Tips on traveling the Adirondack train with kids (DC to montreal)• Maryland kid photographer
here is a guide to help you make the most of your adventure on the Adirondack train with kids
What could go wrong when 2 moms decide to take their 4 kids to Montreal during Spring break using the Adirondack train? After all, the journey is only 14 hours and 30 minutes from DC!
We left from Union Station in DC at 5 am for a 3-hour commute to NYC. Kids didn’t like the very early wakeup but that was the only hard thing of the trip honestly. All travels went smoothly after this. The experience is well worth it with epic scenery, cultural immersion, and one more bucket list item to check off your list.
The train from NYC to Montreal is called the Adirondack train and is operated by Amtrack. It’s a daytime train that follows the Hudson River traversing picturesque landscapes and charming towns. The cons is that it takes almost 12 hours (whereas it’s 6 hours by car and 1.5 hour by plane) to ride the 600 km (373 miles) but the pros are that there is no sitting in traffic or navigating directions. You can even actually meet new people along the ride!
The journey is just as important as the destination.
WHEN TO TRAVEL WITH THE ADIRONDACK train?
Fall is definitely the busiest time because of the foliage and stunning landscape. The Adirondack often appears on lists of the world’s most scenic train trips. Winter is also particularly popular when skiers head to the mountain resorts of northern New York and Vermont.
We decided to take advantage of the kids’ Spring break in April to travel. It’s an in-between season where trees are slowly waking up from winter and you can still see snow on the ground. (Read below: crossing the border with kids!)
The daytime train departs everyday at 8:35 am from New York’s Moynihan Train Hall. When we arrived in NYC, directions were not clearly indicated. We had to exit Penn station, cross the street to go to Moynihan Train Hall. There again, no clear signage of where to go but we found it eventually. There was a long line of people waiting to go onboard with lots of skiers among them and their gear. Definitely arrive sooner rather than later to have enough time to navigate the stations and wait in line.
(Read below: crossing the border with kids!)
the adirondack cars
First come, first serve. The last 2 cars are reserved for Canada and people crossing the border. The reclining seats are not assigned so you want to be one of the firsts to be able to choose your own seat, especially if you want to seat together. We needed 3 double seats for our party of 6 and found great placement without too much stress.
Right or left? To decide where you want to sit, know that the first section of the trip has great views of the Hudson River on the left side. The train will then stop in Albany, and for the remainder of the trip you can sit on the right to admire the beautiful views over Lake Champlain, sometimes with only a few feet between the track and the water.
That being said: there is no “wrong side” to sit to enjoy the views. It is just a different experience.
We had seats on both sides so it was easy to switch even though we did not. Another trick: go to the Café car.
At the end of August 2019, Amtrak retired the Great Dome Car —the last of her kind. The Adirondack route is scenic and always worthy of traveling, but you won’t do it in a glassed-in car. Amtrak is looking for alternate new carriages to take her place reports the Albany Times Union.
April 2024 Pricing in the Adirondack Train from NYC to Montreal
FOOD on the adirondack train
BRING YOUR OWN FOOD. We brought some sandwiches I made for the trip, some snacks like nuts and chips, some fruits (mandarines, apples). Each of us had a water bottle.
CAFE CAR. There is a café car where you can spend some time as there are some large windows, comfortable seats and tables. The kids played card games for a while there or just went there to stretch their legs and change scenery.
There are plenty of pre-packaged snack foods, along with pizza and sandwiches. Beverages include coffee and tea, soda and juices, and even wine, beer, and liquor. Unlike trains with a dining car, your ticket does not include food. You’ll have to pay by cash, credit, or debit card.
You can buy the typical beverages and foods. You’ll find:
breakfast foods like muffins, omelets and loaded bagels
lunch items such as Angus Cheeseburger, a Vegan BBQ Burger, Mac and Cheese
snacks such as vegetable crudites with hummus, cookies, chips and candies.
alcoholic beverages (or you can bring your own) until you arrive at the Canadian border.
The café shuts down briefly for shift changes, breaks or as it approaches the international border.
I read somewhere you cannot cross the border with fresh food but I’d say that as long as nothing is visible, you should be fine 😉
Generous legroom. For people who do the full trip to Montreal, the 2 cars are very spacious and comfortable. Each seat has plenty of legroom. There’s even a pop-up leg rest that is nice when you want to switch positions for reading or sleeping! Some people like to take refuge in the Café car and stay there most of their trip. There’s also plenty of places to store your bags, even on a full train. Trains are usually busier on weekends and less travelers on weekdays.
Restrooms were functional and clean.
Outlets – Each pair of seats has 2 outlets right beneath the window – essential for keeping your devices charged through the entire ride. If you share a seat with someone you don’t know, you’ll have to make arrangements as the cord will pass through their leg.
