Vermonter With Kids: All 30 Stops, River Towns and Kids Tickets
Yes, you can do the Vermonter with kids, and the trick is to treat it as a pick-your-piece train. It runs once a day between Washington, D.C. and St. Albans, Vermont, about 13 hours 20 minutes end to end, and most families ride just a slice, like New York to Brattleboro or Springfield to White River Junction. Kids 2 to 12 go half price. North of Springfield it leaves the busy Northeast Corridor behind and follows the Connecticut River past brick depots and mill towns into the Green Mountains.
The short version
- One train each way a day. On weekdays the northbound leaves Washington about 7:30 a.m. and gets to St. Albans at 8:50 p.m.
- 30 stops in nine states plus D.C., including nine in Vermont and one in New Hampshire (Claremont).
- Want seats side by side? Business Class comes with seat selection.
- Half price for ages 2 to 12. A solo teen 13 to 15 can't ride southbound past Wilmington, because the train reaches Baltimore after 9:30 p.m.
- White River Junction to Brattleboro and back works as a day trip, with one train each way.
Vermonter at a glance
- Runs between
- Washington, D.C. and St. Albans, Vermont, by way of New York City, Hartford and Springfield
- States
- D.C., Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont
- Stops
- 30, including nine in Vermont
- End to end
- about 13 hours 20 minutes on weekdays (Amtrak lists up to 13 hours 45 minutes)
- Trains
- one each way, every day
- Seats
- Coach and Business Class; Business Class includes seat selection
- Food
- café car with the Corridor Café menu
- Sleeper rooms
- none; it is a daytime train
- Bikes
- carry-on bikes allowed
Look inside the book
Riding the Vermonter up the river? Rally rides too.
It takes about five minutes to read aloud, roughly the hop from Bellows Falls to Claremont. Take a peek inside.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
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25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Do kids need a ticket on the Vermonter?
Kid fares are the easy part. A child 2 to 12 costs half of an adult ticket as long as someone 18 or older is booked too, and each paying adult can hold one under-2 on their lap for free. Teens 13 and up pay the adult fare. There's no code to hunt for: the discount kicks in when you add a child to your booking.
If you're riding the Washington to New Haven stretch, you might wonder whether Acela fare rules apply. They don't. The Vermonter is its own train, and the New York State rail site lists weekday Acela trains, not the Vermonter, among the exceptions to everyday discounts.
The real quirk is for teens. Solo riders aged 13 to 15 have to start and end at staffed stations, ride one train that leaves after 5:30 a.m. and arrives by 9:30 p.m., and make no connections. The southbound Vermonter reaches Baltimore at about 9:40 to 9:50 p.m., so a young teen alone can't ride it all the way to Baltimore or Washington. Several small stops, like Windsor-Mt. Ascutney and Claremont, are bare platforms, so call 1-800-USA-RAIL to check which stations take unaccompanied minors.
One more thing: unaccompanied minor tickets are sold by phone only, and they cost the full adult fare with no child discount.
Free for train families
Free printables for the Vermonter
Rally coloring pages, a maze from his house to the station and a fill-in train ticket kids can show the conductor. Free to print at home.
Get the free coloring pages and activity packEvery Vermonter stop, from Washington, D.C. to St. Albans, Vermont
Thirty stops in all. On weekends the northbound train leaves Washington earlier, at 5:25 a.m., and skips New Carrollton, so double-check which day you're riding.
Washington, D.C.- Washington Union StationLook for: Before you board, have them look up at the station: it's a huge Beaux-Arts building by Daniel Burnham, with the U.S. Capitol and the National Mall nearby.
- New Carrollton (skipped by the weekend northbound train)
- Baltimore (BWI Airport)
- Baltimore Penn Station
- Wilmington
- Philadelphia (30th Street Station)
- Trenton
- Metropark
- Newark Penn Station
- New York (Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station)
- Stamford
- Bridgeport
- New Haven Union Station
- Meriden
- Hartford Union StationLook for: Union Station was finished in 1889. Got time to spare? The Connecticut State Capitol and Bushnell Park are close by in downtown Hartford.
