Pretty much all long-distance train travel is on Amtrak. If you go to its URL, you can ask for schedules between any two cities Amtrak serves. I picked a random day for a train trip between New York City and Niagara Falls, and found it takes nine hours one-way and costs $62 per person. One route is called the "Maple Leaf" and the other is called "Empire Service."

One could, in theory, use one day of this week to travel from NYC to Niagara, use the next day to visit the town, and then the third day to travel Niagara to NYC. Thus, three of the seven days would be used up to see the falls. Whether that is worth the effort is a matter of opinion.

Thanks Paulrabe, I saw that schedule also. The couple is flying from Midland Texas so I might suggest to my friend that her mother consider a return to Midland not from NYC but maybe Rochester NY, less than a 2 hour train from Niagara Falls. It's hard for me to imagine doing this all by train and not a car. Thanks for the help, Deborah

Buffalo Niagara International Airport is 30 minutes from the Falls... a better choice would be to fly into Buffalo ... train to NYC and then return NYC to Texas... much cheaper and several more flight choices...

Agree with Gary: Fly to Buffalo or Toronto. Make sure to see the falls from the Canadian side not just the American side.
They could take the Maple Leaf to New York from Toronto or Niagara Falls NY if they wanted a train trip.
The Maple Leaf leaves Toronto at 8:20AM and crosses the border about 2 hours later.
Make sure everyone's passport is up to date.

Thanks for the suggestions of Buffalo. I'll pass them on to my friend and ask if her mother has a passport. Deborah

Buffalo is not the most pleasant of places. If it were me I would fly into Toronto, spend a day there - head to the falls (not much more than an hour and the best stuff is on the Canadian side), next day train to NYC and fly home from there.

Oh - and if they don't have passports and don't want to get them I would bag Niagara Falls - just the US side is not worth it (you're on top - not facing the front).

nytraveler, they would be using Buffalo as an airport, not a destination and it is only 30 minutes from the Falls. Besides Buffalo can be a very pleasant place to visit if you know anything about the city. What did you find unpleasant about Buffalo?

I just don't think it has much to offer versus Toronto. And it is one of the 10 most crime-ridden cities in the country.

Almost half the passengers using Buffalo airport are from Canada. It is less expensive and far less traffic accessing it than Toronto.

nyt stick to topics you know about... the airport is in the suburbs... right near the "Safest Town in America" Amherst NY...

Yes, but I was suggesting they actually visit Toronto for the day - not just land there and head to the Falls. I wouldn't suggest that for Buffalo. It's not really a destination city.