Amtrak Unveils NextGen Acela High-Speed Train
US train company Amtrak has unveiled its new NextGen Acela high-speed train, which will enter service later this month.
NextGen Acela
Amtrak has unveiled its new Acela high-speed train to the public.
With 27% more seats than the current version, the NextGen Acela will enable Amtrak to carry more passengers on each journey.
The first NextGen Acela will enter service on 28 August, with a total of 28 trains due to be introduced by 2027.
The new trains will also allow Amtrak to expand its high-speed services across the north-east of the United States, adding extra departures on both weekdays and weekends.
Amtrak’s NextGen Acela train. ©Amtrak
Features
The NextGen Acela – short for Next Generation Acela – will also offer an upgraded passenger experience.
These high-speed trains will feature 5G-enabled high-speed Wi-Fi, as well as power sockets and reading lights at every seat.
All NextGen Acelas have been built by the train manufacturer Alstom at its facility in Hornell in upstate New York.
The trains will operate on the Northeast Corridor, the busiest part of Amtrak’s network, running between Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston.
Seating on board the Next Generation Acela high-speed train. ©Amtrak
Café car on the train. ©Amtrak
Other investments
The introduction of the NextGen Acela is part of Amtrak’s fleet modernisation programme, which also includes new Airo trains set to debut on the Amtrak Cascades, Northeast Regional, and East Coast routes, along with brand new, more efficient locomotives.
Amtrak will also refurbish the interiors of its coaches, including dining cars, sleeper cars on night trains, and lounge cars.
Amtrak has already upgraded the first class food offering on Acela trains.
However, the recent tightening of lounge access rules for eligible passengers has been viewed as a negative move by many frequent Amtrak travellers.
Amtrak has already upgraded its complimentary food for first class passengers on Acela trains. ©Amtrak
Conclusion
Amtrak has unveiled its new Next Generation (NextGen) Acela high-speed train, which is scheduled to make its first scheduled journey on 28 August on the Northeast Corridor in the United States.
A total of 28 of these new Acela trains will join the Amtrak fleet over the next few years, offering greater comfort for passengers and enabling the company to increase departures.
