Amtrak's Crescent: Train Schedule & Guide

The Amtrak Crescent is a daily long-distance Viewliner train that travels between the lively city of New Orleans, Louisiana, and New York’s bustling hub. It makes 31 stops, including communities like Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Laurel, Mississippi. The trip covers 1.381 miles and averages 31 hours and 46 minutes along its scenic journey!

This article provides the details to familiarize yourself with this train, including the schedule or timetable, a list of all the stops, accommodation options, and onboard food.

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A little about the Crescent Route

Discover the beauty of the American South as you ride the Amtrak Crescent.

The train can help you explore historic towns like Monticello and Charlottesville, where you can experience the rich heritage of the South. Visit New Orleans to dive into the city’s vibrant scenes, from jazz music to delicious Cajun food and so much more. Don’t forget to take a relaxing cruise on the Mississippi River and soak in the breathtaking views.

If you plan to visit New Orleans, do yourself a favor and check out Beyond Bourbon Street Podcast to discover New Orleans’ and its hidden treasures. Mark, a local expert, and his guest share insider tips and secrets to help you make the most of your visit.

Whether you’re a history enthusiast, a food lover, or simply seeking adventure, the Amtrak Crescent offers an unforgettable journey through some of America’s most beloved destinations.

If you are heading to New Orleans, please send me a pic of your beignets, one of my favorite New Orleans treats! Remember, do not sneeze or breathe deeply when you have one in your hand, or you will have a mess!

The Amtrak Crescent on-time performance

Due to various factors, delays are part of most travel, regardless of your transportation mode. 

While Amtrak may be at fault in some instances, such as mechanical issues, a significant portion of delays is beyond its control, often due to the actions of host railroads.

For December 2024, the average on-time performance was 81.6%, with an average delay of 43 minutes.

The Amtrak Crescent’s average passenger on-time performance from December 2023 to 2024 is 62.6%, with an average delay of 73 minutes.

The primary causes of delays are from the host railroad, Norfolk Southern or NS, interference from freight trains, and slow orders.

Information from this section comes from the Amtrak Host Railroad Report for December 2024.

If you are planning a trip, I have a page that lists the on-time performance for all Amtrak long-distance trains.

Coach seating the Amtrak Crescent.

If you’re considering taking the Amtrak Crescent, it features Amtrak’s Amfleet II coach cars, which offer various accommodations. I have used coach-class accommodations for short trips and cross-country Amtrak adventures.

When traveling in the Crescent coach class, you can enjoy several amenities, including comfortable reclining seats, ample legroom, fold-down trays, individual reading lights, and 120V grounded (three-prong) electric outlets on the wall.

Additionally, there are designated spots for those using mobility vehicles, and each train has two restrooms for passengers.

Luggage-wise, overhead racks, and end-of-car racks are available to store bags during the journey.

You receive your seat assignments moments before boarding, so you may sit next to someone you don’t know. Unfortunately, you cannot reserve a specific seat when booking.

I recommend that those traveling overnight in coach class bring a pillow and blanket to make their journey more comfortable.

It’s worth noting that there are no showers in the coach cars, but you’ll still be able to enjoy a relaxed and enjoyable journey aboard the Amtrak Crescent. I found a pack of wet wipes that can help keep you feeling fresh. 

Amtrak Crescent coach car layout

Sleeper Car or rooms on the Amtrak Crescent

Amtrak sleeper rooms have all the essentials for an enjoyable journey, including seating, beds, a sink, and more!

One of my favorite aspects of these rooms is the privacy and the ability to sleep horizontally. These rooms are one of my happy places and could be well worth the upgrade.

Each room offers comfortable seating during the day, which attendants convert into beds at night. A second bed folds down from the ceiling for a travel companion.

The room also features a table that can be pulled from the wall, perfect for playing games like checkers or chess during your journey.

Enjoy complimentary meals, the assistance of a dedicated car attendant, and a refreshing start to your day with complimentary coffee and juice in the morning.

Sleeper car passengers have lounge access when boarding in New Orleans, Philadelphia, New York Penn, or Washington, DC.

