Worth it to take the Adirondack?

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northnorthwest

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We are thinking of taking the Adirondack from Montreal to Baltimore in August. For those who've done this trip, what are your impressions? Is there anything special about it? It seems like a really long route in time compared to its distance. I wish they had a sleeper on this train so that a meal could be part of the trip...I guess we can just bring food.

Also what is the boarder crossing like?
 
northnorthwest said:
We are thinking of taking the Adirondack from Montreal to Baltimore in August. For those who've done this trip, what are your impressions? Is there anything special about it? It seems like a really long route in time compared to its distance. I wish they had a sleeper on this train so that a meal could be part of the trip...I guess we can just bring food.

Also what is the boarder crossing like?
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I have not done it, but want to. It comes highly recommended however.

And yes, you can bring food or make use of the cafe car (note it's not great quality or great prices, but at least you can get something warm, and honestly, some of the sandwiches aren't too terrible.)
 
CHamilton said:
OBS said:
Just want to make sure, you realize you have to change trains in NYP...
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Or if you have the time, you could take the Adirondack to Port Kent, NY, take the ferry to Burlington, VT, then take the Vermonter from Essex Junction directly to Baltimore.
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I second this if you have the time to spend the night after crossing Lake Champlain! Otherwise, as Dave said, you'll see the nice scenery as you roll down Lake Champlain( left side of the train).The Hudson River, after Albany, is on the Right side of the train.
Be aware you won't arrive into NYP until 8:20pm, usually later, so the Acela ( Mon-Fri only) or Regional you catch won't get to Baltimore till around Midnight!
 
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However, OP is traveling FROM MTR TO BAL. If the trip was done from Montreal to Port Kent, the best scenery (next to Lake Champlain) would be missed. Plus after the ferry crossing, an overnight would be needed to catch the southbound Vermonter. Yes, the Adirondack requires a change of trains at NYP, but it is a same day connection.
 
Didn't know about the ferry, but it looks nice. We've never been to Burlington (or VT or this part of upstate NY either). Is the town worth spending a night there? What do folks think about ferry to Burlington, night in Burlington, Vermonter to Baltimore versus taking the return ferry the next day and Adirondack to Balt from Port Kent? I see the Vermonter is cheaper. How does the scenery/experience compare on these two routes?
 
The Adirondack is a far prettier route than the Vermonter. The Adirondack is probably the most beautiful train ride I have taken in my life. The Vermonter's not bad either, but still not at the Adirondack's level. That said, Burlington is a great little city.
 
The wife and I took the Adirondack from Montreal to Schenectady last year as part of a larger trip. The border crossing is fairly painless, but probably takes longer than it needs to. About a dozen CBP officers got on the train. A few commandeered the cafe car. Officers worked their way through the train checking passports and asking the usual border crossing questions. People who needed more screening than 30-60 seconds of questions were sent to the cafe car to talk to the officers there.

A big disappointment was the lack of business class on this train. We were in sleeping cars or business class the entire journey using Amtrak Guest Rewards points for all of the Amtrak segments. So we spent roomette points on our Montreal-Winona, MN portion of the journey, but were in coach like everyone else on the Adirondack.

On the plus side, the cafe fare was pretty good for our lunch that day. As a beer aficionado I was pleasantly surprised to find Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA available.
 
I just took the Adirondack earlier this week and it was a great experience. The train to Montreal was only 3 minutes late and the southbound return was exactly on time. As others have said, it's a beautiful ride along the Hudson from New York up to Albany but the scenery from Saratoga north is spectacular along Lake Champlain. The rail line winds through what feels like your own forest and the view on both sides is great, but the lake side is obviously the star attraction. There are lots of great places to pick up food in the Montreal station and the cafe car has a great selection of beverages and snacks. The sandwich selection on board sounded appetizing but I did not get a chance to try any.

The border crossing both ways was non eventful, but it does take a chunk of time (about 90 minutes heading into Canada and about an hour south into the US). Make sure to have a pen with you to complete the customs form.

It's one of the few long distance trains I have taken, but it's whetted my appetite for more.
 
Do you need a US passport to enter Canada or will a valid drivers License work?
 
Jim Fix said:
Do you need a US passport to enter Canada or will a valid drivers License work?
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If you are a US Citizen and have an " enhanced" license from one of the states that issues them works, as will a US Passport Card or if a Legal US Resident, a " Green Card", otherwise a Valid US Passport valid for at least 6 more Months is required!
 
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Gone are the days when you could drive across the border and (if asked) just show your driver's license. Now you need a Passport, Passport Card or an enhanced Driver's License (which includes the Passport information imbedded on it). Note that not all states offer it - including some border states.
 
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