Adirondack With Kids: A Trip Plan for Every Stop
This is the longest day train I have ridden with my kids, and the one they talk about most. Twelve hours, no sleeper, one train a day, and a border officer who checks your four-year-old's birth certificate at her seat. In exchange: the Hudson River out the left window all morning, Lake Champlain out the right window all afternoon, a fort with cannons halfway, and a city where the signs are in French by bedtime. My dad took me to Montreal once, by car, and I remember the bagels. Below is every stop, which ones belong to the Empire Service instead, and where to get off for the lake.
By Kelsey Lizee Cecil. Times are approximate from the fall 2026 timetable; checked against Amtrak and each attraction in October 2026. Hours change; read the "know before you go" notes.If you only have one day
- With a toddler: Albany to Saratoga Springs.Fifty minutes, no border, a carousel in Congress Park and the 6:02pm train back. Jump to Saratoga Springs.
- Ages 5 to 10: the fort.Board at Saratoga at 12:35pm, Fort Ticonderoga's cannons for two and a half hours, the 4:35pm southbound home. Jump to Ticonderoga.
- The big one: all the way to Montreal.The 8:15am from New York, the lake all afternoon, customs at your seat, and three nights in a city with a Ferris wheel on the river. Jump to Montreal.
Read this before you go
Three things to know. First, this is one train a day, so getting off anywhere north of Albany means staying the night or having a car at the other end; the Hudson Valley stops have hourly Empire Service trains and are covered on that page. Second, the border check happens at your seat, northbound at Lacolle and southbound at Rouses Point, and it can take two hours: go to the bathroom first, and keep every document in one folder. Third, the train has been cut back to Albany or Saratoga for weeks at a time in summer heat; check alerts before buying a July ticket. They are on the Adirondack page on Amtrak (opens in a new tab).
Documents for kids, fares, where to sit for the lake, and what to pack for twelve hours are all in our Adirondack parent guide. This page is the fun part: where to get off and what to do when you do.
Stop 1 of 18NYPTrain 69 leaves about 8:15am; Train 68 arrives about 10:15pm
New York Moynihan Train Hall
The Adirondack leaves at 8:15 in the morning, which means a 7:30 check-in at the desk near the gates with passports or birth certificates in one folder and breakfast in a bag. Moynihan is the easy version of Penn Station: a skylight, a food hall, clean bathrooms and a big board. Line up early, because seating is first come and a family of four wants a pair of pairs. Coming home you arrive at 10:15pm, so plan a cab, not a subway.
The skylight in Moynihan with the departure board under it, then being first down the escalator to the platform so you sit together.
Right off the platform
- at stopMoynihan Train Hall: a skylight, a food hall, restrooms, a staffed desk where cross-border passengers check in, and a Mamava pod.
- 5 minThe High Line's north end at 34th Street, a good leg stretch if you arrive early.
- 10 minHudson Yards and the Vessel, to look at, and the shops' bathrooms.
- at stopThe 1, 2, 3, A, C and E subways under the station.
A few hours here
- Only in reverse: the southbound arrives at 10:15pm. Bed.
Stay the night
New York is its own trip. On this train it is a 7:30am check-in and a 10:15pm return, so sleep near the station the night before.
Snack stop: The Moynihan food hall before boarding; the cafe car on the train takes U.S. cards and cash, not Canadian cash.
Out the window: The tunnel under the river, then the Bronx, then the Hudson appears on the left side and stays there for three hours.
Check in at the Amtrak desk in Moynihan before boarding a train to Montreal. Kids under 16 who are U.S. or Canadian citizens can use a certified birth certificate; everyone 16 and up needs a passport. No Business Class on this train.
Stop 2 of 18YNYNorthbound about 8:44am; southbound about 9:42pmour honest take: ride on
Yonkers
A waterfront station 30 minutes out of Penn, with a science barge on the pier and a children's museum inside the Hudson River Museum up the hill. Fine stops, but the Adirondack is a once-a-day train to Canada; ride them on an Empire Service day instead.
