Pennsylvanian With Kids: A Trip Plan for Every Stop
The Pennsylvanian is two trains in one. East of Harrisburg it is the Keystone with a cafe car: cities, suburbs, Lancaster County farms. West of Harrisburg it becomes a mountain railroad, crossing the Susquehanna on a bridge of 48 stone arches, following the Juniata into the ridges, and then, just past Altoona, bending 220 degrees around the Horseshoe Curve and into the tunnels at the top of the Alleghenies. My son calls it the tunnel train. One train a day each way for now, two from November 18. Below is every stop, which ones are worth a night, and exactly when to move the kids to the left side of the car.
By Kelsey Lizee Cecil. Times are approximate from the fall 2026 timetable, which changes November 18; 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: Johnstown to Altoona and back.The 9:05am eastbound over the Horseshoe Curve, the Railroaders Memorial Museum across the tracks, and the 5:16pm westbound back over it. Two curves, two tunnels, one hour each way. Jump to Altoona.
- Ages 4 to 8: Harrisburg to Pittsburgh in an afternoon.A morning Keystone to Harrisburg, the GG1 and the State Museum, then the 2:36pm Pennsylvanian west: Rockville Bridge, the curve at golden hour, and Pittsburgh's inclines after dark. Jump to Harrisburg.
- The big one: Pittsburgh for two nights.The Children's Museum, the Science Center's model railroad, the Duquesne Incline and Mister Rogers' set at the History Center. Jump to Pittsburgh.
Read this before you go
Three things to know. First, the Keystone covers every stop from New York to Harrisburg many times a day, so use it for the eastern stops and save the Pennsylvanian for the mountains. Second, seats are not assigned: board together, take the right side from Harrisburg for the river, and move left at Altoona for the curve. Third, the schedule changes November 18, 2026, when a second round trip starts; the morning train from New York moves to 5:51am and a new one leaves at 12:25pm. Alerts are on the Pennsylvanian page on Amtrak (opens in a new tab).
Tickets, the cafe car, Business Class, bathrooms and what to pack for nine hours are all in our Pennsylvanian parent guide. This page is the fun part: where to get off and what to do when you do.
New Train 45 leaves New York at 12:25pm and reaches Pittsburgh at 9:54pm; new Train 44 leaves Pittsburgh at 1pm and reaches New York at 10:25pm. Train 43 moves to 5:51am from New York and Train 42 to 7:10am from Pittsburgh. Only Trains 42 and 45 carry a baggage car for checked bags and bikes. Every time on this page shifts that day; check amtrak.com.
Stop 1 of 17NYPTrain 43 leaves about 10:52am; Train 42 arrives about 4:50pm (from November 18: 43 at 5:51am, 45 at 12:25pm)
New York Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station
The Pennsylvanian leaves from the skylit train hall across from Madison Square Garden, late enough in the morning (for now) that nobody is dragged out of bed. Nine hours to Pittsburgh is a long day with small kids, so most families I know start it in Philadelphia or Harrisburg. But if you are in the city and your people are in western Pennsylvania, this is the one train that goes there without a change.
Breakfast under the skylights, then the walk down to the platform together once the board shows the track.
Right off the platform
- at stopMoynihan Train Hall: the skylit concourse, a food hall, restrooms, a nursing pod and staffed counters; checked bags on trains with a baggage car.
- 10 minThe High Line and Hudson Yards, a 10-minute walk west.
- 15 minBryant Park's carousel and the library lions.
Half a day between trains
- Breakfast in the food hall and the skylights (45 minutes).
Make it a full day
New York is a trip of its own. The Pennsylvanian is how you leave it for the mountains by mid-afternoon.
Snack stop: The food hall before boarding; the cafe car opens once you are moving.
Out the window: The Hudson tunnel, the Meadowlands, Newark.
From November 18, 2026 the morning train leaves at 5:51am and a new midday train leaves at 12:25pm. With little kids, the midday one is the easier day.
Stop 2 of 17NWKWestbound about 11:09am, boarding only; eastbound about 4:30pm, getting off onlyour honest take: ride on
Newark Penn Station
The Pennsylvanian stops here only to pick people up heading west and let them off heading east. A fine place to board from the PATH; not a place to get off on this train.
The zodiac medallions on the waiting room ceiling, if you board here.
Right off the platform
- at stopNewark Penn Station: a waiting room, restrooms, food counters, PATH and NJ Transit.
