All Aboard the Berkshire Flyer 

Last July saw a dream fulfilled when more than five years of work culminated in the pilot season of the Berkshire Flyer line on Amtrak. The seasonal train, which runs between New York City and Pittsfield MA, restored passenger service between the city and the Berkshires for the first time in more than 50 years.

Having proven itself in its first year, the Berkshire Flyer returns Memorial Day weekend for an expanded season, providing weekend transport through Columbus Day (Indigenous Peoples Day) weekend. On the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends travelers can book a round-trip that provides three nights and two full days in the Berkshires.

Tickets for the 4.5-hour rail trips, which pass through Poughkeepsie and Albany on the way to Pittsfield, went on sale March 20. Booking early for the summer season is advised to guarantee a seat as the Berkshires are a tourism Mecca in summer and fall.

This year there is even an enhanced travel experience in Business Class on the Flyer which offers amenities such as a fully refundable ticket if cancelled prior to departure, a 25-percent point bonus for Amtrak Guest Rewards members, leather-covered seating with footrests and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages on select trains.