The Palisades across the river out the left window as you leave.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1911 station on the river with a waiting room and restrooms.
- 5 minThe Yonkers waterfront pier and the Science Barge (seasonal weekends).
- at stopHudson River Museum and planetarium, 1.5 miles north, by cab.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
A Yonkers day belongs to the Empire Service plan.
Snack stop: Cafes by the pier.
Out the window: The Palisades cliffs across the river, on the left.
Stop 3 of 18CRTNorthbound about 9:03am; southbound about 9:21pmour honest take: ride on
Croton-on-Hudson Croton-Harmon
A commuter station in a parking lot where Metro-North changes engines. Croton Point Park and its beach are a cab away. Ride on; this is an Empire Service stop.
The Metro-North yard full of trains, on the right.
Right off the platform
- at stopA station with a waiting room, restrooms and Metro-North connections.
- at stopCroton Point Park's beach and playground, 10 minutes by cab.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
See the Empire Service plan.
Snack stop: None at the station.
Out the window: The widest part of the river, Haverstraw Bay, on the left.
Stop 4 of 18POUNorthbound about 9:45am; southbound about 8:40pm
Poughkeepsie
The one Hudson Valley stop I would get off at with a small child: the Mid-Hudson Children's Museum is five minutes from the platform on the waterfront, and the Walkway Over the Hudson, an old rail bridge turned into a park 212 feet above the river, has an elevator at the riverfront ten minutes away. The 1918 waiting room has chandeliers. Getting off the Adirondack here means the hourly Empire Service trains take you on or back, which is easy.
Standing in the middle of the Walkway and looking down at the trains on the shore you just rode along.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 1918 station modeled on Grand Central: chandeliers, chestnut benches, restrooms, a staffed counter.
- 5 minMid-Hudson Children's Museum on the waterfront, ages 0 to 10 (admission; check days).
- 10 minWaryas Park on the river and the Walkway elevator at Upper Landing (the elevator runs seasonally; check).
- 20 minThe Walkway Over the Hudson's east entrance on Parker Avenue, uphill, free.
A few hours here
- Children's Museum (90 minutes).
- Walkway elevator and a walk out over the river (1 hour).
- An Empire Service train on.
Stay the night
Children's Museum, the Walkway, lunch on the waterfront, and the Empire Service north or south. For Poughkeepsie itself, the Empire Service plan has more.
Snack stop: The waterfront restaurants and the station's cafe.
Out the window: The Mid-Hudson Bridge and the Walkway, both overhead within a minute of the platform.
The Walkway elevator at the waterfront closes in high wind and in winter; the Parker Avenue entrance is always open and is a 20-minute uphill walk.
Stop 5 of 18RHINorthbound about 10:02am; southbound about 8:25pmour honest take: ride on
Rhinecliff
A 1914 station built into a bluff over the river, with tall arched windows and a long stairway down to the platform. Rhinebeck's village and the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome's biplane air shows are a cab ride away. On the Adirondack, ride on; see the Empire Service plan.
The river light through the station windows, and the Kingston lighthouse across the water.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1914 station: a waiting room with arched windows, restrooms, and stairs or an elevator to the platform.
- at stopRhinebeck's village, 3 miles, by cab.
- at stopOld Rhinebeck Aerodrome's weekend air shows, summer and fall, by cab.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
See the Empire Service plan.
Snack stop: A cafe in the hamlet.
Out the window: The Kingston-Rondout lighthouse across the river, on the left.
Stop 6 of 18HUDNorthbound about 10:24am; southbound about 8:03pmour honest take: ride on
Hudson
An 1874 depot a short walk from Warren Street's shops and a riverfront park next to the platform. The firefighting museum, free, is a cab away. A good Empire Service day; on this train, ride on. The Empire Service plan covers it.