- 15 minThe Newark Museum of Art and its planetarium (admission; check hours).
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
Skip.
Snack stop: An Ironbound bakery, if you are starting here.
Out the window: Rail yards, then the airport and the turnpike.
Stop 3 of 17TREWestbound about 11:44am; eastbound about 3:56pm
Trenton Transit Center
New Jersey's capital and a busy transit center with the River Line light rail across the street. The state museum, a mile away, is free and has a planetarium. On the Pennsylvanian it is a pass-through; the many Keystone and Regional trains make it a stop you can actually use.
The Trenton Makes, the World Takes bridge sign as the train crosses the Delaware.
Right off the platform
- at stopTrenton Transit Center: a waiting room, restrooms, food counters and the River Line outside.
- 20 minThe New Jersey State Museum, free, with a planetarium and dinosaurs (check hours).
- 20 minThe Old Barracks Museum (admission).
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard; use the Keystone for a Trenton day.
Make it a full day
See the Keystone Service plan for Trenton.
Snack stop: Counters inside the transit center.
Out the window: The Delaware crossing, with the lit bridge sign on the right westbound.
Stop 4 of 17PHLWestbound arrives about 12:15pm, leaves about 12:42pm; eastbound arrives about 2:59pm, leaves about 3:25pm
Philadelphia 30th Street Station
The train sits here about 25 minutes while the electric engine comes off and a diesel goes on for the mountains, and the station itself is worth those minutes: a 1933 concourse with a coffered gold ceiling and a bronze angel. The Franklin Institute's walk-through heart is a 15-minute walk, the dinosaurs at the Academy of Natural Sciences 10. For western Pennsylvania families, this is the natural place to start the Pennsylvanian; the whole New York leg is corridor you can ride any day on the Keystone.
Get off during the engine swap (ask the conductor first) and watch from the platform as the electric unhooks and the diesel backs on. Then the ceiling.
Right off the platform
- at stop30th Street Station: the concourse, restrooms, a food court, staffed counters and checked baggage; a long renovation is under way.
- 5 minThe Schuylkill Banks boardwalk outside the back door.
- 10 minThe Academy of Natural Sciences: dinosaurs and a butterfly room (admission).
- 15 minThe Franklin Institute, with the giant heart and a real locomotive (admission).
- 10 minPlease Touch Museum in Fairmount Park by cab, ages 0 to 8, with a carousel (admission).
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard for the engine swap, or arrive on an earlier Keystone and do the Academy's dinosaurs first (2 hours).
Make it a full day
Franklin Institute, Reading Terminal Market, Please Touch Museum, a night in Center City, and the 12:42pm Pennsylvanian west with lunch from the station food court.
Snack stop: The food court; a soft pretzel for the train.
Out the window: Crossing the Schuylkill westbound, the zoo is on the right, then the Main Line suburbs.
The 25-minute stop is scheduled; do not wander far. Full Philadelphia plans are on the Keystone page.
Stop 5 of 17PAOWestbound about 1:12pm; eastbound about 2:29pm
Paoli
A Main Line station with a high overpass kids can look down from. The Pennsylvanian stops once a day each way; the Keystone stops nearly every hour, which is the train to use for a Paoli first ride.
The overpass, from above, as a train passes underneath.
Right off the platform
- at stopA 2019 station with an overpass, elevators and a small waiting area.
- 5 minLancaster Avenue's cafes and a bakery.
- at stopValley Forge National Historical Park, 15 minutes by cab (free).
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard; see the Keystone plan for Paoli.
Make it a full day
Valley Forge by cab, then a Keystone back.
Snack stop: A bakery on Lancaster Avenue.
Out the window: Woods and the Great Valley's horse farms.
Stop 6 of 17EXTEastbound only, about 2:17pm; the westbound train does not stopour honest take: ride on
Exton
A platform by a mall that only the eastbound Pennsylvanian serves. Nothing for a family on foot.
None.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform with a shelter and a park-and-ride lot.
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
Skip.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: Chester County fields.
Westbound Train 43 runs through Exton without stopping.
Stop 7 of 17LNCWestbound about 1:52pm; eastbound about 1:45pm
Lancaster
The best family stop east of Harrisburg, with a central market, a hands-on science museum downtown, and Strasburg's steam train and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania 20 minutes away by car. The Pennsylvanian passes at lunchtime in both directions, which makes a split possible: Keystone out in the morning, play, then the Pennsylvanian on to the mountains with a cafe car for the afternoon.