Luggage - You are allowed 1 personal item (25 lbs) and 2 carry-ons (50lbs each). Carry-on bags need to fit in the overhead rack (very roomy!) or luggage tower. Each passenger can check up to 4 bags - 2 free of charge and 2 for $20 per bag, each not to exceed 50 lbs. (23 kg), 75 linear inches (length + width + height).
STOP IN ALBANY the train stops for 15 minutes in Albany, be sure to get off and stretch your legs. If you stroll up to the front of the platform, you can watch as they swap the electric engine out for a steam engine (as the types of rails that the train can use change at this point in the journey) // engine change at Albany - Why are we still running a railway like we did in a past era and time
What to do?
You’ll want to bring along things to entertain yourself with — books, earbuds, games. But there’s nothing more relaxing than traveling by train, watching all of New York and Vermont go by our window. Download some movies, audiobooks, or music to your devices so you can lose yourself in a good story or catch up on a podcast (depending on the age of your kiddos though!).
People around us were working on computers, cell phones, watching movies, surfing the internet, reading a novel or a newspaper, taking a nap, and having conversations. At some point you have to fill out your custom forms for the upcoming arrival on Canadian soil.
We tried to limit screen time with the kids and it worked OK. It’s always good to have a backup plan in case of limited Wi-Fi access. We brought some snacks, books, a deck of cards, coloring books, thread for friendship bracelets…
Wifi – There is wifi in the cafe car, though it is very spotty the further upstate you get. It was barely even usable by the border.
CROSSING THE BORDER WITH KIDS!! READ ATTENTIVELY.
The last stop in the U.S. is Rouses Point. Here, expect the train to stop up to 2 hours to go through Canadian Customs and Border Protection which can cause delays. Canadian border agents will go through each and everyone to verify your identification documents (the one you used when you purchased the tickets) so be sure to have your passport or passport card with you, and not stuffed in your luggage!
When we were embarking in NYC, there was confusion as we were single moms traveling with kids (+ we don’t share the same last names). The U.S. agents told us that we needed to travel with a letter from the other parent who was allowing us to cross the border. I never read anything about this while preparing for this trip so this is my big advice: have theses things ready. The dads at home had to write a letter and NOTORIZE it! They sent the letters by email so at one point, we didn’t know if we would be allowed to cross the border or not.
When we arrive at the Canadian border, the agent asked us about our partners but didn't ask to see our letters… Expect some questions like “Where you’re going, where you’re from, why you’re entering Canada, etc. Shortly after you’ve cleared customs, the train crosses the 45th Parallel, which marks the border between the U.S. and Canada in New York.
All in all, it went smoothly but stress-levels were high for a while as we didn’t know the outcome!
No Passengers Under 18 Across the US-Canadian Border Unaccompanied
The Canada Border Services Agency and US Customs and Border Protection Department are very concerned about the safety of children crossing the border. The following applies to any situation where a passenger under 18 years old is not crossing the border accompanied by both parents:
If one or both parents are not accompanying the child, bring a letter from any parent or legal guardian not present giving permission to cross the border. (If part of an organized group, see below for the requirement.) Include addresses and phone numbers.
PHOTO TIPS
You are in a train that moves so expect some blurry photos if your shutter speed is not fast enough (iPhone handle this very well though). Or you can use a slow shutter speed on purpose and create cool effects. If you zoom in on something far away, the foreground will be inventively blurry. And there are poor chances that what you try to photograph will end up in focus (you are not stable enough).
Shoot from above, from the ground up, go to the back of the last car and shoot through he back window (wide shots are great there!).
Try to expose for the outdoor and not the person in front of the window to create a silhouette.
Play with reflections in windows if you can.
TRAvel COSTS
$360 ACELA train DC to NYC
$197 for the 3 of us (1 adult + 2 kids under 13) for the Adirondack train from NYC - Montreal
$1,111 to come back with Air Canada (Quebec-Montreal-Dulles). I had to come back promptly to see friends visiting DC.
Useful links
Amtrak - book tickets
Amtrak - Crossing the U.S.-Candian border
Hotel in Montreal - Square Phillips (with a rooftop pool - kids loved it!)
Quebec City - Le Bonaparte apartment VRBO
First Nation outdoor museum Huron-Wendat museum https://www.huron-wendat.qc.ca/en/ “Located on the Huron-Wendat community, the Huron Traditional Site is a unique opportunity to discover the history, the culture and the lifestyle of Wendats of the past and of today. We are a reconstruction of a Wendat village. We offer guided tours (French and English). These tours take place entirely outside, we recommend that you wear clothes suitable for the weather.”
Interesting article from The NY Times about traveling by train and the carbon footprint pollution it creates. It might not be the greener option 😔
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