The lighthouse in the middle of the river just north of the station, on the left.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1874 depot with a waiting room and restrooms.
- 2 minHenry Hudson Riverfront Park, with a playground and the lighthouse view.
- 5 minWarren Street's shops and ice cream.
- at stopFASNY Museum of Firefighting, free, 1.5 miles, by cab.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
See the Empire Service plan.
Snack stop: Warren Street.
Out the window: The Hudson-Athens Lighthouse, then the Catskills across the river.
Stop 7 of 18ALBNorthbound about 10:52am to 11:45am; southbound about 7:00pm to 7:40pm
Albany Albany-Rensselaer
The train sits here almost an hour northbound and 40 minutes southbound while the engine is swapped, and the station is across the river from Albany with a big waiting room, real food and room to run. Downtown Albany is a ten-minute cab or a CDTA bus: the New York State Museum is free, has a working carousel on the top floor and a full-size Iroquois longhouse, and the Empire State Plaza next door has reflecting pools. This is also the easy place to board for a no-passport lake ride to Saratoga or Ticonderoga.
Watching the engine change from the platform end, then the free carousel at the State Museum if you make it a day.
Right off the platform
- at stopAlbany-Rensselaer: a big 2002 station with a waiting room, restrooms, a cafe, a staffed counter and checked baggage.
- at stopThe New York State Museum, free, with a 1912 carousel, by cab or CDTA bus, 10 minutes.
- at stopEmpire State Plaza and the Capitol, free tours, next to the museum.
- at stopAlbany Pine Bush preserve's discovery center, by car.
A few hours here
- The layover: platform, cafe, restrooms, and back on with new snacks (50 minutes northbound).
Stay the night
Get off here and ride the Adirondack north the next day at 11:45am: the State Museum and its carousel, the Plaza, and a night in Albany. The Empire Service plan has the full Albany day.
Snack stop: The station cafe during the layover.
Out the window: Leaving north the train crosses the Hudson for the first time and turns away from it toward the Mohawk.
You can step onto the platform during the layover, but keep bags aboard and kids in sight; the conductor announces how long. This is the last station with checked baggage.
Stop 8 of 18SDYNorthbound about 12:08pm; southbound about 6:38pmour honest take: ride on
Schenectady
A new downtown station near Proctors theater, with miSci, the science museum with a planetarium, a mile away. The Adirondack turns north here off the Empire Service line, so this is the last stop shared with the Maple Leaf and the trains to Niagara Falls. Ride on, unless the planetarium is the plan.
The point where the Mohawk goes left and your train goes right.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 2018 station with a waiting room, restrooms and a staffed counter.
- 5 minProctors theater and State Street's cafes.
- 20 minmiSci, the Museum of Innovation and Science, with a planetarium and hands-on floors (admission).
- 20 minMohawk Harbor's riverfront and playground.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Covered in the Empire Service plan.
Snack stop: State Street.
Out the window: The Mohawk Valley gives way to pines; the lake is still two hours away.
Stop 9 of 18SARNorthbound about 12:35pm; southbound about 6:02pm
Saratoga Springs
The start of the part worth riding, and the best place to begin a no-passport day. The station is on the west edge of town, a mile and a half from Broadway, with a cab stand and a wave-shaped roof. Downtown has Congress Park with a 1910 carousel and spring water you can taste from the fountains, and the Children's Museum at Saratoga moved in 2022 into the old Lincoln Baths in Spa State Park, with a fire truck and a treehouse. In summer the race course runs mornings and the whole town smells like horses.
A dollar carousel ride in Congress Park, then drinking from the mineral spring fountain and watching their face.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 2004 station with a high arched entrance, a waiting room, restrooms, a staffed counter and a cab stand.
- at stopCongress Park's carousel (seasonal, small fee) and the Canfield Casino, 1.5 miles, by cab or a 30-minute walk.