These rooms provide privacy and comfort, with curtains on all windows to block out light. Amtrak also supplies hangers, pillows, fresh linens, blankets, and towels to ensure a cozy stay.

The door locks while you are inside but not when you leave the room, so be mindful of your belongings.

Rooms types offered on the Crescent

• Roomette
  • Smallest Amtrak accommodation
  • Comfortable for one, cozy for two.
• Bedroom
  • It is larger and has a bathroom and shower in the room.
  • This room allows you to stretch out as you travel.
• Accessible room
  • For passengers with mobility issues.
  • There is room for you and a travel companion.

Crescent sleeping car layout

There are three different sleeper car layouts, and the one below gives a general idea of what to expect.

Bringing bikes and pets Amtrak Crescent

Bikes

Amtrak has limited space available for standard, full-size bicycles. Bikes must meet the following requirements:

• Weight: Up to 50 lbs
• Dimensions: 70 inches x 41 inches x 8.5 inches

Amtrak places bikes in designated bike racks/areas inside the baggage car. For more information on bringing your bike on the Crescent, check out Amtrak’s bike policy.

Pets and Service Animals

Amtrak allows dogs and cats on the Crescent, with a few conditions:

• The combined weight of the pet and carrier must be under 20 pounds.
• Trips must be seven hours or less.
• You must complete the necessary paperwork before boarding.

Amtrak will send you the online form after your reservation is complete. You can also find it in the “My Trip” section on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app. For more details, visit Amtrak’s pet policy page.

If you have a service or comfort animal, please review Amtrak’s service animal page for qualifications and booking instructions before making your reservation.

Luggage

• You can check baggage.
  • Two bags up to 50 lbs. and 75 linear inches are allowed per person for free.
  • Charges apply for additional and oversized luggage.
  • Not all locations can handle checked baggage.
  • Click the station links below to see if they offer checked baggage service.

Each passenger may carry on:

• One personal item, 25 lbs. (12 kg) and 14 x 11 x 7 inches
• Two carry-on pieces of luggage, 50 lbs. (23 kg) and 28 x 22 x 14 inches each

If you transfer to the Pacific Surfliner at some point along your journey, the baggage size for that train is up to 28 x 22 x 11 inches each.

Charges apply for additional and oversized luggage; check out Amtrak’s carry-on bag policy for more information.

Accessibility on the Crescent

A Wheelchair Lift is available to assist passengers with a wheeled mobility device in boarding and detraining. There is also space in coach cars and accessible rooms.

Crescent route divided by day

This graph shows the Crescent route broken down by the day, showing each day’s first and last stop.

Train	Day 1	Day 2
#19 Southbound	New York, NY – Danville, VA	Greensboro, NC – New Orleans, LA
#20 Northbound	New Orleans, LA – Spartanburg, SC	Gastonia, NC – New York, NY

Eating On The Amtrak Crescent

There are two food cars on the Crescent, but you can bring your food and beverages on board to enjoy during your journey. However, please note that Amtrak cannot store, heat, or refrigerate any food you bring.

While you can bring alcohol onto Amtrak trains, keep in mind that you are not allowed to consume it unless you are in a sleeper car and are in your room or a buddy’s room.

I’ve found bringing snacks for the adventure helpful, even if meals are included in my sleeper car reservation. When I travel in coach class, I usually buy food on board, but I still pack some snacks in case the cafe is closed. You never know when you might need a quick snack along the way.

If you’re traveling on a long-distance train, please note that the cafe will be closed at night. Food service will not be available until it reopens in the morning. In such cases, the snacks you pack will come in handy.

Cafe Car – Open for All Passengers!

The café is between the coach cars and the diner or sleeper cars. It is open from early morning until late at night, typically from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Please note that the café may be closed during the café car attendant’s breaks and while the attendant prepares meals for the sleeper cars.

The cafe offers a variety of hot and cold meals and snacks, and if you get thirsty, you can purchase hot, cold, and adult beverages.

