Edited by: TJVNews.com

The daily grind just got tougher for thousands of New Yorkers as Amtrak slashed train service between Penn Station and Albany this week, igniting frustration among commuters, transit officials, and even Governor Kathy Hochul. As reported by The New York Post on Tuesday, the cuts are part of a long-anticipated — and now heavily criticized — project to repair the storm-damaged East River Tunnel, with work expected to stretch into 2027.

The reduction, which went into effect Monday, reduces daily round-trip service between New York City and the state capital from 12 to 10 — a seemingly minor cut that could have major ripple effects across the region’s already strained transportation infrastructure.

“This is the same as doing roadwork in the middle of rush hour,” said 73-year-old rider Robert Smith, who spoke with The New York Post as he watched crowds surge onto already packed platforms. “If they do it during the day, it causes a traffic jam — and I’m just looking at the number of people going to Washington. It’s staggering.”

Angel Adu, a 27-year-old who regularly travels from Penn Station, said the convenience of rail over air travel is quickly eroding. “I already take the train because it’s more convenient than flying,” she told The New York Post. “But if there are delays in the daytime, it would kind of defeat the purpose of taking the train in the first place.”

The loudest pushback came from Governor Kathy Hochul, who, in a sharply worded letter to Amtrak President Anthony Coscia, demanded immediate revisions to the company’s construction and scheduling plans.

“Enough is enough,” Hochul declared, as quoted by The New York Post. “It’s far past time for Amtrak to put its passengers first, take a hard look at its construction plans, and ensure access to reliable train travel throughout this key corridor.”

Hochul insisted that Amtrak either shift tunnel repair work to nights and weekends or expand train capacity by adding more coach cars during peak service hours. She also rebuked the rail company for “backtracking on public commitments to increase capacity during the shutdown,” calling the move a “disregard for Empire Service passengers.”

Despite the outcry, New York State is contributing $1.6 billion to fund the East River Tunnel rehabilitation — making Hochul’s criticism all the more pointed.

Hochul is not alone in her skepticism. During a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) committee meeting Monday, LIRR President Rob Free warned that Amtrak’s cuts could lead to a chain reaction of service disruptions across the regional rail network.

“The greatest risk with this is that if something happens — even something mundane that normally wouldn’t cause a disruption — this kind of outage will exacerbate the impact and create the kind of service delays we’re all trying to avoid,” Free explained, according to The New York Post.

MTA board member Marc Herbst echoed those concerns, expressing doubt in Amtrak’s competence to deliver on its promises. “I’m hesitant and cynical,” Herbst said. “If service needs to be cut, I think they’re probably going to keep their trains running before ours if there’s any problems.”

Amtrak, for its part, insists the pain is worth the long-term gain. In statements provided to The New York Post, the company called the tunnel rehabilitation “vital,” saying the repairs will “fortify our rail network for the first time in 100 years to last for the next 100 years.”

The East River Tunnel was significantly damaged during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and rail infrastructure experts have warned that failure to address its deterioration could have catastrophic consequences for Northeast Corridor travel.

Still, Amtrak’s credibility is under intense scrutiny, particularly after the federal government earlier this month reassigned control of the Penn Station redevelopment project — stripping it from the MTA and handing it directly to Amtrak. That move, made by President Donald Trump, further strained relations between Amtrak and state transportation officials, who now accuse the agency of steamrolling over local input.

For riders who rely on the New York–Albany corridor daily, the tunnel repair saga is quickly becoming another chapter in the city’s ever-widening tale of infrastructure frustration. With three years of disruption ahead, the already stretched rail system will be tested by packed cars, platform congestion, and uncertain arrival times — all while tensions mount between state leaders and the nation’s primary passenger rail operator.

As The New York Post report makes clear, the mood among stakeholders is not optimistic. What was once seen as a necessary infrastructure project is now mired in public backlash, political infighting, and logistical headaches.

If Amtrak hopes to restore trust, it must find ways to mitigate the service cuts — and fast. Because for now, New Yorkers aren’t just dealing with delayed trains — they’re losing patience.