- at stopChildren's Museum at Saratoga in the Lincoln Baths, Spa State Park, ages 0 to 12, by cab (admission; check days).
- at stopSaratoga Spa State Park's pools in summer and the Automobile Museum.
- at stopThe race course, late July to Labor Day, with free morning workouts to watch at the rail.
A few hours here
- Cab to Congress Park: carousel, springs, the playground (90 minutes).
- Lunch on Broadway.
- The 6:02pm southbound to Albany or the 12:35 northbound on to the lake.
Stay the night
The parent guide's favorite first ride starts here: board the 12:35pm northbound to Ticonderoga, two and a half hours at the fort, and the 4:35pm southbound back, in Saratoga by 6:02. Or stay: the Children's Museum, Spa State Park, Broadway's ice cream, and tomorrow's train.
Snack stop: Broadway's ice cream and cafes; the station has vending.
Out the window: North of Saratoga the farms give way to the Hudson again, narrower now, and the Adirondack foothills begin on the left.
The station is not downtown. Pre-book a cab or rideshare on race days, when the town fills up.
Stop 10 of 18FEDNorthbound about 12:56pm; southbound about 5:33pmour honest take: ride on
Fort Edward Fort Edward-Glens Falls
An old Delaware and Hudson depot with wooden trim and a little tower, the stop for Glens Falls (4 miles) and Lake George (15 miles), both by cab. The World Awareness Children's Museum in Glens Falls is small and good. Rogers Island, where the Rangers trained in the French and Indian War, is a walk from the station. For a Lake George week this is your stop; otherwise ride on.
The old depot's tower, and the Hudson narrow enough to throw a stone across.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform beside the historic depot, with a small shelter.
- 15 minRogers Island visitor center, with Rangers history, on the river.
- at stopGlens Falls' World Awareness Children's Museum and the Hyde Collection, 4 miles, by cab.
- at stopLake George village and its steamboats, 15 miles, by cab or a pre-booked shuttle.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
A Lake George week: cab from here to the village, the steamboat, the beach, and the train back.
Snack stop: A diner in the village.
Out the window: The Champlain Canal runs beside the tracks on and off from here to Whitehall.
No station services; arrange the cab before you arrive.
Stop 11 of 18WHLNorthbound about 1:19pm; southbound about 5:07pmour honest take: ride on
Whitehall
The birthplace of the U.S. Navy, says the sign, because Benedict Arnold built a fleet here in 1776. The Skenesborough Museum by the canal has ship models and a canal lock next door, and a castle-like mansion sits on the cliff above town. Ten minutes of good stories; not a day.
Skene Manor on the cliff out the left window, and a boat going through Lock 12 if you are lucky.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform and shelter near the canal.
- 5 minSkenesborough Museum and the Champlain Canal's Lock 12 (seasonal; check hours).
- 15 minSkene Manor on the hill, free to walk up to, with a tea room on weekends.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: A diner on Main Street.
Out the window: The south end of Lake Champlain begins here as a narrow channel, on the right.
Stop 12 of 18FTCNorthbound about 1:52pm; southbound about 4:35pm
Ticonderoga
The stop for Fort Ticonderoga, a mile south of the platform, and for the first long look at the lake. The fort has cannon firings, a fife and drum corps of kids, a boat tour, a corn maze in fall and the King's Garden, and the Fort Ticonderoga ferry to Vermont leaves from a landing you can walk to. The station is a brick shelter in the fields with no restroom and no staff, so this is a planned stop: call the fort about its Amtrak shuttle or book a cab before you leave home.
A cannon firing on the fort's walls with the lake and Vermont behind it.
Right off the platform
- at stopA brick shelter and platform with parking, no restroom, no staff.
- 20 minFort Ticonderoga, under a mile south: the fort, the King's Garden, the boat tour, the corn maze in fall (admission; open roughly May to October).
