As of this morning, Amtrak’s NextGen Acela trains have entered service. Passengers boarding in Washington D.C. and Boston were met with celebratory decorations and goods, marking the beginning of a new era of travel along the Northeast Corridor. Although the trains saw lengthy delays in certification, I’m glad they’re finally here.
These trains will operate with a maximum speed of 160mph and have a 27% increase in capacity with 345 seats across nine cars.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I am still in Japan for several more days, so it’s going to be some time until I get a chance to try these new trains out. I’m thinking I’ll have time towards the end of September; I’ll have to see. I’m planning to review both business class and first class, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, I’m happy to have read many positive reviews online so far. Some notable points I’ve seen are:
- A much quieter, smoother ride on NextGen Acela, compared to the previous trains (and other Amtrak trains around the country)
- A fresh, modern interior with great lighting
- A nice grab and go display in the Cafe Car, with sandwiches, snacks, and beverages
Another interesting bit I’ve come across was the USB situation on the train. When these trains were designed a decade ago, USB-A was the common denominator for most wires and devices, meaning NextGen Acela came equipped with USB-A. However, as USB-C has quickly taken the main stage in recent years, the USB-A outlets are all of a sudden quite useless for many passengers.
For now, Amtrak has added USB-C dongles in first class. It looks like they’re still working on troubleshooting and seeing how it works out. Maybe the rest of the train will receive them eventually, but I’m glad to see that Amtrak recognizes this issue and is addressing it.
For now, check out this review by Zach Griff of The Points Guy on the new trains.
All in all, I’m happy that NextGen Acela is finally here. It was definitely a wait, but as a frequent Acela rider, I am welcoming these new trains with open arms.
Featured image by the author.