Dining car – for sleeper car passengers

The Crescent provides Amtrak Flex Dining for sleeper car passengers, served in the dining car, similar to how you receive meals on the Lake Shore Limited.

The meals are prepared off-site, warmed up on the train, and served with beverages and appropriate sides.

Non-alcoholic drinks accompany the meals; passengers even receive a complimentary adult beverage with dinner.

Sleeper passenger can eat their meal in their room, in the case the car attendants often bring the meal, or you can eat in the dining car.

Meals available for sleeping car passengers

The following table displays the meal served to sleeper passengers on the Amtrak Crescent.

Train	Day 1	Day 2
#19 Westbound	Dinner	Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner
#20 Northbound	Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner	Breakfast

Amtrak Crescent Timetable or Schedule

This timetable comes from the official Amtrak website, and I last updated it on 06/14/2024. Times can change anytime, so consult with your e-ticket on your day of travel or print your ticket around your day of travel.

Train 19 Southbound Read Down	Communities Served	Miles	Train 20 Northbound Last Stop
2:15p	New York, NY Moynihan Train Hall (NYP)	0	6:01p 5:48p +
2:37p	Newark, NJ Penn Station (NWK)	10	5:37p 5:23p +
N/A	Metropark, NJ (MET)	24	5:21p 5:10p+
3:18p	Trenton, NJ (TRE)	58	4:51p 4:44p+
3:55p	Philadelphia, PA William H. Gray III 30th St. Station (PHL)	91	4:21p 4:14p+
4:19p	Wilmington, DE (WIL)	116	3:50p 3:45p+
5:08p | 5:15p	Baltimore, MD Penn Station (BAL)	185	2:58p 2:56p+
–	Baltimore, MD BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)	196	2:41p 2:39p+
6:03p | 6:30p	Washington, DC Union Station (WAS)	226	1:47p | 2:15p
6:49p	Alexandria, VA (ALX)	234	1:19p
7:22p	Manassas, VA (MSS)	259	12:25p
7:55p	Culpeper, VA (CP)	294	11:51a
8:52p	Charlottesville, VA (CVS)	338	10:59a
10:00p | 10:16p	Lynchburg, VA (LYH)	399	9:37a | 9:41a
11:24p	Danville, VA (DAN)	462	8:28a
12:32a	Greensboro, NC (GRO)	513	7:29a
12:49a	High Point, NC (HPT)	529	7:01a
1:27a	Salisbury, NC (SAL)	563	6:17a
2:30a | 2:55a	Charlotte, NC (CLT)	605	5:06a | 5:31a
3:22a	Gastonia, NC (GAS)	627	4:04a
4:24a	Spartanburg, SC (SPB)	682	3:04a
5:24a | 5:31a	Greenville, SC (GRV)	713	2:23a
6:09a	Clemson, SC (CSN)	743	1:41a
6:45a	Toccoa, GA (TCA)	777	1:05a
7:28a	Gainesville, GA (GNS)	814	12:24a
8:43a | 9:08a	Atlanta, GA (ATL)	863	11:00p | 11:29p
10:30a	Anniston, AL (ATN)	963	6:59p
12:45p | 1:03p	Birmingham, AL (BHM) Intermodal Facility	1027	5:15p | 5:24p
2:02p	Tuscaloosa, AL (TCL)	1082	3:14p
4:19p	Meridian, MS Union Station (MEI)	1179	1:37p
5:16p	Laurel, MS (LAU)	1235	12:20p
5:53p	Hattiesburg, MS (HBG)	1264	11:45a
6:57p	Picayune, MS (PIC)	1328	10:37a
7:22p	Slidell, LA (SDL)	1346	10:12a
9:02p	New Orleans, LA Union Passenger Terminal (NOL)	1381	9:15a
Final Stop	Stations	Miles	Read Up

Abbreviations For Amtrak Crescent Schedule

Printable Amtrak Crescent Schedule

Here is a PDF for download or printing. You can also print off custom and complete schedules on Amtrak.com; learn how to print Amtrak schedules.

A few other links