Strasburg: the steam train, then climbing into a locomotive cab at the Railroad Museum across the road.
Right off the platform
- at stopLancaster station: a restored 1929 waiting room, restrooms, a staffed counter and cabs.
- 20 minCentral Market, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, for pretzels and whoopie pies.
- 20 minThe Lancaster Science Factory, hands-on for ages 3 to 12 (admission).
- at stopStrasburg Rail Road and the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, 20 minutes by cab or car (admission; check seasons).
- at stopHands-on House Children's Museum, 10 minutes by cab (admission).
Half a day between trains
- Morning Keystone here, Central Market and the Science Factory, then the 1:52pm Pennsylvanian west (3 hours).
Make it a full day
A Strasburg day by car, a night in Lancaster, and the Pennsylvanian west at lunchtime. The full plan is on the Keystone page.
Snack stop: Central Market; a small counter at the station.
Out the window: West of Lancaster, farms, silos and buggies on both sides.
Strasburg needs a cab or car. Book the steam train ahead on holiday weekends.
Stop 8 of 17ELTWestbound about 2:06pm; eastbound about 1:23pm
Elizabethtown
A 1915 stone station with a small downtown five minutes away and Hershey about 10 miles north by car. A leg stretch on its own, a meeting point if family lives nearby.
Chocolate World's free factory ride in Hershey, if someone is picking you up.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe restored 1915 station with a waiting room and restrooms.
- 5 minDowntown Elizabethtown's square and a bakery.
- at stopHershey by car, about 20 minutes: Chocolate World, Hersheypark and ZooAmerica (seasonal).
Half a day between trains
- Downtown and a bakery (45 minutes).
Make it a full day
Hershey by car, then the train from here.
Snack stop: A bakery on Market Street.
Out the window: The Conewago Creek, then the Susquehanna lowlands.
No bus to Hershey; it needs a car or cab.
Stop 9 of 17HARWestbound arrives about 2:26pm, leaves about 2:36pm; eastbound arrives about 12:55pm, leaves about 1:05pm
Harrisburg Transportation Center
Where the Keystones end and the Pennsylvanian keeps going. The 1887 station has a train shed and a real GG1 electric locomotive parked in view of the platform. Downtown is 10 minutes on foot: the State Museum's planetarium and toddler floor, the Capitol's grand staircase, and the pedestrian bridge to City Island. Two miles north of the station the train crosses the Susquehanna on Rockville Bridge, 48 stone arches and 3,820 feet long, so get the kids to a window on the right before you have settled in.
Rockville Bridge. Count the arches out loud; you will not get to 48, and that is the point.
Right off the platform
- at stopHarrisburg Transportation Center: the train shed, restrooms, a staffed counter, checked baggage and the GG1 on display.
- 10 minThe State Museum of Pennsylvania: planetarium, mammoth, Curiosity Connection for ages 1 to 5 (admission; check days).
- 10 minThe State Capitol, free tours.
- 5 minWhitaker Center's science floors (admission).
- 15 minThe Walnut Street pedestrian bridge to City Island: the Senators' ballpark and a mini train in season.
- 15 minBroad Street Market (check days).
Half a day between trains
- Arrive on a morning Keystone, the GG1, the State Museum, lunch at Broad Street Market, and the 2:36pm Pennsylvanian west (4 hours).
Make it a full day
A Harrisburg day and a night downtown, then the Pennsylvanian west after lunch. Or eastbound: arrive at 12:55pm, City Island and the museum, and a Keystone home.
Snack stop: Broad Street Market; counters near the station.
Out the window: Leaving westbound the river is on the right, a mile wide and full of islands, then Rockville Bridge, then the Juniata valley.
Full Harrisburg plans are on the Keystone page. For the mountains ahead, sit on the right from here to Altoona, then move left for the curve.
Stop 10 of 17LEWWestbound about 3:47pm; eastbound about 11:28amour honest take: ride on
Lewistown
The oldest Pennsylvania Railroad station still standing, from 1849, with a small historical society museum inside and the Juniata River beside it. The station is at Lewistown Junction, a mile and a half from town, so there is nothing to walk to. Past here the land turns to mountains and the train slows for the curves: tell the kids the climb has started.
