Harrisburg and Lancaster to New York on the Amtrak Keystone: Full Commuter Guide

Keystone Service trains depart Harrisburg and stop at Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Parkesburg, Coatesville, Downingtown, Exton, Paoli, and Ardmore before arriving at Philadelphia 30th Street, then continuing to Newark and New York Penn Station.

From Lancaster, the trip to New York takes approximately 2 hours 45 minutes. From Harrisburg, add another 45 minutes for a total of about 3 hours 30 minutes.

The Philadelphia stop gives commuters flexibility to continue to NYC or transfer to SEPTA Regional Rail for access to Center City and the suburbs.

The Keystone Service runs 11-12 round trips daily. Service is operated jointly by Amtrak and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

Harrisburg to New York Value (non-refundable) fares run $54-$63. Flex fares range from $60 to $110. Lancaster fares are somewhat lower given the shorter distance - check Amtrak.com for current Lancaster pricing.

Pennsylvania offers Amtrak multi-ride discounts for Keystone commuters. Check with PennDOT's rail program for current promotions and pass options.

Amtrak Guest Rewards points accumulate on Keystone trips, same as any other Amtrak service.

Book 3-6 weeks ahead on this corridor to catch Value fares. Trains on the Keystone do not sell out as rapidly as peak NEC trains, but fares rise as the departure date approaches.

For commuters who only travel a few days per week, individual Value tickets often beat multi-ride passes on this corridor.

Lock in your regular morning trains months ahead if you travel to Manhattan on a consistent schedule.

The schedule table above shows the 6-month average arrival delay and on-time percentage for each commuter-window train on this corridor. Delay performance varies significantly by train - check the table before choosing a regular departure.

Trains that originate further down the corridor tend to carry accumulated delay by the time they depart. Earlier trains in the morning generally have better on-time performance than later ones.

Full historical delay data for any Amtrak train number is available at juckins.net.

Harrisburg Transportation Center has parking available and connects to local Capitol Area Transit (CAT) bus service.

New York Penn Station is served by nearly every subway line. The Moynihan Train Hall, directly west of Penn, is the Amtrak waiting area.

Value fares on the Keystone run $54-$63 between Harrisburg and New York. Book at the last minute and the same ticket is $110+. On a corridor with limited departure times, the cheapest seat and the most expensive seat are on the same train.

RailCommute monitors fares on your booked Keystone trips. When a seat opens at a lower price than you paid, you get an alert so you can cancel and rebook.

It also tracks what you are actually spending per trip. Setup is one-time: forward your Amtrak confirmation emails and your trips sync to your calendar automatically.