Amtrak restarts Berkshire Flyer summer 2026

Amtrak said on May 14 that it will bring back the Berkshire Flyer for the 2026 summer season, restoring the seasonal train between New York City and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and adding a second weekend-oriented round trip. The service starts on Friday, June 12, and will run on Fridays and Sundays through Sunday, September 19, according to Amtrak and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The route links Moynihan Train Hall in Manhattan with Pittsfield by way of Albany-Rensselaer and intermediate stops. State partners MassDOT and the New York State Department of Transportation are again backing the service. ### When does the train run this summer? Friday, June 12, is the first day of Berkshire Flyer service for 2026, and Sunday, September 19, is the last scheduled day of the season, Amtrak said. The train will operate on Fridays and Sundays during that span. (media.amtrak.com) The 2026 schedule adds what Amtrak called a second round trip aimed at weekend travel patterns. Amtrak said the new setup lets travelers leave Pittsfield on Fridays and return on Sundays, in addition to the established New York-to-Berkshires weekend flow. (media.amtrak.com) ### What changed from earlier Berkshire Flyer seasons? The new element for 2026 is the added weekend option out of Pittsfield. Amtrak said the extra round trip expands the service beyond the prior pattern and gives western Massachusetts riders another direct rail option tied to weekend travel. (media.amtrak.com) MassDOT’s March 18, 2026 Compass Rail update said the Berkshire Flyer has operated seasonally since 2022 and that the agency has worked to improve the service by adding trips and adjusting schedules. That same presentation said the most popular trips from Massachusetts stations are longer-distance trips to New York City and beyond. (media.amtrak.com) ### Which stations and route does the service use? Moynihan Train Hall in New York City and Pittsfield, Massachusetts, are the endpoints of the Berkshire Flyer, Amtrak said. The route runs through Albany-Rensselaer and includes several intermediate station stops, according to the May 14 release. (mass.gov) Amtrak’s Berkshire Flyer page describes the trip as roughly four hours and markets it as a seasonal weekend train between New York and the Berkshires. The same page says the service is funded through a partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. ### Who is paying for it, and what are officials saying? MassDOT and NYSDOT are Amtrak’s named state partners on the 2026 service. (media.amtrak.com) Amtrak said the train is returning in partnership with both agencies, and MassDOT carried the same announcement on its state website. (amtrak.com) Governor Maura Healey said the Berkshire Flyer has become “an important connection” between western Massachusetts and New York City. Amtrak Vice President for Planning and State Partnerships Nicole Bucich said the company was “grateful for the partnership with MassDOT, NYSDOT, and CSX” in continuing the service. Interim Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said the added service offers “more desirable travel times for passengers this season.” (media.amtrak.com) ### Why does this route already exist as a seasonal train? MassDOT’s Berkshire Flyer study page says the service grew out of a state effort to evaluate seasonal rail between New York City and the Berkshires, modeled on the CapeFLYER. The study page says MassDOT planned a working group to examine the potential route. MassDOT’s Compass Rail presentation said the Berkshire Flyer is part of the state’s broader Amtrak-operated service portfolio in Massachusetts. (media.amtrak.com) The presentation also said CSX-owned or shared freight corridors are part of the operating environment for these services. (mass.gov) ### What happens next for riders? June 12 is the next concrete milestone, when the first 2026 Berkshire Flyer departure is scheduled to leave for the summer season. Amtrak’s Berkshire Flyer page and the company’s timetable tools list schedules and ticket options, while MassDOT and NYSDOT remain the named public partners for the route. (media.amtrak.com) (mass.gov)