Albany-Rensselaer, NY

The current Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak station was completed in September 2002 for the Capitol District Transit Authority (CDTA) and is served by ten daily trains. This new, modern structure, sits adjacent to the previous station that now holds Amtrak offices and is served by CDTA transit buses and taxis.

From 1899 to 1968, trains arrived and departed from Union Station in Albany’s downtown. Designed by the same firm as Boston’s South Station and Union Station in Springfield, MA, Albany’s Union Station was revolutionary in its use of “subways.” These underground walkways would take passengers directly to their platforms without having to go outside. Passenger services were moved out of downtown Albany in the late 1960s to make room for Interstate 787. Today, Union Station stands empty.

Situated halfway between Montreal and New York City and at the midpoint between Boston and Buffalo, Albany became an important juncture with the advent of modern transportation. One of the first turnpikes, the first commercially viable steamboat and the first steam engine to operate in New York (fourth in the country) all serviced Albany. Albany was also home to the country’s first municipal airport.

The French were the first to settle the area in 1540, making Albany the oldest surviving European settlement in America.

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In cooperation with the National Park Service, a limited edition National Parks Passport Cancellation Stamp has been created with the Amtrak 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train.  The cancellation stamp will be available for one year and only at select stops along the tour—such as this one.   Collectors will appreciate this cancellation stamp as a unique addition to their National Park Service passport. Find out more information on the National Park Service Passport Cancellation program.