Amtrak’s Vermonter Moves People – and Bikes!

Jeff Nugent and Chris Campany, Windham Regional Commission

Did you know you can bring your bike on Amtrak’s Vermonter? Windham Regional Commission‘s GIS planner did just that following a meeting at UMass Amherst in late March. After catching a ride down to UMass in Chris’s truck, Jeff rode his bike on the Norwottuck rail trail to Northampton, where he caught the northbound Vermonter back to Brattleboro. 

What was it like? Northampton station’s elevated level boarding platform—where the platform is at the same height as the car’s door—made rolling the bike onto the train a breeze. Inside one of the cars are two bike racks. Because this trip was short (only an hour), and the train wasn’t crowded, it was possible to simply wheel your bike into the area reserved for passengers who need accessible seating. At Brattleboro and Bellows Falls, you’ll need to carry your bike up or down the trail car’s narrow steps, which can be more challenging than it sounds. The good news is Brattleboro’s station upgrade will include a level boarding platform in the next year, making rolling your bike on and off a breeze!  

Want to combine a bike ride with a train trip? If you’re in Bellows Falls, you can bike the 30 or so miles to Brattleboro (the New Hampshire side of the river offers easier biking) and take the 4:56pm northbound train back from Brattleboro. Or catch the train in Bellows Falls at 12:30 pm and begin your biking journey north from Brattleboro a half hour later.  

Starting from Brattleboro? Consider a trip to Greenfield, which involves between 20 and 30 miles of biking depending on the route you follow. You can take the 1:02pm train from Brattleboro and bike back from Greenfield or get yourself and your bike to Greenfield by 4:22pm and hop aboard the northbound train. If you have 40 to 50 miles in you, a trip to Northampton is also an option.

Happy riding!

The Windham Regional Commission serves 27 towns in Windham, Bennington, and Windsor Counties in its mission to assist towns in southeastern Vermont with providing effective local governance and works collaboratively with them to address regional issues.

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