Amtrak to enhance service, rider experience on Northeast Corridor

Amtrak is enhancing service and the rider experience on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) with multiple additions. 

Amtrak to begin NextGen Acela high-speed train service Aug. 28 

Amtrak’s NextGen Acela high-speed trains will begin service on Aug. 28, connecting the NEC between Washington, D.C., New York City and Boston. According to Amtrak, 28 new Acela high-speed trains will enter service through 2027, and the new trains will allow for 27 percent more seats for departure, leaving room for expanded weekday and weekend service. 

“NextGen Acela is more than a new train—it’s an evolution of travel,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “In just a few weeks, history will be made with the debut of NextGen Acela as we launch a new standard for American train travel. 

Amtrak notes the new NextGen Acela trains feature free, high-speed 5G-enabled Wi-Fi, as well as individual power outlets and reading lights. Five new trainsets will be in service initially. The trains were assembled at Alstom’s facility in Hornell, N.Y., by Machinists Union workers. 

Amtrak says NextGen Acela trains are a key component of its broader fleet modernization plan, which includes: 

• New Amtrak Airo trains debuting on the Amtrak Cascades, Northeast Regional and East Coast routes. 
• New, more efficient long-distance locomotives. 
• Upgraded interiors in coaches, dining cars, sleepers and sightseer lounges—featuring new seat cushions, upholstery, lighting and finishes. 

Amtrak adds new track and platform at Washington Union Station 

Amtrak has also added a new track and platform at Washington Union Station that expands service capacity and improves the overall customer experience. The new track will primarily serve Virginia Railway Express (VRE) trains, along with Amtrak Long Distance and Amtrak Virginia trains that connect the NEC with dozens of destinations across the Southeast.  

“As Amtrak ridership continues to break records, this investment is key to easing rail congestion and improving service reliability at Amtrak’s second busiest station, along the Northeast Corridor and into Virginia,” Harris said. “This is yet another example of Amtrak’s commitment to creating a safer, more reliable and more welcoming environment at this gateway to our nation’s capital.”  

VRE CEO Rich Dalton added, “This is an exciting milestone for improved rail infrastructure in the region. The added station and track capacity at Union Station provided by the Track 22 Project enhances the reliability and flexibility of service for all passengers moving through the station, including VRE riders. This project is a crucial part of a collaborative effort to modernize this vital transportation hub, and VRE looks forward to the benefits it brings to our riders and the broader rail network.”  

Amtrak notes Track 22 is located at the lower level of Union Station and previously served as a storage track for trains, with no customer access. This project involved installing new tracks, rebuilding the platform and rehabbing the historic columns at the 118-year-old station. The new platform and track are fully accessible for all customers, with a new hallway providing access via a new elevator, escalator and stairs connected to the station.  

Since assuming new responsibilities for day-to-day management and operations of Washington Union Station just over a year ago, Amtrak says it has advanced several investments to revitalize and improve operations at this iconic multimodal hub, such as adding a new ticketed waiting area that provides more seating for customers, modifying the boarding process to reduce congestion and upgrade the customer experience, advancing state-of-good-repair initiatives to improve safety, security and maintenance of the station and introducing new retail options.