The 1849 depot from the window, and the first real mountain ridge behind it.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1849 station, with a volunteer-run museum on limited days.
- at stopLewistown's downtown, a cab ride away.
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
Skip, unless this is where family meets you.
Snack stop: None.
Out the window: The Juniata River on the right, the ridges closing in, and the first sharp curves.
Stop 11 of 17HGDWestbound about 4:24pm; eastbound about 10:48amour honest take: ride on
Huntingdon
A college town with a platform near downtown and the Juniata still beside the tracks. Lincoln Caverns and Raystown Lake are a few miles out by car, so it works with a pickup, not on foot.
Lincoln Caverns' cool, dripping rooms, by car (admission; check hours).
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform with a shelter.
- 10 minDowntown Huntingdon's cafes.
- at stopLincoln Caverns, 10 minutes by car, and Raystown Lake, 20 minutes.
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
A Raystown Lake weekend, with the caverns, if someone picks you up.
Snack stop: A cafe downtown.
Out the window: Ridges, the river, and long freight trains on the other tracks.
Stop 12 of 17TYRWestbound about 4:51pm; eastbound about 10:21amour honest take: ride on
Tyrone
A small railroad town and the home of Gardners Candies. DelGrosso's amusement park, with free admission and pay-per-ride, is five miles south by car. On foot, a platform; with a car, a cheap summer afternoon.
DelGrosso's kiddie rides and water park by car, in summer, with a bag of peanut butter meltaways from Gardners.
Right off the platform
- at stopA platform with a shelter.
- 10 minDowntown Tyrone and the Gardners Candies store.
- at stopDelGrosso's Park in Tipton, 10 minutes by car (seasonal; free entry, rides priced).
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
DelGrosso's by car on a summer day.
Snack stop: Gardners Candies.
Out the window: The valley narrows; Altoona's rail yards begin.
Stop 13 of 17ALTWestbound about 5:16pm; eastbound about 10:03am
Altoona Transportation Center
The railroad town, and the stop this whole route is built around. The Railroaders Memorial Museum is directly across the tracks from the station, three floors of how this city built and ran the Pennsylvania Railroad, with a huge restored steam locomotive. Six miles west by car is the Horseshoe Curve itself, with a little funicular and a park inside the bend where you watch trains go around you. The dome you see coming into town is the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. Lakemont Park's rides, including the world's oldest roller coaster, have not run for three summers, so do not plan on them.
Westbound, leaving Altoona: move to the left side of the car. Ten minutes out, the train leans into the Horseshoe Curve and bends 220 degrees around a reservoir, so slowly you can see the front of your own train across the valley. Then the Gallitzin tunnels, and dark. Read the tunnel page from the book right before.
Right off the platform
- at stopAltoona Transportation Center: a waiting room, restrooms, a staffed counter and the bus hub.
- 5 minThe Railroaders Memorial Museum, across the tracks (admission; check days; combined ticket with the curve).
- at stopHorseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark, 15 minutes by car or cab: the funicular, the park inside the curve, and a trackside bench (seasonal; check hours).
- at stopBoyer Candy's factory store for Mallo Cups, a short cab ride.
- at stopAltoona Curve baseball at PNG Field, by cab, on summer evenings.
Half a day between trains
- Eastbound: arrive 10:03am, the Railroaders Museum (2 hours), lunch, then the westbound at 5:16pm back over the curve.
Make it a full day
The museum, a cab to the Horseshoe Curve to watch freights from inside the bend, Mallo Cups, a Curve game at night, and the train the next day.
Snack stop: Downtown Altoona's diners; Mallo Cups from Boyer.
Out the window: Westbound from Altoona: the climb begins at once, the Horseshoe Curve about five miles out on the left, then the Gallitzin tunnels at the summit and the long descent toward Johnstown along the Conemaugh. Eastbound, the curve is on the right.
Johnstown to Altoona and back is a one-hour ride each way that crosses the curve twice: Train 42 at 9:05am from Johnstown, Train 43 back at 5:16pm. Times change November 18; check them.
Stop 14 of 17JSTWestbound about 6:14pm; eastbound about 9:05am
Johnstown
A 1913 Pennsylvania Railroad station a few blocks from downtown, in the steel city that the 1889 flood nearly erased. The Johnstown Flood Museum is a 10-minute walk and tells that story plainly enough for a seven-year-old. The Inclined Plane, the world's steepest vehicle incline, has been closed for a long rebuild and as of this fall had not reopened, so check before you promise it. There is a children's museum inside the Heritage Discovery Center in Cambria City.
