Hartford Line train during the holiday period, buy your ticket from Amtrak, not a CTrail ticket machine — this ensures you’ll have a seat.
Page last updated: November 16, 2025
Page last reviewed: October 31, 2025