- Windsor Locks
- Springfield Union Station
- Holyoke
- Northampton
- Greenfield
- BrattleboroLook for: This old Union Station is built into a bluff along the Connecticut River: the waiting room is downstairs, and an art museum fills the floors above.
- Bellows FallsLook for: The 1923 depot was built to serve two railroads. Ask them to watch the water, because the town sits at a sharp bend in the Connecticut River.
- ClaremontLook for: Watch for old mill buildings: the platform is near the Monadnock Mills, one of the best-kept groups of them in New Hampshire.
- Windsor-Mt. AscutneyLook for: Look for Mt. Ascutney rising over town. The historic depot beside the platform is a restaurant now.
- White River JunctionLook for: Have them look up at the depot's cupola. The weathervane on top is a little steam engine and tender.
- Randolph
- Berlin (Montpelier-Berlin)
- Waterbury-StoweLook for: The 1875 brick depot sits on the village green, with a café and a visitors center inside.
- Essex Junction (for Burlington)Look for: Tell them six railroads once crossed paths here. Today it's the Vermonter's stop for Burlington.
- St. AlbansLook for: End of the line! The station is a two-story brick building from about 1900 that used to be a railroad switch house.
What kids can see from the Vermonter
Think of the Vermonter as two trains stuck together. South of New Haven it's a city train linking big stations like Washington, Philadelphia and New York. North of Springfield it slows down into river towns with small brick depots, and that's where the window gets good.
The Connecticut River towns
In southern Vermont the train follows the Connecticut River valley. Brattleboro's station is tucked into a bluff above the water, and Bellows Falls sits where the river takes a sharp bend. Make it a counting game: how many times can they spot the river? And listen for Claremont, the train's only New Hampshire stop.
Into the Green Mountains
Past White River Junction the line climbs toward Montpelier and Waterbury. Amtrak's Vermonter page points to Waterbury's reservoir and trails, Green Mountain National Forest, ski areas and covered bridges along this stretch. If leaf color is the goal, aim for late September into October, when fall color is the big draw.
Ten places in one day
The full ride touches D.C. and nine states, from Maryland to Vermont. Older kids can keep a list on paper and check off each state as the conductor calls the next stop. The Massachusetts and Vermont part moves fastest, with stops every 10 to 40 minutes.
Maybe Montreal someday
For now the Vermonter ends at St. Albans in northern Vermont, but an extension to Montreal has been proposed. Essex Junction got approval for a $3.5 million face-lift, partly to get ready for more riders if that happens.
Where to sit with kids on the Vermonter
You'll choose between Coach and Business Class. Coach is reserved by class but not by seat, and some seats face backward with no way to pick. Boarding in Washington or New York gives you the most choice. At small Vermont stops, the train may already be busy when it pulls in.
Business Class on the Vermonter comes with seat selection, plus leather seats with footrests and a free non-alcoholic drink. On a long day with two kids, locking in four seats ahead of time can be worth the extra money. The ticket is also fully refundable if you cancel before departure, which helps when someone wakes up sick.
Some Vermont and New Hampshire stops are just a platform. Windsor-Mt. Ascutney has no shelter, so in cold months keep the kids inside the car until the train has fully stopped and the doors open.
Bikes can come along as carry-ons, which is handy if your family is headed for the rail trails and back roads around Brattleboro, Waterbury and Montpelier.
A compact folding stroller rides free in place of a regular bag, which beats wrestling a big one onto a bare Vermont platform. Car seats can't be secured to Vermonter seats, so pack one only if a car is waiting at the other end.
When the Vermonter seats won't line up
Book everybody on a single reservation. If sitting side by side really matters, Business Class is the sure thing here, because it includes seat selection. Coach is different: your ticket gets you a seat, not a specific one, and boarding order decides the rest. Washington and New York give you the widest pick.
Boarding at Brattleboro or White River Junction on a busy day? Look for a free pair, then check the next coach. For now, a seat on each side of the aisle will do.
To ask a stranger, go early, before they settle in for the long haul. Try: “We've got a toddler along. Could we trade you this aisle seat so my family can stay in one row?” Offer a seat that's at least as nice and points the way theirs does, never a worse seat for their window. A no is fine.