The Stone Bridge over the Conemaugh, where the flood debris piled up, seen from the train as you arrive. Then the Flood Museum's film.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1913 station, restored, with a waiting room and restrooms.
- 10 minThe Johnstown Flood Museum downtown (admission; check hours).
- 20 minThe Heritage Discovery Center and the Johnstown Children's Museum in Cambria City, ages 3 to 10 (admission).
- 20 minThe Inclined Plane's lower station, across the river (closed for rehabilitation; check status).
- 10 minCentral Park downtown and a diner.
Half a day between trains
- Westbound arrives at dinner time: a diner and a night here, then the 9:05am eastbound to Altoona for the museum and the curve (1 hour).
Make it a full day
Flood Museum, the Children's Museum, the Inclined Plane if it has reopened, and the Altoona round trip the next day.
Snack stop: Diners downtown; a bakery in Cambria City.
Out the window: Westbound, the Conemaugh River valley and the steel mills, then rolling hills toward Latrobe.
The Inclined Plane's reopening has slipped several times; look it up the week you travel.
Stop 15 of 17LABWestbound about 6:56pm; eastbound about 8:21am
Latrobe
Mister Rogers' hometown, with a restored 1903 station downtown and a bronze Fred Rogers sitting on a park bench five minutes away. The banana split was invented here in 1904. Idlewild park in Ligonier, eight miles by car, has the Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood trolley ride built from the old Mister Rogers' Neighborhood attraction. For preschoolers who know Daniel Tiger, that is a whole day.
Sit on the bench next to Fred Rogers in James H. Rogers Park. Then a banana split.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1903 station, restored, with a small waiting room.
- 5 minJames H. Rogers Park and the Fred Rogers statue, free, and the Latrobe Art Center's Daniel Tiger shop beside it.
- 5 minA banana split on Ligonier Street.
- at stopIdlewild and SoakZone in Ligonier, 15 minutes by car: Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Story Book Forest and kiddie rides (seasonal; admission).
- at stopThe Fred Rogers Center at Saint Vincent College, 10 minutes by car, with the Neighborhood Trolley and the sweaters (weekdays; free).
Half a day between trains
- The statue, a banana split, and the park (1 hour).
Make it a full day
Idlewild by car in summer, the statue and the banana split in town, and the train.
Snack stop: Banana splits; a bakery on Ligonier Street.
Out the window: Westbound, the Laurel Highlands flatten toward Greensburg; the eastbound morning run has the hills in sun.
Idlewild runs late May to Labor Day plus fall weekends; it needs a car.
Stop 16 of 17GNBWestbound about 7:08pm; eastbound about 8:11amour honest take: ride on
Greensburg
A county seat with a grand 1912 Pennsylvania Railroad station now holding a restaurant, and a free art museum up the hill. A short stretch; Pittsburgh is an hour away.
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art's kids' corner, free, a 10-minute uphill walk.
Right off the platform
- at stopThe 1912 station, with a restaurant inside and the platform behind.
- 10 minThe Westmoreland Museum of American Art, free (check hours).
- 10 minDowntown Greensburg's courthouse dome and a bakery.
Half a day between trains
- Stay aboard.
Make it a full day
Skip, unless the art museum is the plan.
Snack stop: A bakery downtown.
Out the window: Hills, then the first glimpse of Pittsburgh's eastern suburbs.
Stop 17 of 17PGHTrain 43 arrives about 8:05pm; Train 42 leaves about 7:30am (from November 18: 42 at 7:10am, 44 at 1pm)
Pittsburgh Union Station
The train arrives after dark at the back of a grand old station with a rotunda out front, on the edge of the Strip District. Pittsburgh is one of the best cities on the Amtrak map for kids: a children's museum with a water room, a science center with a huge model railroad, two inclines up Mount Washington, a ballpark on the river, and the Heinz History Center a 10-minute walk from the platform, with real pieces of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood set inside. Eastbound the train leaves at 7:30am with the whole mountain day ahead.
The Duquesne Incline at dusk, in a wooden car from 1877, with the three rivers and the stadium lights below. Then the Children's Museum's water room in the morning.