- 15 minThe Fort Ticonderoga ferry landing, a cable ferry across the lake to Shoreham, Vermont (seasonal).
- at stopTiconderoga village, 1.5 miles: the Star Trek original series set tour, which older kids and dads love (admission; check days).
- at stopMount Defiance's overlook road, by car, for the whole lake at once.
A few hours here
- The classic: arrive 1:52pm northbound, the fort for two and a half hours, the 4:35pm southbound back to Saratoga or Albany.
Stay the night
The fort in the afternoon, a night in the village, the Star Trek set tour or the ferry to Vermont in the morning, and the 1:52pm northbound on to Montreal or the 4:35pm south.
Snack stop: The fort has a cafe; the village has a diner and a creemee stand in summer.
Out the window: Lake Champlain at last, with Mount Independence across the water; the old floating trestle's story belongs to this stretch.
The fort's season runs roughly May through October; confirm the Amtrak shuttle or book a cab in advance, because nothing waits at this platform. No restroom at the station.
Stop 13 of 18POHNorthbound about 2:14pm; southbound about 4:11pmour honest take: ride on
Port Henry
An 1888 stone depot with a small waiting room, the Champ sightings sign at the edge of town, and a town beach on the lake. The iron mining museum next to the depot explains the enormous old furnace. A short, lake-side stop; the beach is the only reason to get off, and only in July.
The Champ sign listing every sighting since 1609, a two-minute walk, then watching the lake for a log that counts.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1888 depot with a small waiting room, no staff.
- 2 minThe Iron Center Museum beside the station (limited hours).
- 5 minThe Champ sightings sign on Route 9N.
- 15 minPort Henry's town beach and playground on the lake, downhill.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
A beach afternoon in summer and the next day's train.
Snack stop: A general store in the village.
Out the window: The best of the lake begins: Bulwagga Bay on the right, the Green Mountains across it.
Stop 14 of 18WSPNorthbound about 2:37pm; southbound about 3:46pmour honest take: ride on
Westport
A fancy 1876 Victorian depot that is also a theater: the Depot Theatre stages plays in it every summer. Ballard Park on the lake is a ten-minute walk downhill with a beach and a bandstand. Pretty, quiet, and a fine stop for a family with a cottage nearby. The Essex ferry to Vermont is 8 miles.
Finding the theater posters inside a train station, then the lake from the park.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1876 depot, a summer theater, with a waiting room when open.
- 10 minBallard Park on Lake Champlain: a beach, a bandstand, a playground.
- 10 minWestport's Main Street with a general store and ice cream.
- at stopEssex and its ferry to Charlotte, Vermont, 8 miles, by cab.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard, unless Ballard Park's beach is the plan (2 hours).
Stay the night
A summer night: a Depot Theatre show, the beach, and the morning train.
Snack stop: Ice cream on Main Street.
Out the window: The train climbs away from the lake through woods for an hour, then drops back to it near Plattsburgh.
Port Kent, the old ferry stop for Burlington, is between Westport and Plattsburgh and has been closed since the ferry stopped; the train does not stop there.
Stop 15 of 18PLBNorthbound about 4:02pm; southbound about 2:45pm
Plattsburgh
The last real town before the border, with an 1886 brick depot by the river mouth and a downtown you can walk. The city beach is one of the biggest freshwater beaches anywhere, three miles north by cab, and the Grand Isle ferry to Vermont runs all day and all night from Cumberland Head. The parent guide's one-way lake ride, Plattsburgh to Westport at 2:45pm, is the prettiest hour on the line. Southbound families with a car waiting start here.
The Grand Isle ferry: twelve minutes across the lake to Vermont and back, kids on the deck, under an hour round trip by cab.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1886 depot: a waiting room, restrooms and a staffed counter.
- 5 minDowntown Plattsburgh's Margaret Street and the Strand theater.
- 10 minThe Saranac River mouth and the lakefront walk at the Macdonough Monument.
