It is no surprise that the Northeast Corridor between Washington, DC, New York City, and Boston is a priced possession for Amtrak. With constraints to the highways and airports being ever-present, Amtrak is and has been in a unique position to amp things up with their train services.
In 2000, Amtrak introduced the Acela Express, the high-speed counterpart to the regional service options along the same route. Acela Express quickly became a chosen option for many business travelers because of the downtown accessibility and onboard accommodations.
When included among U.S. airlines, Amtrak ranks sixth in domestic passengers carried (July 2017-June 2018). In the Northeast Corridor (NEC), Amtrak has a very strong position in many markets that were previously dominated by air carriers.
- Amtrak carried more than three times as many riders between Washington, D.C., and New York City as all of the airlines combined.
- Amtrak carried more riders between New York City and Boston than all of the airlines combined.
With ridership on the rise and the Acela brand continuing to grow in popularity, Amtrak decided to purchase new equipment for the service. The current trainsets will soon be reaching their end-of-service usefulness and the exceeded a logical cost factor.
The new trains are currently being built and recently, Amtrak released images of the interiors of the new trainsets. The new Acela train interiors will provide world-class accommodations and amenities, along with a smoother and even more comfortable ride. Each trainset will offer more seating capacity with 378 seats.
The new trainsets are expected to enter service in 2021-22. For more details, visit the Future of Rail.
