Quebec tourists who had hoped to travel to New York by train this summer will now have to wait until the fall.
Last month, Amtrak and Canadian National Railway reached an agreement that no passenger trains will run between Montreal and the Big Apple until September due to track maintenance work.
U.S. passenger rail schedules show that between May 20 and Sept. 9, trains from Manhattan on the so-called Adirondack route will not reach the upstate New York town of Saratoga Springs.
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According to a joint statement issued by the railways on May 18, the extended timetable extends well beyond the peak of the peak season and ends 10 weeks later than planned.
When trying to book tickets for summer travel on the Adirondack Line, Amtrak's website displays a message saying “There are no trains or buses scheduled for the selected travel date” and that the next available date is Sept. 9 or 10, depending on the departure point.
Amtrak said it will suspend service until Sept. 8 as Canadian National Railway continues to advance track work on its lines in Canada.
“We deeply apologize for the inconvenience this has caused our customers,” spokesman Jason Abrams said in an email on Sunday.
Canadian National Railway, which owns the tracks along the country's northern border, confirmed that the country's largest railway company will extend maintenance work.
There was no statement on either organization's website regarding the suspension of the routes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 9, 2024.
© 2024 The Canadian Press
