A new age of train travel begins in the Pacific Northwest on Sept. 30 when Amtrak will introduce the first two train sets of its new sleek, upgraded and amenity-rich Airo Fleet to the Amtrak Cascades route.

The Airo Fleet boasts ergonomically designed seating, panoramic windows, free Wi-Fi, individual power outlets, improved accessibility, upgrades to the onboard cafe and more than 300 seats per train set, a significant bump in passenger capacity.

The two new train sets will operate four daily trips in the first phase of the fleet’s introduction to the Cascades route. The plan is to have eight of the new train sets replace all the existing trains on the route gradually through 2027.

From Seattle, you can be one of the first to hop into the new trains if you ride the 8:30 a.m. train between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., or the 7:10 a.m. train between Seattle and Eugene, Ore.

Two more daily trips will operate from Eugene to Seattle on the 4:30 p.m. train (it arrives at 10:50 p.m.), and from Vancouver to Seattle on the 4:45 p.m. train ( 9:10 p.m. arrival).

The Amtrak Cascades route has been operating at reduced capacity since March 2025 after dozens of its Horizon rail cars were pulled from service due to corrosion, the Washington State Standard reported. The train service had ordered the eight new train sets in 2021 as part of a nationwide modernization campaign.

The new train cars won’t mean expanded service or new schedules, but at least they’ll be pretty. Because Amtrak Cascades will be the first route in the U.S. to welcome the Airo Fleet, the new train sets will feature design elements inspired by the Cascade mountains alongside the route’s signature evergreen, cream and mocha color palette.

Airo train sets integrated into other routes will sport Amtrak’s national red, white and blue branding alongside signature designs for the fleet itself.

Amtrak will introduce 83 new Airo train sets across the country. Next to receive the new line of upgraded trains is the Northeast Regional route, where the first of the new sets recently began testing. More train sets are set to launch in late 2027.

© 2026 The Seattle Times.
Visit www.seattletimes.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.