All aboard: Amtrak's next-generation Acela makes long-awaited debut

After years of delays, the day is finally here: The fastest train in the U.S. is ready for its big debut.

That's Amtrak's all-new next-generation Acela, which can (theoretically) travel at 160 mph. The trainsets, which will become a mainstay on tracks between Boston and Washington, D.C., were first delivered in 2020, but they've since been sitting in the railyard for half a decade awaiting the completion of testing and final certification.

Finally, the waiting game is over. The decade-long, next-generation Acela program will reach its biggest milestone to date on Thursday, when the first of the new trainsets enters revenue service along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor.

Now, with the delays in the rearview mirror, it's time to actually put Amtrak's most modern offering to the test.

That opportunity came on Wednesday, Aug. 27, when Amtrak invited executives, key partners (including Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy) and select media to the first ride from D.C. to Boston.

I joined the train in New York's Moynihan Train Hall and rode in multiple cars for the roughly four-hour journey up the Northeast Corridor.

Here's what you need to know about the new trains.

First-class coach

The excitement starts in the first-class car, right at the front of the train in Car 1.

To determine if you're traveling on a new Acela train, look at the livery — it features a modernized and colorful version of Acela's legacy branding.

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It'll be a somewhat methodical rollout.

From the outset, Amtrak will introduce five of the new Alstom-built trains out of 28 total.

Amtrak says it'll phase in more new trains through 2027 as it completes the retirement of the legacy Acela trainsets.

At launch, the following services will feature the new trains:

• Weekdays: trains 2153, 2154, 2170 and 2173
• Saturdays: trains 2250 and 2251
• Sundays: trains 2248, 2258, 2259 and 2271

When booking a train on Amtrak's website or mobile app, look for the "NextGen" label next to the route. You can see on the website, it lists the label under premium booking

This label denotes services operated by the new Acela.

Back on the train, you'll board through doors that prominently feature the Alstom logo at foot level, much in the same way that Bombardier's C-Series jets used to feature this branding when you stepped on board. (Airbus discontinued this when it took over the C-Series project.)

The first-class car is arranged in a 1-2 configuration, with single seats on the port side of the car and double seats on the starboard side.

Unlike the existing Acela, this one has just one set of single seats that share a table. (The existing Acela has four sets of seats in this configuration.)

Likewise, there's just one table on the other side of the cabin — compared to four in the existing layout.

Business travelers looking to host an onboard powwow won't be pleased by this layout, but everyone else who prefers not to end up at a four-top table when traveling solo will likely be excited about this change.

The cabin itself feels far more modern than the existing Acela. I loved the pops of orange on the seat headrests and the high-definition TV screens displaying station and journey information.

Every seat features a small legrest that can be raised or lowered, as well as a tray table that measures 10.5 inches long and 17 inches wide — likely not big enough to comfortably fit a 15-inch (or larger) laptop.

The good news is that the table can be extended as needed to create a more ergonomic workstation.

Overhead compartments have been replaced with exposed luggage storage, and larger bags can be placed at the front and rear of each car at the luggage towers.

Speaking of the vestibules between cars, this is where you'll find the lavatory. It's an interesting setup here: Automatic doors are shaped like half-circles and rotate open at the push of a button.

You'll need to press a button to close the door and then press a lock button to mark the lavatory as occupied.

Inside, all the controls are touchless — a nice hygiene upgrade — but it'll still take me a little while to get used to the new bathroom entry and exit process.

Business-class cars

All but one of the remaining cars is dedicated to business-class seating.

Here, seats are arranged in a 2-2 configuration, which is standard for Amtrak's business-class configuration.

The seats alternate between forward- and rear-facing, and there are four tables in the center of each car for travelers who want to catch up with colleagues or friends.

As with the existing Acela, all seats are assigned. It seems that Amtrak might be gearing up to debut digital seat placards that could display your reservation and travel information, as seats feature a strip of lettering above them.

The seats themselves have 39 inches of pitch, which is 3 inches less than first class.

The seats are definitely firmer in terms of comfort, though I imagine that'll change as the cushions are broken in over the coming months.

Interestingly, the seat backs don't actually recline, and the center armrests are not movable. (Only the aisle armrests can be raised or lowered.)

When you push the recline button, the bottom cushion slides forward, which I think makes relaxing a bit less comfortable than the existing setup on the older Acelas.

And beware if you're seated at a table: If the seat cushion slides too far forward, your knees might hit the table.

The in-seat amenities in business class are essentially the same as those in first.

This includes two AC power outlets and two USB-A ports between each seat. Sadly, these trains were produced before USB-C had become mainstream.

There's also a built-in reading light in each headrest.

Amtrak greatly upgraded the Wi-Fi on the new Acela trains. The internet is now powered by 5G cellular towers along the route, which is great news for when there's mobile reception. In fact, in my tests, I frequently measured download speeds greater than 100 Mbps and upload speeds topping 30 Mbps.

However, there are portions of the Northeast Corridor with poor cellular reception, and your internet experience will suffer in those areas. (That's when a satellite option, like Starlink, would've been far more reliable.)

Cafe Acela

The final major upgrade with the new trains is the cafe car, dubbed "Cafe Acela."

For the first time ever, there are grab-and-go fridges, where you can quickly grab a snack and drink selection and then check out on a built-in tablet.

This will definitely help shorten the line for counter service during peak-hour trains.

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You can still pick up hot items via the counter and even partake in cart service in business class. (First class is served a la carte meals with dedicated attendants.)

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The cafe car also has some bar-style standing areas toward the back. There are no stools or seats here, so this is definitely designed for short visits — or perhaps a quick phone call.

Bottom line

Amtrak's next-generation Acela train is a major upgrade to the rail experience in the Northeast.

The modern touches, such as new LED reading lights, updated color schemes and faster Wi-Fi, should make this an excellent way to travel between some of the country's biggest cities.

While the "hard product" — the train itself and its seating configuration — might look like something you'd find in Europe, unfortunately, these trains don't necessarily bring the much-needed infrastructure improvements that Amtrak requires across the Northeast Corridor.

If it's any consolation, at least the new trains should help alleviate some of the equipment-related cancellations that've been plaguing the existing Acela fleet.

But despite advertising speeds of up to 160 mph, conductors won't put the pedal to the metal for more than short stretches of the journey. (Track improvements that could enable faster speeds and improve reliability are part of other ongoing projects with Amtrak and regional entities.)

But Amtrak has to start somewhere, and even if it won't operate the entire journey at max speeds, the next-generation Acela fleet and its associated improvements are still very much worth celebrating.

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