Amtrak To Increase Weekend Acela Express Frequencies

More Saturday
service will be available beginning in May

WASHINGTON – Weekend travelers will soon have more
high-speed rail options along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) between Boston, New
York, and Washington, D.C., as Amtrak expands its popular Acela Express service
with an additional round trip on Saturday. These changes will go into effect
beginning on May 4, 2019. Tickets are now available for sale at Amtrak.com, via
the mobile apps, and through other sales channels.

“Amtrak continuously works to be responsive to customer
feedback and looks for opportunities to expand our highly popular Acela
Express
service between Boston, New York, and Washington,” said Amtrak
President & CEO Richard Anderson.

The increase in Acela
Express
service on Saturdays is in direct response to customer requests.
Beginning on May 4, Train 2252 will depart Washington, D.C. mid-morning and
Train 2255 will depart Boston in the early afternoon, filling gaps in the
current schedule. Regular, scheduled service on the weekends will continue.

“These additional departures aim to serve our customers’
needs as we prepare for the roll-out of our next generation Acela Express
service beginning in 2021,” added Anderson.  

The new Acela
Express
fleet, scheduled to begin entering service in the NEC in 2021,
will provide travelers with world-class accommodations and amenities,
along with a smoother and even more comfortable ride. Additionally, the new
modern trainsets will accommodate 386 passengers, an increase of nearly 30%,
while preserving the spacious, high-end comfort of the current Acela Express service that customers
enjoy today.

The prototype of the new trainsets, in production at
Alstom’s manufacturing plant in Hornell, N.Y., are scheduled to be ready
this year, with the first train entering service in 2021. All the trainsets are
expected to be in service by the end of 2022.

Customers can purchase tickets at Amtrak.com,
the Amtrak
mobile apps
 or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.