2015's Best Fall Foliage Train Tours in New York State

With the crisp autumn weather on the way, you can look forward to the great fall foliage tours offered by each of these scenic railroads in New York State -- AND enjoy Amtrak’s Great American Dome Car! On the scenic railroads, you can enjoy the historic atmosphere at the depots, as well as the vintage rolling stock-steam locomotives, diesel engines, and newly-restored trolleys. Each of these excursions offers great meals, whether it’s in a casual café car or a gourmet meal served on white linen.

Photo Credit: Amtrak's Adirondack Service

Amtrak Dome Car :  Going from New York Penn Station all the way up to Montreal, this train ride travels for a total of ten hours, but the majestic scenery makes the ride worth it. The dome car has windows on all sides, so you can get the ultimate panoramic view.  You can also get great narration courtesy of National Park Service Trails to Rails program with Amtrak to guide you along the way.  Enjoy the Great Dome Car travelling northbound September 24-November 2, or southbound from September 25-November 3. The ride is offered for all on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Adirondack Scenic Railroad (Lake Saranac and Lake Placid) (43 miles from the Westport Amtrak): Travel through the best of what the Adirondacks has to offer on this railway’s Fall Foliage Tour. The tour departs from the railway’s Lake Placid and Lake Saranac stations. Shuttle buses are available outside the Westport Amtrak to get you there. Once you’re there, you can enjoy the experience on either the coaches or in the open air car where you can easily take photos. Also look forward to the Halloween Train in October. For more information and ticket prices, visit the website.

Adirondack Scenic Railroad (Utica) For those looking for an Adirondack fall foliage experience closer to an Amtrak station, look no further than the one that is offered in Adirondack Scenic Railroad’s Utica location. The train departs from Utica at 11:30 am and arrives at the town of Thendara at 1:30 pm. Throughout the way, you can experience some great fall foliage along with migrating birds depending on the weather conditions. Also look forward to the Family Halloween Train experience which happens on Halloween this year.

Catskill Mountain Railroad (13.8 miles from Rhinecliff-Kingston Amtrak): Get the best possible view of the beautiful Catskills from this train’s open cars. There are two railroad lines for twice the fun, with Kingston City Limited departing from Kingston, NY and Esopus Scenic Train departing from Mt. Temper, NY. Rates for the fall foliage tours will be posted on the website soon. Pre-paid reservations are open until the day before the ride. For more information, call (845) 688-7400 or send an email to cmrrinfo@gmail.com.

Saratoga & North Creek Railway (0.0 miles from Saratoga Springs Amtrak): Offered only on October 15 this year, this exclusive dinner train allows you to enjoy the beautiful fall foliage of the Upper Hudson River Valley while dining on a gourmet 4-course meal and sipping on a great cocktail. More information is available on the website, but you can also call 1-877-726-7245 or send an email at customerservice@premierrails.com.

Delaware and Ulster Railroad (52.8 miles from Rhinecliff-Kingston Amtrak): Starting in the town of Arkville, NY and ending in the town of Roxbury, this railroad’s fall foliage tour has earned rave reviews, and is one of the attraction’s most popular offerings. D&UR is also open on Columbus Day, for those who want to make the event a family outing. Visit the website for individual pricing information. For group pricing information, call (845) 586-DURR.

Also watch for the “Polar Express” train rides over the holiday season, which will be featured on both the Adirondack Scenic Railroad and Catskill Mountain Railroad.