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10/21/2025
New York state secured a series of improvements to rail service on the Empire service corridor between Albany and New York City, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Amtrak and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials announced yesterday.
Following the recent suspension of three daily Amtrak Empire service round trips, Hochul tasked the MTA to develop potential solutions using existing MTA Metro-North Railroad service as a mitigation for affected riders. As a result, the MTA is advancing a plan with partners to run Metro-North service between Albany and Grand Central Terminal in New York City, starting with one daily round trip in the spring 2026, MTA officials said in a press release.
In addition, Amtrak has committed to restoring one daily round trip on Dec. 1 after suspending three trips between New York City and Albany earlier this year to accommodate the railroad's East River rail tunnels restoration project. The tunnels were severely damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Financially supported by the New York Department of Transportation, the Amtrak Empire service is vital to communities up and down the Hudson River, carrying 2 million riders annually, according to state officials.
The new schedule will be the first time Metro-North service has operated between New York City and New York’s capital region. Metro-North’s predecessor on the Hudson Line, the New York Central Railroad, previously ran service between Grand Central and Albany until 1967.