Flag down the conductor during the ticket check and mention your party size and the kids' ages. Vermonter conductors can tell you which seats are still free and ask a rider to move a coat or bag, since a ticket buys one seat, not two. They won't move someone who's sitting down. On any stretch, don't leave a small child in a seat away from you.
The best first Vermonter ride with kids
With one train each way a day, here's the pattern that works: ride the morning southbound train out and the late-afternoon northbound train home. We took these times from Amtrak's October 2026 timetable, so check your own date.
- White River Junction to Brattleboro and back. Leave White River Junction at 11:37 a.m. and get to Brattleboro at 1:02 p.m. That's almost four hours by the river before the northbound train leaves Brattleboro at 4:56 p.m., with you home by 6:18 p.m.
- Northampton to Springfield and back. The southbound train leaves Northampton at 2:01 p.m. and reaches Springfield at 2:45 p.m. Ride back on the 3:15 p.m. northbound train, in Northampton by 3:57 p.m. It's under two hours door to door, about right for a toddler's first train.
- New York to Brattleboro, one way. The weekday northbound train leaves Moynihan Train Hall at 11:24 a.m. and arrives in Brattleboro at 4:56 p.m., about five and a half hours. We'd save this one for kids 5 and up, and the Connecticut and Massachusetts stops help break up the afternoon.
Food, bathrooms and naps on the Vermonter
The café car sells snacks, light meals and drinks from Amtrak's Corridor Café menu. On a 13-hour train, pack real food too, especially lunch for the stretch north of New Haven. A sandwich from home beats a seat-side debate over chips.
Amtrak's Vermonter page doesn't say whether the restrooms have changing tables. GBH News found in early 2025 that the Northeast Regional and Acela on the Boston to New York run have them, but its report didn't cover the Vermonter, so tuck a travel changing pad in the bag to be safe.
Nursing or pumping? Two stations on the route have private Mamava lactation pods: one in the Main Hall at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station, near the ticket office, and one on the Penn Station side of the passenger seating area at Moynihan Train Hall. You can also nurse anywhere in the station or on the train.
On a train this long, plan the naps. The weekday northbound train leaves Washington at about 7:30 a.m., which means an early wake-up and likely a morning nap somewhere between Baltimore and New York.
Long afternoons north of Springfield go better with a folder of our free train coloring pages and puzzles tucked next to the sandwiches.
A train book for the ride
Partway through the book, Rally meets a friendly conductor. On the Vermonter, the Vermont stops come every half hour or so, and each one is a chance to watch the crew at the doors. Read that page together and let your child hold the ticket, ready for their turn.
At White River Junction, have kids find the little steam engine weathervane on the depot roof before you climb aboard. For the slow miles between Springfield and St. Albans, print the free Rally activity pack from our coloring pages, and tuck the book in the seat pocket.
A short story for a long trainA corgi named Rally rides the train to see his grand-paw-rents in this watercolor picture book for ages 0 to 8. Read it once in Connecticut and again in Vermont. $13.99 on Amazon.
Buy on Amazon
More for train families
- Every Amtrak route with kids: find another train by city or station
- The complete guide to Amtrak with kids: tickets, car seats, changing tables, family tables and what to pack by age
- Free Rally activity pack and coloring pages to print before your trip
- Ethan Allen Express with kids
- Hartford Line and Valley Flyer with kids
- Northeast Regional with kids
- Downeaster with kids
Sources
- Amtrak: Vermonter route page
- Amtrak: Vermonter timetable
- Amtrak: Passenger discount for children
- Amtrak: Unaccompanied minors policy
- New York By Rail: Everyday Amtrak discounts
- GBH News: Changing tables aren't required on Amtrak or commuter rail (Jan. 2025)
- Wikipedia: Essex Junction station
- Amtrak: Washington Union Station
- Amtrak: Philadelphia 30th Street Station
- Amtrak: New York Moynihan Train Hall
- Amtrak: Hartford station
- Amtrak: Brattleboro station
- Amtrak: Bellows Falls station
- Amtrak: Claremont station
- Amtrak: Windsor-Mt. Ascutney station
- Amtrak: White River Junction station
- Amtrak: Waterbury-Stowe station
- Amtrak: Essex Junction station
- Amtrak: St. Albans station
Checked against Amtrak and partner railroad pages in October 2026. Schedules and policies change, so confirm on amtrak.com before you ride.
