Amtrak offers bicycle service on its Capitol Limited line, which runs between Chicago and Washington, D.C., with stops along the Great Allegheny Passage in Downtown Pittsburgh, Connellsville, and Cumberland, and stops along the C&O Canal Towpath in Cumberland, Harpers Ferry, and nearby Rockville, Md. For an extra $20 on top of your regular fare, you can secure your bicycle in a retrofitted baggage car and get on or off at any station. Each train has room for eight bicycles (no tandems or tricycles). You must purchase and reserve your ticket and one of eight bicycle slots ahead of time.
A Living Landmark
The Capitol Limited traces the historic Baltimore & Ohio Railroad line through the Potomac River valley, through the Cumberland Narrows adjacent to Wills Creek, and then along the Casselman River, Youghiogheny River, and Monongahela River, before straightening out after Downtown Pittsburgh.
The Capitol Limited runs two trains daily, one in each direction. Westbound trains leave Washington, D.C. before the afternoon rush hour and arrive in Downtown Pittsburgh just before midnight, while eastbound trains leave Downtown Pittsburgh before dawn and arrive in Washington, D.C. in early afternoon. Beginning in October, 2020, Amtrak began reducing off-season service on the Capitol Limited to three days a week. For the most up-to-date schedule or to purchase tickets, visit Amtrak’s Capitol Limited web page.