CALL FOR ACTION: Bring 646 Keystone Back to Life Before It’s Too Late!

We need to have a MAJOR talk about Train 646. As Princeton Junction Station does continue to explode in Amtrak Ridership, 646 Keystone train is the weakest train to stop at PJC on the weekdays.

Right now, 646 is struggling with extremely low boarding numbers — usually 3–5 riders, at Princeton Junction. That puts it in a dangerous position. When a Keystone train consistently underperforms, Amtrak eventually removes it from the schedule. We’ve already seen this happen with NBK’s late‑night service, as 177 Regional Train was cut from New Brunswick. We cannot let 646 become the next casualty.

If 646 Train gets removed, PJC goes for another 3 hours with no Amtrak Service. Once the 10:18 AM 112 Northeast Regional Train Leaves from PJC, there is no Amtrak train until 1:11 PM which is Regional Train 174 en route to Boston.

If we want to keep 646 alive, we need to boost awareness, encourage ridership, and show Amtrak that PJC supports this train. Even a small increase — from 3–5 riders to 10–15 — can make a huge difference in whether a train survives. If 646 disappears, PJC loses a key northbound option, and the corridor becomes more fragile.

Here are other reasons to take 646 Train:

646 gets you to NYP faster than NJT — you save 45 minutes on every trip. 646 only stops at NWK after PJC before getting to NYP. If you’re trying to get to New York before 12:30 PM, 646 is the quickest option. The NJT 11:41 Train gets to NYP at about 1 PM. But, if you take 646 Keystone, you'll get there by 12:15 PM. 646 Keystone Train also has free Wi‑Fi, just like all Amtrak Trains, so you can actually get work done on the way. NJT doesn’t offer that.

If you book 646 in advance, the fare can be as low as $16. It's cheaper than NJT's $19.51 fare to NYP. It’s not always expensive. You have to book early.

Let’s bring 646 back to life before Amtrak cuts it from Princeton Junction.