The New York–Washington DC corridor is Amtrak's single busiest route, served by both the Northeast Regional and the high-speed Acela. Whether you travel a few times a week or every day, knowing how to book smart can save you hundreds of dollars a year.
Morning - New York Penn Station to Washington Union Station
| Train # | Departs | Arrives | Value Fare | Flex Fare | Avg Delay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 181 | 5:45 AM | 9:06 AM | $20–$288 | $22–$302 | - |
| 89 | 6:02 AM | 9:44 AM | $25–$373 | $28–$392 | +1 min / 81% on time |
| 2103 | 6:10 AM | 9:09 AM | $87–$321 | $98–$340 | +4 min / 74% on time |
| 113 | 6:32 AM | 9:55 AM | $20–$288 | $22–$302 | +1 min / 69% on time |
| 51 | 6:40 AM | 10:14 AM | $152–$288 | $161–$302 | +2 min / 77% on time |
| 79 | 7:04 AM | 11:09 AM | $40–$288 | $45–$302 | - |
| 183 | 7:25 AM | 11:16 AM | $31–$288 | $35–$302 | +7 min / 65% on time |
| 2107 | 7:35 AM | 10:30 AM | $87–$321 | $98–$340 | +9 min / 73% on time |
| 141 | 8:23 AM | 11:45 AM | $31–$288 | $35–$302 | +10 min / 65% on time |
| 2151 | 9:00 AM | 11:59 AM | $87–$321 | $98–$340 | +14 min / 51% on time |
| 185 | 9:25 AM | 12:57 PM | $31–$288 | $35–$302 | - |
Evening - Washington Union Station to New York Penn Station
| Train # | Departs | Arrives | Value Fare | Flex Fare | Avg Delay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2172 | 4:00 PM | 7:00 PM | $87–$401 | $98–$425 | +7 min / 77% on time |
| 178 | 4:02 PM | 7:24 PM | $31–$288 | $35–$302 | +9 min / 73% on time |
| 2122 | 4:50 PM | 7:49 PM | $87–$321 | $98–$340 | +1 min / 79% on time |
| 136 | 5:05 PM | 8:31 PM | $31–$288 | $35–$302 | +6 min / 70% on time |
| 80 | 5:15 PM | 8:35 PM | $40–$288 | $45–$302 | +8 min / 66% on time |
| 2124 | 5:25 PM | 8:23 PM | $87–$321 | $98–$340 | +2 min / 81% on time |
| 196 | 6:10 PM | 9:26 PM | $31–$288 | $35–$302 | +2 min / 85% on time |
| 2126 | 6:15 PM | 9:08 PM | $87–$321 | $98–$340 | +13 min / 65% on time |
| 138 | 6:35 PM | 10:17 PM | $31–$288 | $35–$302 | +1 min / 76% on time |
| 192 | 7:12 PM | 10:38 PM | $20–$288 | $22–$302 | +2 min / 87% on time |
| 90 | 7:57 PM | 11:23 PM | $25–$288 | $28–$302 | +7 min / 78% on time |
Schedule and fares as of Apr 2026–Feb 2027. Delay averages: 6-month window via juckins.net.
New York Penn Station to Washington Union Station Route Overview
Amtrak operates more than 30 daily trains between New York Penn Station (NYP) and Washington Union Station (WAS) on the Northeast Corridor, with 30+ daily trains in each direction.
The Northeast Regional takes approximately 3 hours and 25 minutes, with intermediate stops at Newark, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and BWI Airport. The Acela cuts the journey to approximately 2.5 hours with fewer stops.
For commuters, the Northeast Regional is the workhorse. Trains depart throughout the day starting before 6 AM, with peak-hour departures every 30-60 minutes in both directions. The Acela commands a premium, typically 40-80% more than the Regional for the same trip.
Washington Union Station is served by Metro's Red Line and is located in Capitol Hill.
New York Penn Station to Washington Union Station Pricing
Individual tickets on the NYP-WAS route range from $20 to $152 depending on how far out you book and how popular the train is. Value (non-refundable) fares start at $20 on trains with available inventory. Flex (fully refundable) fares run slightly higher on the same trains.
The Amtrak 10-ride pass for this route is priced at a fixed amount per trip but does not always guarantee the lowest fare. If you can consistently book individual tickets 3 months out, you may pay less per trip than the pass.
Amtrak offers monthly commuter passes on the NEC. Frequent travelers also use a combination of advance booking, Amtrak Guest Rewards points, and 10-ride passes to manage costs.
Real pricing: $1,250/month, $500 for 10 rides, or $12-22 advance individual. Here is the math.
Save 22-35% on every ticket using your employer's commuter benefit account.
Free to join, earns you points on every Amtrak trip.
Booking Strategy
Book as far in advance as possible. Amtrak releases its lowest Value fares 11 months out and they sell out quickly on this corridor. Setting a 3-month booking reminder is a reliable way to lock in low fares.
Trains departing before 7 AM or after 8 PM are almost always cheaper. Mid-week departures (Tuesday, Wednesday) also tend to carry lower prices than Monday or Friday.
Join Amtrak Guest Rewards. Points accumulate quickly on a high-frequency corridor like NYP-WAS.
On-Time Performance
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.
Station Guide
New York Penn Station is served by nearly every subway line. The Moynihan Train Hall, directly west of Penn, is the Amtrak waiting area and is more comfortable than the main concourse.
Washington Union Station is served by Metro's Red Line. The Metro entrance is directly inside the building. Parking is available at the station.
Track Your New York to Washington DC Commute with RailCommute
You plan to book 3 months out. Life gets busy. You miss the window and pay $75 for a train that costs $29 when booked in advance. Do that 4 times and you have spent more on one extra round trip than you needed to.
RailCommute monitors fares on your regular trains and alerts you when a cheaper seat opens up. On this corridor, Value fares move in real time - a train that shows $75 today can drop to $29 when inventory shifts. Without something watching those prices, that difference goes unnoticed and you pay full fare by default.
It also tracks what you actually paid per trip over time. When your average cost per departure climbs from $32 to $68, you see exactly when the discipline broke down and how much it cost.
Start tracking your New York Penn Station commute
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