Vermont is famous for its picturesque landscapes, charming small towns, and outdoor recreational opportunities. Nestled in the northeastern United States, it is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. Vermont is also known for its quaint villages and historic towns, many of which retain their classic New England charm. There is only a few passenger trains in Vermont. Only two Amtrak’s long-distance trains and one tourist railway.
There are no commuter rails in Vermont. From 2000 to 2003 The Champaign Flyer commuter train ran between Burlington, South Burlington, Shelburne, and Charlotte, in the eastern Champlain Valley (13 miles).
There are four rail trails across the state:
Lamoille Valley Rail Trail the longest rail trail in New England and connects 18 towns from St. Johnsbury to Swanton (93 miles).
Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail (26. miles) through the villages, farms, forests, fields, and wetlands of Franklin County. The trail connects seven towns: St. Albans, Swanton, Fairfield, Sheldon, Enosburg, Berkshire, and Richford.
Delaware & Hudson Rail Trail – 19.8 miles long rail trail in two sections: one between Castleton and Poultney, the other between West Pawlet and Rupert.
Beebe Spur Rail Trail (4 miles) – follows the eastern shore of Lake Memphremagog to Vermont’s border with Canada.
Long-distance trains in Vermont
There are more than ten Amtrak stations in Vermont. Most important are Union Station in Burlington and Montpelier-Berlin station. Two long-distance trains pass through the state of Vermont: Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express.
Amtrak stations in Vermont:
Bellows Falls (BLF)
Brattleboro (BRA)
Burlington – Union Station (BTN)
Castleton (CNV)
Essex Junction-Burlington (ESX)
Ferrisburgh-Vergennes (VRN)
Middlebury (MBY)
Montpelier-Berlin (MPR)
Randolph (RPH)
Rutland (RUD)
St. Albans (SAB)
Waterbury-Stowe (WAB)
White River Junction (WRJ)
Windsor-Mt. Ascutney (WNM)
The Vermonter originates in Washington, DC and operates on the Northeast Corridor up to New Haven, Connecticut where it heads north on the Springfield line to Springfield, Massachusetts. The train terminating in St. Albans. The train provides easy access to the state of Vermont from cities such as Washington, New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.
The Ethan Allen Express originates in Penn Station, New York City and terminates in Rutland, Vermont.
Tourist trains in Vermont
There is an only one tourist railroad in Vermont
Green Mountain Railroad – seasonal excursion trains from Burlington. The operator sold the majority of his Green Fleet after COVID and is focusing on dining trains from Burlington. Most popular is Champlan Valley Dinner Train – a relaxing three-hour round-trip dinner train from Burlington to Vergennes with a three-course gourmet dinner.
Green Mountain Railroad – official website
Related articles:
Railways in the United States of America by state
