Train transportation?

[Nailbunniee777]

Have any of you taken trains for your to and from? I'm looking at all options now. Having a hard time with this part of my planning, the where to start/end so I have a way to get there and back. Starting in MA, ending in VT.

[Alligator]

The Amtrak train lines run sort of parallel in VT and MA. You might have to go back to NYC to get to the other line. There's a train stop in Springfield, MA and one in Rutland, VT. The Lake Shore Amtrak line goes through Pittsfield, MA but it doesn't connect into VT. The Lake Shore might be useful to get to Boston though and then up to Maine if you wanted to go that way. I have pieced mass transit together using trains and buses in the New England States along the AT. Pittsfield has a bus station, I put together a trip using buses from Pittsfield and the train to Rutland but I used NYC as a focal point. NYC>Rutland hike to Dalton, shuttle over to Pittsfield>NYC.

[Dogwood]

Once you get to North Adams/Williamstown Mass by way of bus connections from somewhere at a Amtrak station(you pick the station, the N. Adams buses connect to other buses and trains that connect to Boston) you can jump on the AT at the VT/Mass border(at N. Adams, local bus service takes you to the the AT MA/VT TH) and hike to White River VT just a few miles before Hanover NH and jump back on Amtrak for all/almost all of the AT in VT. Greyhound prolly serves Hanover NH too. Could just do all of VT NOBO from the VT/MA border to Hanover and take a local Hanover NH bus back to White River and jump on Amtrak. I think public transportation(Greyhound) also serves Dalton MA so you could get on the AT there and hike over Mt Greylock if you want to take in a bit more of the AT including northern Mass. Get straight within reason how much(miles) of the AT you want to hike and that's going to determine where you can get on most easily via public transportation.

[dk1661]

Last year I finished in Hanover, from there got a free city bus to white river junction. Amtrack has a line in WRJ that can get you most anywhere.

[GoldenBear]

I study mass transit options constantly, and I've recently examined these for New England. Amongst the cities for which buses (including commuter) or trains are easily accessible:

Great Barrington MA
Dalton* MA
Williamstown* MA
Bennington VT
Manchester VT
Killington* VT
White River Junction VT
Hanover* NH

Cities noted with * allow you to get on/off a commuter bus and be on the trail within minutes.

If you start in Hanover and go south to Great Barrington, you'll only need to walk about two miles into the latter.

I can give details on any of these cities if you are interested.