Ride the Rails to Canada

After our White House tour on Saturday, my husband and I had lunch with another couple from our group. Jerry and Cynthia told us all about their recent rail trip to Montreal, Canada, and now I'm itching to make this journey myself. I really like train travel; I'd love to spend a day on a train, looking at scenery, reading, and looking forward to a weekend in a fascinating city.

Amtrak's Adirondack Route begins at Penn Station in New York City. The train travels north through the Hudson River Valley, making several stops along the way. It runs right next to Vermont's gorgeous Lake Champlain and then travels into Canada. Customs agents check your travel documents as you reach the Canadian border. There's a snack car on the train, or you can bring along a picnic breakfast and lunch.

If you have time to make this trip soon, you're in luck. Amtrak is offering a weekend special on the Adirondack route from Penn Station to Montreal, if you travel between January 11 and March 31, 2008. If you travel Friday through Monday, the round-trip fare is only $75. I'm pretty sure you couldn't buy the gas for that trip for $75, let alone avoid driving in winter weather.

When I called to ask about the reservation process, the nice folks at Amtrak told me that the discount is calculated automatically if your travel dates meet the discount conditions. If you're interested, read more about this travel bargain on Amtrak's website.

If you'd rather wait until spring, Amtrak's 15% senior discount, valid for passengers 62 and over, applies to most trains. Seniors can also save 10% on Amtrak's 30-day North American Rail Pass.

Photo © Paul Anderson