Overview
- All suspended or combined Empire Service trips between Penn Station and Albany-Rensselaer return in early March after last spring’s cutbacks for tunnel work.
- Following the restoration commitment, Amtrak told New York State and the MTA it will not permit the temporary Grand Central–Albany Metro-North extension.
- The scrapped Metro-North option was set to charge a fixed fare around $40 one way, far below typical Amtrak coach prices near $99.
- Amtrak says the $1.6 billion East River Tunnel rehabilitation remains on time and within budget, with completion expected in 2027.
- MTA and Metro-North officials expressed disappointment yet indicated they will continue evaluating potential Hudson Line expansion north of Poughkeepsie if demand justifies it.