Vermonter with kids: questions parents ask
Do kids need a ticket on the Vermonter?
Yes, from age 2. A Vermonter rider aged 2 to 12 pays 50 percent of the adult price when someone 18-plus shares the booking, and anyone 13 and up pays full price. The Vermonter isn't Acela, so the weekday Acela exception doesn't apply even between Washington and New Haven. The child discount doesn't cut the Business Class charge, so compare totals before upgrading.
Do babies ride free on the Vermonter?
Yes. One under-2 per paying adult rides on a lap at no cost. Twins, or a baby you'd like to give a seat, means the second child's Vermonter ticket is priced at the child fare. Over 30 stops and a 13-hour run, a seat can be worth it, because a free lap baby only gets an empty one when nobody with a ticket wants it.
Do I need a car seat on the Vermonter?
Only if a car will be waiting for you in Vermont. Amtrak can't strap car seats onto Vermonter seats, or any of its seats. Yours can rest in an empty seat when no ticketed rider needs it; if not, it gets stowed and a baby under 2 sits on your lap. It travels at no charge in place of a regular bag.
Are there changing tables on the Vermonter?
We couldn't confirm. Amtrak's Vermonter page doesn't mention them, and Amtrak hasn't set a formal rule on changing tables, so cars differ. GBH News found tables on Acela and Northeast Regional trains between Boston and New York, but its report didn't cover the Vermonter. Bring a portable pad, and make the roomier accessible restroom your changing spot.
What are the bathrooms like on the Vermonter?
There's a restroom in every car, and a little light tells you when someone's inside. On a day that can stretch past 13 hours, you'll make plenty of trips, so go along with young kids and prep them for the noisy flush. Many small Vermont and New Hampshire stops are just a platform, so the train restroom is usually your only one.
Can I bring a stroller on the Vermonter?
Yes. Vermonter families can bring a folding stroller at no cost, swapped for one regular bag, and parents of kids under 2 get one infant item, like a stroller, beyond the two-carry-on limit. Big jogging or double models might have to be checked, per Amtrak, but we couldn't confirm the Vermonter offers checked bags. A compact fold is safest at bare platforms like Windsor-Mt. Ascutney.
Can I breastfeed or pump on the Vermonter?
Yes, anywhere you like, since public breastfeeding is legal in every state. For privacy before boarding, Philadelphia's 30th Street Station has a Mamava lactation pod in the Main Hall near the ticket office, and Moynihan Train Hall has one in its passenger seating area. The Vermonter has a café but no dining car, so bring bottles ready to mix and plenty of water.
Is there food on the Vermonter?
Yes, a café car sells snacks, light meals and drinks from the Corridor Café menu. There's no dining car with table service, and the full trip runs about 13 hours, so pack real food: lunch for the miles north of New Haven, plus the snacks your kids actually eat. Save the café for a hot drink or a treat.
How do I keep kids entertained on the Vermonter?
Turn the route into a game. The Vermonter touches D.C. and nine states, so older kids can check off each one as the conductor calls stops. North of Springfield, count the Connecticut River sightings and find the steam engine weathervane at White River Junction. A walk to the café car breaks things up, and our free Rally coloring pages and Rally Takes the Train help too.
Can my family pick seats together on the Vermonter?
In Business Class, yes. Amtrak includes seat selection with Vermonter Business Class, along with leather seats and footrests. In Coach it's first come, first served once you board, and some seats face backward. Getting on at a big station like Washington, New York or Springfield gives you the best shot, since the train may already be busy at small Vermont stops.
What if we can't find seats together on the Vermonter?
In Coach, look over the whole car for two open seats in a row before anyone splits off, then move on to the next one. Until something turns up, take seats on opposite sides of the aisle, and keep every young child within arm's reach of a parent. With 30 stops, riders step off all day, so look again after New Haven or Springfield. A neighbor might swap if you offer an equal seat facing their direction.
