Vermont’s Draft Rail Plan Charts Path for Smarter, Faster, Connected Transportation
Vermont is laying out an ambitious vision to modernize its rail network, with a sharp focus on improving service for passengers, supporting local economies, and preparing for a more resilient and sustainable future. The Draft Vermont Rail Plan released by the Agency of Transportation (VTrans) outlines a mix of shovel-ready projects and long-term strategies aimed at delivering faster, safer, and more accessible rail service to Vermonters and visitors alike.
Here’s what’s in store—and how it could affect your community.
🚆 Better Passenger Rail Service for More Places
The plan proposes major upgrades and expansions to Amtrak’s presence in Vermont:
Vermonter to Montréal: After years of anticipation, Vermont is preparing to extend Amtrak’s Vermonter line north from St. Albans to Montréal. That means an easier, direct international rail connection for travelers and a potential tourism boom.
More Trains, More Often: Vermont is exploring an additional daily train through southern Vermont by extending one of the Massachusetts-based Valley Flyer services into Brattleboro or White River Junction. This would supplement the Vermonter and provide more flexible travel options.
Faster Travel: Tracks will be improved to allow speeds of up to 79 mph in some areas, helping shorten trip times on both the Ethan Allen Express and the Vermonter lines.
More Local Access: Amtrak stations across the state—like in Burlington, Montpelier, Rutland, and Brattleboro—will see upgrades for better parking, accessibility, and safer pedestrian and bike access.
🛤️ Freight Rail Modernization to Support Local Business
The plan emphasizes keeping Vermont’s economy rolling with strategic freight rail improvements:
Stronger Bridges = Heavier Loads: Critical freight routes will be upgraded to carry 286,000-pound standard railcars. This helps Vermont companies ship more goods more efficiently—especially important for manufacturers, agriculture, and quarrying.
Transload Hubs: Vermont wants to build or expand facilities where freight can be transferred between trucks and trains. This could mean lower costs for Vermont businesses and fewer heavy trucks on local roads.
Rail-Supported Industrial Land: The state plans to protect and promote land that is already served by rail—critical for economic development in towns like Barre, Middlebury, and Bellows Falls.
🏘️ Community-Oriented Rail Investments
This isn’t just about trains—it’s about how rail fits into daily life in Vermont:
Multimodal Connections: Improved sidewalks, bus links, bike paths, and wayfinding at train stations will make it easier for people to get to and from trains without needing a car.
Transit-Oriented Development: The state is actively encouraging housing and mixed-use projects near train stations. That means more walkable communities and greater economic activity around rail hubs.
Public-Private Projects: The Burlington Railyard Enterprise Project will reconfigure part of the city’s rail yard to reduce traffic conflicts and open up land for new development.
⚠️ Improved Safety and Climate Resilience
With an eye on Vermont’s changing climate and safety concerns, the plan includes:
Safer Railroad Crossings: Upgrades to the state’s 50 most hazardous road-rail crossings, adding gates, signals, and visibility improvements.
Flood Protection: Using the state’s climate resilience tools, VTrans will identify and shore up vulnerable tracks, bridges, and culverts—especially important after recent flood-related washouts.
Hazmat Awareness: The state will work with rail operators and emergency responders to monitor and prepare for hazardous materials transported by rail.
💰 How Will It Be Paid For?
Vermont plans to tap into federal grants from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Amtrak partnerships, and creative local partnerships. The plan also emphasizes coordination with Québec, New York, and Massachusetts to align regional rail priorities.
🧭 What It Means for Vermonters
If you're a commuter, a tourist, a small business owner, or just someone tired of highway traffic, this plan has something for you. It blends big-picture economic goals with on-the-ground improvements that aim to make rail a more practical, reliable, and sustainable part of life in Vermont.
The plan remains in draft form as of May 30 and is open for public comment. VTrans expects to finalize the strategy later this year, with several projects already positioned to move forward in 2025 and 2026.
To weigh in on the plan or learn more, visit https://vtrans.vermont.gov/rail/reports