With upgraded perks at every seat, the NextGen Acela trains may just be the most comfortable option for traveling up the East Coast. Each passenger will enjoy individual USB charging ports and power outlets, headrests with privacy wings and built-in reading lights, as well as free, high-speed, 5G-enabled Wi-Fi. The NextGen trains will also be more spacious, with 27% more seating capacity than current Acela trains. Plus, the cars themselves have been redesigned to make the ride smoother and quieter.
Beloved details of the current Acelas—like extra legroom, foot rests, no middle seats, and oversized picture windows—will also be preserved on the new trains as well. The Northeast Corridor includes stretches of stunning scenery, especially when the train passes through coastal towns in Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Like the current trains, the new Acela will be divided into two classes: business and first. In first class, seats will be arranged in a 1-2 configuration, offering the option of an individual seat for solo travelers. Business-class cars will offer seats in a 2-2 layout. Both classes will also have several four-seater arrangements centered around a tabletop for groups traveling together.
How to book
Acela trains only operate on the Northeast Corridor, between Boston and Washington DC in both directions, with 11 additional stops along the way, including New York City and Philadelphia.
The first five NextGen train sets will begin operating on the corridor on August 28. Amtrak has not yet made fares for the new NextGen Acelas available for booking. When they go on sale, travelers can purchase tickets through Amtrak’s mobile app or website. The company says that the new trains will also offer expanded schedules on both weekends and weekdays.
Over the next couple of years, Amtrak will operate both the old and new train sets as it works to deploy all 28 NextGen Acelas by 2027. That means passengers looking to ride the new trains will need to pay careful attention when purchasing their tickets—Amtrak says it will release details on how to identify and select NextGen Acelas during the booking process as the launch date approaches.