The Poughkeepsie Bridge Route (also called the Federal Express Route or Federal Express) was a passenger train route from Washington, D.C. to Boston, Massachusetts, via Baltimore, Maryland and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It specifically avoided New York, New York, due to the lack of a direct crossing in that area, instead passing over the Poughkeepsie Bridge at Poughkeepsie, New York. Another selling point was its Boston terminus at North Station, allowing a direct transfer to Boston and Maine Railroad lines to the north. It was mainly intended to compete with the Pennsylvania Railroad and New York, New Haven and Western Railroad .

The route used the following companies' lines:

• Baltimore and Ohio Railroad - Washington to Philadelphia
• Philadelphia and Reading Railroad - Philadelphia to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
• Central Railroad of New Jersey - Bethlehem to Easton, Pennsylvania
• Lehigh and Hudson River Railway - Easton to Maybrook, New York
• Central New England Railway - Maybrook to Simsbury, Connecticut
• Boston and Maine Railroad - Simsbury to Boston (North Station) (via the former Central Masachusetts Railroad )

By the time the Pennsylvania Tunnel and Terminal Railroad and New York Connecting Railroad opened a direct route through New York City in 1916, the Poughkeepsie Bridge Route was no longer attractive for passenger travel. It continued to be used for freight until a fire put the bridge out of service in 1974.