Amtrak is ready to restore its higher-speed Acela train service
Amtrak is restoring its higher-speed Acela service between Boston and Washington starting June 1.
The railroad announced the move Friday, citing increased demand. The Acela service is Amtrak's flagship product in the Northeast, but it had been suspended in late March amid slumping demand related to the coronavirus pandemic.
A schedule of three weekday round-trips will commence as localities begin to lift stay-at-home orders, and more people are slowly beginning to move around the country again.
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The national rail carrier also said in Friday's announcement that it will increase Northeast Regional service to 10 round-trip trains from eight.
“We are dedicated to doing everything possible to return service safely," Amtrak president and CEO Bill Flynn said in a statement. "We want everyone to feel comfortable as they navigate this new normal."
Acela Review: Nice, but is it worth the cost?
As Flynn suggested, the restoration of some service on the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington is not exactly a return to the pre-coronavirus state of the railroad.
Amtrak will require passengers to wear face masks on trains and in stations for the foreseeable future, and is only accepting non-cash payments for the time being.
Guide: The best credit cards to use for train travel.
Among other measures, the railroad will also only sell 50% of available coach, business- and Acela first-class tickets on its trains in order to facilitate onboard social distancing.
Amtrak suspended the Acela in late March and scaled back service on other routes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and related drop in demand. Even with the trips being restored in Friday's announcement, schedules remain dramatically reduced compared to normal.
Still, across the travel industry, demand seems to be slowly rebounding.
In earnings calls with their investors this week, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue both discussed green shoots of new bookings, and the Transportation Security Administration has reported traveler screenings at U.S. airports to be on the rise in recent weeks.
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- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
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- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery in the U.S. and at U.S. supermarkets. |
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Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles50,000 Bonus MilesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
Build your loyalty to Delta by applying for the carrier's mid-tier card option, the Delta SkyMiles Platinum card. The annual fee is quickly recouped by the card's travel perks, such as an application credit to Global Entry or TSA Precheck, annual companion certificate and so much more. Plus you can fast-track to elite status simply through card spend.Pros
- Earn bonus Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and an Medallion Qualifying Dollar (MQD) waiver when you hit specific spending thresholds with your card within a calendar year
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year
- Statement credit for TSA PreCheck/Global Entry fee (up to $100)
- First checked bag free
Cons
- Doesn't make sense if you don't fly Delta
- SkyMiles aren't the most valuable airline currency
- Earn 90,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $80 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights. Plus enjoy Main Cabin 1 Priority Boarding and settle into your seat sooner.
- New: Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide including takeout and delivery in the U.S., and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases.
- Enjoy a per-visit rate of $50 per person for Card Members and up to two guests to enter the Delta Sky Club when traveling on a Delta flight.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® after you apply through any Authorized Enrollment Provider. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs up to two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees