Amtrak 51 Cardinal departs from the depot at Charleston, WV on the CSX Kanawha Subdivision as it heads west on May 4th, 2025. | Jim Pearson Photography

This morning, Amtrak’s #50 Cardinal arrived from Chicago on its way to New York City, with a scheduled arrival time there of 10:23 AM. Later today, the #51 Cardinal will pull in from NYC at 6:04 PM. The Cardinal runs three days a week — Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday — making it possible to plan scenic day trips in either direction. Fun Fact: The Cardinal is one of Amtrak’s most scenic routes, traveling through the New River Gorge, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and along the Shenandoah Valley. Whethe