I’ve spent enough time on the Acela that the conductors probably recognize my face.
As a Bostoner who moved to New York City for twenty years—and is now back home in Boston—the Amtrak Acela has basically been my lifeline. It’s how I kept jobs, friendships, holidays and family commitments in two cities going at the same time. For the most part, it worked. You booked. You boarded. You got there.
But let’s be honest: the Wi-Fi could be sticky. The lines at South Station were often long and confusing. The old boarding process at Penn Station could feel like a competitive sport. And when the quiet car wasn’t quiet? We all noticed. Over time, though, things started improving.
The opening of Moynihan Train Hall made the New York experience dramatically better— brighter, calmer, more organized. Boston’s South Station has also updated its boarding process with ticket-scanning turnstiles, making it far less chaotic than it used to be. And last August, the launch of NextGen Acela marked a major turning point, with upgraded trainsets, more seats and improved onboard systems. In its first month alone, more than 60,000 customers rode the new trains. It’s been a noticeable leap forward in just the past year. Now, that modernization push is expanding beyond the Northeast.
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At a preview event in WashingtonD.C. this week, Amtrak leaders joined federal transportation officials and executives from Siemens Mobility to unveil the first of a brand-new fleet: Airo. These next-generation trainsets are designed to improve comfort, reliability and connectivity across multiple routes nationwide.
The first Airo trains will enter service on Amtrak Cascades, serving the Pacific Northwest corridor between Seattle, Portland, Vancouver, BC and Eugene, Oregon. All eight Cascades trainsets are expected to complete manufacturing in 2026.
That same year will mark a key milestone for the Northeast Regional, as its first Airo trainsets complete production and begin testing, with passenger service expected to begin in 2027.
In total, 83 Airo trainsets are planned for deployment across routes nationwide. Together with NextGen Acela, they represent one of the most comprehensive fleet overhauls in Amtrak’s history—expanding capacity and modernizing the customer experience at the same time. And the excitement around passenger rail isn’t limited to Amtrak.
Related: This Surprising Amtrak Upgrade Might Change How You Travel
In Florida, Brightline has continued expanding its higher-speed service. Los Angeles is preparing for new rail connections. Meanwhile, the legendary Orient Express is launching new luxury routes, and destinations ranging from the English countryside to Saudi Arabia’s deserts are also seeing their own premium new lines.
For someone like me—who has spent decades relying on trains to move between two major cities—it’s genuinely exciting to see upgrades that were promised years ago actually starting to roll out. I’ve taken enough European trains to know how good rail travel can be, and for the first time in a long time, it feels like we’re inching closer to that standard here.
For one weary Amtrak warrior, the momentum is more than welcome.
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