I paid $140 for a 12-hour train from NYC to Montreal. Even though it was cheaper than flying, the exhausting trip wasn't worth it.
- This spring, I took Amtrak's Adirondack train for a weekend trip from New York City to Montreal.
- My trip was three days long, which meant just one day in the city and two days on the train.
Earlier this year, I took Amtrak's Adirondack train from New York City to Montreal, a 12-hour journey that snakes through the Hudson Valley and into Canada. The route had just reopened after being halted since 2020, and I was eager to see what it was all about.
My timing couldn't have been better — after its reopening in April, the Adirondack line shut down again three months later due to Canadian regulations regarding high temperatures.
An Amtrak representative told Insider the train is back up and running as of September 11 — for good this time, theoretically — but I'm not jumping to get back on board.
Next time I travel way to Canada, it'll be by plane.
The train was too long for a weekend
My little getaway was only three days — which meant two full days of train travel and just one day to explore Montreal. The day had already slipped away when I arrived at Montreal's Gare Central at 8 p.m.
Much of the historic Old Montreal neighborhood where I stayed appeared to have called it a night. The cute shops were closed, but a few restaurants were open. Groggy from spending half a day on a train, I grabbed dinner and dessert, and crawled into bed before a full day of exploring.
Then, in a flash, it was time to head back to the train station. I'd spent less than 36 hours in Montreal, and I already had to leave. It was at this point I began wishing I'd have just flown.
Even though it was cheaper, next time, I'll splurge on a flight
My train ride cost $140 — about $100 cheaper than it costs to fly, depending on when you book. As of Tuesday, Google flights showed tickets from New York City to Montreal starting around $236.
And even though I enjoy train rides — I even spent 57 hours on a cross-country train this winter — this one wasn't worth it for my weekend trip. I arrived in Montreal too late to really explore and departed too early to get much done.
Even though I had one good day in the city, it didn't feel like enough. Had I flown in early on the first day and left late on my last day, I could have had three full days to roam around instead of just one.
The next time I head up north for a weekend, I plan to fly, even if it's slightly more expensive, so I can have more time on the ground when I get there.