NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) -- The MTA's Metro-North Railroad is planning to start running between New York City and Albany to make up for some of the cutbacks made by Amtrak.
The service, which will be limited to one daily round trip, will start in the first half of next year, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday. The decision comes after Amtrak in May suspended three of its daily runs between New York’s Penn Station and the capital city because of repairs, only one of which will be restored in December.
“While Amtrak’s repairs to the East River Tunnels are necessary, riders from Albany to New York City have had to endure sold out trains and higher fares for the past five months,” Hochul said in a statement.
Amtrak’s Empire Service between New York and Albany carries two million riders annually. This will be Metro-North’s first-ever service to to that city.
The push to bring back some train service comes as the Trump administration is withholding $18 billion of infrastructure funds for New York City projects, including a new rail tunnel through the Hudson River called Gateway and an extension of the Second Avenue subway to Harlem.
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