Can I ask the conductor to help us sit together on the Vermonter?
You can. Flag them down while tickets are being checked, and say how many are in your party and how old the kids are. Ask whether another coach has open seats. Vermonter conductors can tell you where empty ones are and ask riders to lift bags off seats someone needs, because a ticket is good for a single seat. Moving a passenger who's already sitting isn't something they'll do.
Is there a Quiet Car on the Vermonter?
We couldn't confirm one. Nothing we found from Amtrak lists a Quiet Car on the Vermonter, so ask the crew when you board. If there is one, think library rules: hushed talk, no calls, nothing playing out loud. That's a hard ask for a toddler over many hours. Business Class seat selection is the surer way to plan a calmer spot.
What should I pack for kids on the Vermonter?
Pack for the piece you're riding, not the whole train. New York to Brattleboro is about five and a half hours, and the full run is about 13 hours 20 minutes. Bring lunch, snacks, water, the fill-in train ticket and other free printables, a changing pad, headphones and warm layers for unsheltered Vermont platforms, plus pajamas if you'll reach Essex Junction at 8:18 p.m. or St. Albans at 8:50 p.m.
Can kids nap on the Vermonter?
Yes, in their seats, since this daytime train has no sleeper rooms. The weekday northbound leaves Washington about 7:30 a.m., which often means an early wake-up and a morning nap somewhere between Baltimore and New York. Boarding at Moynihan at 11:24 a.m. instead? An after-lunch nap can carry a toddler well into Connecticut.
What is a good first ride on the Vermonter with kids?
Northampton to Springfield and back. The southbound Vermonter leaves Northampton at 2:01 p.m. and reaches Springfield at 2:45 p.m., and the northbound train home leaves at 3:15 p.m., back in Northampton by 3:57 p.m. That's under two hours door to door, with a half hour to stretch in Springfield. Check amtrak.com for your exact date.
Can a 14-year-old ride the Vermonter alone?
Maybe, with limits. Amtrak allows solo riders 13 to 15 only between staffed stations that accept them, on one train, arriving by 9:30 p.m. The southbound train reaches Baltimore after 9:30 p.m., and some Vermont stops are bare platforms. Solo-teen bookings go through 1-800-USA-RAIL, your teen pays the full adult fare, and anyone 12 or younger can't ride without an adult.
How early should we get to the station for the Vermonter?
About 30 minutes early. At big stations like Washington Union Station or Moynihan Train Hall, ask about boarding ahead of the crowd, since families with small kids often get on first at stations that busy. Small Vermont stops work differently: several are bare platforms, so keep the kids back from the edge and bags zipped. On weekends the northbound leaves Washington at 5:25 a.m.
What if my child gets overwhelmed on the Vermonter?
The big city stations are usually the hard part. Washington, Philadelphia and New York are busy, so hold hands and find a quiet corner to wait. Warn them about the horn before it sounds. North of Springfield the stops shrink to small brick depots, which helps a frazzled kid reset, and Rally's tunnel page, where the dark turns into sunshine, is good for talking it through.
Is the Vermonter safe for little kids?
Yes, if you set a few rules. Hold hands at every Vermonter platform, especially bare stops like Windsor-Mt. Ascutney and Claremont, and keep clear of the edge until the train halts. Aboard, kids stay seated or hang on while the Vermonter rolls, shoes stay on, and trips to the café happen hand in hand. In cold months, stay inside the car until the doors open.
What if the Vermonter is running late?
Build slack into the day. Amtrak already lists the full trip at up to 13 hours 45 minutes, so look at the Amtrak app, the live map and any advisories on the morning you ride. Pack extra snacks and diapers beyond your segment, keep a tablet charged, print our free maze and word search, and share the train's status with whoever is meeting you in Vermont.
Does the Vermonter go to Burlington or Montreal?
Neither directly. Essex Junction is the Vermonter's stop for Burlington, and the train ends at St. Albans. An extension to Montreal has been proposed, and Essex Junction approved a $3.5 million face-lift partly to get ready, but there's no Montreal service now. If you want to step off in downtown Burlington by the lake, look at the Ethan Allen Express.