- at stopPlattsburgh City Beach, 3 miles, by cab, with a playground and shallow water.
- at stopThe Grand Isle ferry at Cumberland Head, 5 miles, by cab; runs year-round, 24 hours.
A few hours here
- Southbound: lunch downtown, the lakefront, the 2:45pm train to Westport (1 hour of lake) with a car at the other end.
Stay the night
A Plattsburgh night: the beach in summer, the ferry ride to Vermont and back, the Strand, and either train the next day. Montreal is an hour by car for a day there without the train.
Snack stop: Downtown cafes and a creemee stand near the beach in summer.
Out the window: The lake stays on the right to the border, with the Champlain Islands of Vermont across the water.
Last stop with a staffed station before Canada. Have documents out before Rouses Point.
Stop 16 of 18RSPNorthbound about 4:35pm; southbound about 1:05pm to 2:15pmour honest take: ride on
Rouses Point
The border town. Northbound the train pauses three minutes; southbound it sits about 70 minutes while U.S. officers walk through and check everyone at their seat. The renovated depot has a visitors center with history exhibits, and the ruins of Fort Montgomery sit in the lake by the bridge to Vermont. Nobody gets off here on purpose. Use the hour.
Southbound: the officers coming down the aisle, documents ready, a new snack, and the fort ruins out the window.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe depot with a visitors center and restrooms.
- 10 minThe Lake Champlain bridge to Alburgh, Vermont, with Fort Montgomery's ruins beside it.
- 5 minThe village's main street and a diner.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard; you must, southbound, during the inspection.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: Buy it before this stop; the cafe can close during the border check.
Out the window: The lake's north end, then the border, marked by a cleared line through the trees and a customs post at Lacolle, where the northbound train stops for Canadian officers.
Southbound, everyone stays seated for about 70 minutes. Go to the bathroom before Rouses Point, have a diaper and a quiet activity ready, and keep passports and birth certificates in one pocket. Northbound, the same check happens at Lacolle, Quebec, and can take up to two hours.
Stop 17 of 18SLQNorthbound about 8:03pm, drop-off only; southbound about 11:25am, pick-up onlyour honest take: ride on
Saint-Lambert St-Lambert
A South Shore suburb across the St. Lawrence from Montreal. The train only lets passengers off here northbound and only picks up southbound, and it is 13 minutes from Central Station. Stay on unless the grandparents live here.
The St. Lawrence and the Montreal skyline on the bridge right after this stop.
Right off the platform
- at stopA small station with a shelter and a Montreal commuter rail connection.
A few hours here
- Stay aboard.
Stay the night
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: The Victoria Bridge over the St. Lawrence, with the city lit up on the right in winter and still daylight in June.
Stop 18 of 18MTRTrain 69 arrives about 8:16pm; Train 68 leaves about 11:10am
Montreal Gare Centrale
You arrive at 8:16pm into a 1943 station under a skyscraper, with a Metro station attached and Old Montreal a 15-minute walk away. It is bedtime, and that is fine: the hotel is close, and the city starts tomorrow. The Science Centre and the Ferris wheel are at the Old Port, the Biodome has penguins and a rainforest, and there is a mountain with a lookout in the middle of the city. My daughter learned "bonjour" and "merci" on this platform and used them on everyone for a week.
Bagels from the wood oven at St-Viateur or Fairmount, warm, in a paper bag, eaten on the Metro.
Right off the platform
- at stopGare Centrale: a big 1943 concourse with bas-relief murals, restrooms, a food court, a staffed counter and the Bonaventure Metro station.
- 15 minOld Montreal and the Old Port: the Montreal Science Centre (admission), the Grande Roue Ferris wheel, the clock tower beach.
- at stopThe Biodome and the Olympic Park tower, by Metro, 25 minutes (admission).
- at stopMount Royal's lookout and Beaver Lake, by bus or a long walk uphill.