Right off the platform
- at stopPittsburgh Union Station: a waiting room, restrooms, a staffed counter and checked baggage; the rotunda is outside.
- 5 minThe Strip District's markets and bakeries, for breakfast or dinner.
- 10 minThe Heinz History Center, with the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood exhibit and the sports museum (admission).
- at stopChildren's Museum of Pittsburgh on the North Side, 10 minutes by cab, ages 0 to 10 (admission).
- at stopKamin Science Center (the Carnegie Science Center) and its Miniature Railroad, by cab (admission).
- at stopThe Duquesne Incline, by cab, cash or card at the top (small fare).
- 20 minPoint State Park's fountain where the rivers meet, and PNC Park across the bridge.
Half a day between trains
- Eastbound morning: the Strip for breakfast before the 7:30am train.
- Westbound evening: dinner in the Strip, then the incline before bed.
Make it a full day
Two nights. Day one: the Children's Museum and the incline. Day two: the Science Center's railroad, Point State Park, a Pirates game, and the Heinz History Center's Mister Rogers set. Then the 7:30am train east, or the Floridian west toward Chicago at 11:59pm.
Snack stop: The Strip District: pierogies, Italian bakeries and a candy store, five minutes from the station.
Out the window: Arriving westbound in the dark you see the lit bridges; eastbound at dawn the Monongahela is on the right and the mills' ghosts along it.
Union Station has checked baggage. The Floridian to Chicago leaves at 11:59pm, a long wait after an 8:05pm arrival; the new midday train from November 18 shortens it.
The dark, then the light
The first time we rode around the Horseshoe Curve my daughter asked why the train was going backwards, which is exactly what it looks like for a minute. Then the tunnel, and the dark, and her hand finding mine, and the light. I did not say anything about my dad, who grew up in this state and would have known the grade and the year the curve opened. I just let her count in the dark until the window turned bright. That is what this train is for.
Next in this series: the Keystone Service, the all-day version of the eastern stops, and the Northeast Regional for the corridor. For another mountain day, the Empire Service up the Hudson and across New York. Every route is on the Train Trips With Your Kids page.
Pennsylvanian trips with kids: questions parents ask
How long is the Pennsylvanian from New York to Pittsburgh?
About 9 hours 15 minutes. On the current timetable Train 43 leaves New York at 10:52am and arrives in Pittsburgh at 8:05pm; Train 42 leaves Pittsburgh at 7:30am and reaches New York at 4:50pm. From November 18, 2026 there are two trains each way and the times change.
Which side of the train is the Horseshoe Curve on?
Westbound to Pittsburgh, the left side from Altoona. Eastbound, the right. Before Altoona, the right side westbound has the Juniata River valleys. Seats are not assigned, so switch sides at Altoona if the car has room.
What is the best Pennsylvanian stop for kids?
Altoona. The Railroaders Memorial Museum is across the tracks from the station, the Horseshoe Curve is a 15-minute cab ride with a park inside the bend, and the train itself goes around the curve minutes after leaving. Johnstown to Altoona is a one-hour ride that crosses it both ways.
Do kids pay on the Pennsylvanian?
Kids 2 to 12 pay half the adult coach fare with an adult on the same booking, and one child under 2 rides free on each adult's lap. The Business Class upgrade is full price for children, so stay in coach and use the cafe car.
Is there food on the Pennsylvanian?
Yes, a cafe car with snacks, drinks and light meals, and big windows. It is snack-sized for a nine-hour day, so pack real lunches. From November 18 the menu adds Pennsylvania snacks.
Which Pennsylvanian stops should we skip with kids?
Newark (boarding only westbound), Exton (eastbound only), Lewistown, Huntingdon, Tyrone and Greensburg are platforms or need a car. The trip is Philadelphia, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Altoona, Johnstown, Latrobe and Pittsburgh.
Sources and how I checked
- Amtrak Pennsylvanian timetable, August 2026 revision (Trains 42 and 43), and Amtrak station pages; Railway Age and PennDOT on the November 18, 2026 second frequency
- Railroaders Memorial Museum, Horseshoe Curve, Johnstown Flood Museum, Heritage Discovery Center, Idlewild, Fred Rogers Center, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, Kamin Science Center, Heinz History Center: hours and admission as posted October 2026
- CamTran press releases on the Johnstown Inclined Plane rehabilitation (August 2026); WPSU on Lakemont Park's rides (September 2026)
- 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.