This week, on Thursday, August 28th, the first of a new $2 billion fleet of high-speed trains will depart from New York City towards Washington, D.C.!
Amtrak’s new NextGen Acela trains will be providing the fastest train travel in the nation, providing a new high-speed option for travelers along the Northeast Corridor.
What you can expect to find on board the NextGen Acelas
According to Amtrak, the new NextGen Acela train is considered the future of train travel, not only for its speed, but also for the luxuries that riders can expect on board!
Here are a few features all travelers will see:
- Café Acela service with food & drinks
- Complimentary, ultra high-speed 5G Wi-Fi
- Personal USB ports & power plugs
- Individual reading lights
- Ergonomic seating with first-class legroom
- 27% increased seating capacity
- Expansive windows for panoramic views
- Expanded weekday and weekend service
How much will tickets cost?
The exact cost of NextGen Acela tickets will vary according to the time of departure and the availability of seating; peak times will naturally have a higher demand for travelers, and thus tickets will come at a premium.
However, the pricing for the NextGen Acela trains will not vary greatly compared to the current pricing plan for existing Acela trains.
Generally, ticket costs can range greatly from as little as $85 for business class tickets (no coach is available on Acela trains) to around $168 during peak travel times.
How do you buy NextGen Acela tickets?
Securing a ticket is easy:
- Amtrak App – keep an eye out for the ‘NextGen tag’ when browsing schedules.
- Amtrak.com – same NextGen label marks new trains.
- Station Kiosks – buy directly at Union Station or at any of the other Northeast Corridor stations.
Amtrak ‘NextGen tag’ website view:
Amtrak ‘NextGen tag’ app view:
How to be sure you’re booking a NextGen Acela
In addition to checking for the ‘NextGen Acela’ tag that we mentioned above, you can check the following train numbers to ensure you are booking tickets for the correct train:
- Weekdays – 2153, 2154, 2170, 2173
- Saturdays – 2250, 2251
- Sundays – 2248, 2258, 2259, 2271
If the tickets you are planning to book do not have any of the above train numbers, then you’ll want to double-check that it is not a normal Acela rather than a NextGen.
Advice for booking your seat
- Reserve your spot in advance – tickets during debut week will be in high demand.
- View different travel times – both classic and NextGen trains will run at first during rollout, so be sure to spot the NextGen tag.
- Check the Amtrak app – for real-time updates and easy ticket changes.