- at stopJean-Talon Market by Metro, for fruit, cheese and crepes.
- 10 minThe underground city's walkways from the station, dry in winter, with the Eaton Centre.
A few hours here
- Reverse direction: the southbound leaves at 11:10am, so a last morning means bagels and a walk, then be at the station 30 minutes early (an hour if anyone is not a U.S. or Canadian citizen).
Stay the night
Three nights. Day one: the Old Port, the Science Centre and the Ferris wheel. Day two: the Biodome and the Botanical Garden's insectarium. Day three: Mount Royal, Jean-Talon Market, the bagels, and the 11:10am train home.
Snack stop: Bagels, poutine, and a maple-taffy-on-snow stand in winter at the Old Port.
Out the window: Arriving, the Victoria Bridge over the St. Lawrence and then the city. Leaving at 11:10am, the river and the flat farms to the border.
The cafe car does not take Canadian cash. Get Canadian dollars or use a card. Arrive 30 minutes early for the southbound, more if anyone in the group is not a U.S. or Canadian citizen.
Twelve hours is a long time, and worth it
Do not do this one first. Do the Hiawatha or the Surfliner or Albany to Saratoga first, and when your kids can sit for an afternoon with a window, do this. The lake does the work from Whitehall to the border. The border does the rest; my son still tells people a police officer looked at his birth certificate on a train. And then Montreal, where you walk out of the station into a city that sounds different, and the next morning there are bagels.
Next in this series: the Empire Service, the hourly train that covers the Hudson Valley stops properly; the Ethan Allen Express, which shares the line to Fort Edward and then turns for Vermont; the Maple Leaf, the other border train, to Toronto; and the Vermonter up the other side of the lake. Every route is on the Train Trips With Your Kids page.
Adirondack trips with kids: questions parents ask
How long is the Adirondack from New York to Montreal?
About 12 hours northbound and 11 southbound, border stop included. Train 69 leaves New York at 8:15am and arrives in Montreal at 8:16pm; Train 68 leaves Montreal at 11:10am and arrives in New York at 10:15pm.
Do kids need a passport on the Adirondack?
Under 16, U.S. and Canadian citizen kids can use a certified birth certificate with a raised seal, a passport or a passport card. Everyone 16 and up needs a passport or another document on Amtrak's approved list. Bring originals; Amtrak asks for each rider's ID details when you book.
Which side of the Adirondack has the lake?
The right side northbound from Whitehall to the border, and the left side southbound. Before Saratoga, the Hudson is on the left northbound. If seats open after Albany, move.
What is the best Adirondack stop for a day with kids?
Ticonderoga for the fort, Saratoga Springs for the carousel and children's museum, and Montreal for everything. Poughkeepsie's children's museum is five minutes from the platform, but the Empire Service is the better train for it.
Can we do a short Adirondack ride without crossing the border?
Yes. Albany to Saratoga Springs is 50 minutes, and Saratoga to Ticonderoga and back gives two and a half hours at Fort Ticonderoga with the lake both ways. Both stay in New York, no documents needed.
Which Adirondack stops should we skip with kids?
The Hudson Valley stops (ride the Empire Service for those), Fort Edward, Whitehall, Port Henry, Westport, Rouses Point and St-Lambert. The trip is Saratoga, Ticonderoga, Plattsburgh and Montreal.
Sources and how I checked
- Amtrak Adirondack timetable, fall 2026 (Trains 68 and 69), and Amtrak station pages
- Fort Ticonderoga, Children's Museum at Saratoga, Mid-Hudson Children's Museum, New York State Museum, Montreal Science Centre and Biodome: hours and admission as posted October 2026
- Amtrak's cross-border travel page and Lake Champlain Transportation (Grand Isle ferry)
- Great American Stations and Wikipedia station articles for addresses and station history, cross-checked with Amtrak
Hours, prices and bus routes change. I update this page when they do; if you spot something out of date, tell me.