What it was like on Amtrak's new Acela 'NexGen' trains
Amtrak has joined the 21st century with brand new trains now in service on key routes in the U.S.
I've been eagerly covering and anticipating the new Amtrak next-generation train sets that are finally traveling the busy Northeast Corridor after years and years of delays. We got our first look at the trains in 2022, but they didn't start official service until this year.
Amtrak has lagged behind Asian and European train operators for decades, but these new trains do a great deal to help the U.S. catch up. The upgraded Acela next-generation cars reach speeds of some 160 miles an hour and use 20% less energy.
Alstom is the French company that built the new cars, and they are also behind the high-speed TGV trains that race around France. The cars are made in America at the Alstom manufacturing facility in Hornell, New York.
The new train cars hold 386 passengers. That's a big capacity jump over the older trains.
I jumped at the chance to try out the new trains on a recent round trip from New York City to Philadelphia.
Here's what it was like in business class and first class on the new trains, and what the lounge experiences were like.
Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan Station
The Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan Train Hall offers a peaceful way to spend an hour or two before your train (if you are leaving from New York City). The station is in the old post office, and it's a great way to start a train journey. You'll find the lounge upstairs from the main hall.
If you are traveling in first class, you get free lounge access. You can also buy a pass for $50. (Other Amtrak lounges are just $35.)
The space is beautiful.
My favorite feature is the terrace, which offers sweeping views of the gorgeous new Moynihan Train Hall.
There was a good variety of free food and drinks available while I was there, including breakfast sandwiches, muffins, packaged nuts, overnight oats, pumpkin donuts, croissants and more. I tried the breakfast sandwich and a cappuccino. The sandwich was pretty good. The best comparison I could think of is one from Dunkin' Donuts.
Espresso drinks, cold brew and brewed hot coffee are by La Colombe, a higher-end coffee brand. There's also a bar, which was closed while I was there. There were wines like Oyster Bay sauvignon blanc and a Sebastiani Cherryblock cabernet sauvignon available.
Once your train is ready for boarding, they announce the track number in the lounge.
First class passengers can skip the main line and get to board first.
First class on Amtrak Acela new NextGen trains
Boarding was chaotic with a long line to get into the first-class car. It wasn't the workers' fault, though, as there was a passenger in a motorized wheelchair who needed to be boarded before the rest of the passengers. We ended up leaving the station about 15 minutes late.
Onboard, seats are arranged in a 1-2 configuration, with a row of single seats on one side and a row of double seats on the other. The pitch of the seats measures an impressive 42 inches. The cabin was almost completely full, with very few empty seats.
The ergonomic seats were fine. They are still a bit firm, but I imagine they will become more comfortable as they wear in. I was in seat 1A in the very rear of the train car. It's nice to have modern finishes, and the pops of red add a nice touch in the first-class car.
Every seat has a leg rest. The seats also slide out with the push of a button. I found the recline to be pretty limited, so napping may be difficult for some riders.
The tray tables measure 10.5 inches in length and 17 inches in width. It fit my laptop fine, but it was a challenge when trying to eat.
There's a cup holder on the outside of the tray.
There are reading lights at every seat, and individual power outlets feature three-prong AC outlets and USB-A ports.
The bathroom is in the vestibule between the first-class car and the business-class car behind. It's a half-moon shape with a curved door that opens into a spacious room featuring touchless controls, including door and flush buttons.
It is a significant improvement over the older Acela train sets, but as with all Amtrak trains, the challenge will be keeping the lavatories clean over time.
There is one set of seats with a shared table in the single-seat aisle and just one more on the double-seat side.
The new cars feature retractable window shades.
The windows are all the better for taking in the views along the route, like this shot of Philadelphia in the distance.
There was plenty of overhead space on the open racks above the seats, though a full-size suitcase could feel a bit precarious up there.
I used the luggage rack at the front of the car, but that filled up quickly on my very full train.
I also appreciated the new digital signage throughout the car (and on the exterior of the car as well). Eventually, those digital signs above the seat should have a bit more information.
About 10 minutes after boarding, the train finally left Moynihan.
Cabin attendant Danielle came around and announced that staff would serve beverages and free meals shortly. She and Antonio were working the first-class cabin, and they did their best to smooth out a jarring boarding process.
Incredibly, there was a meal service, even for passengers taking the short, just over an hour journey from New York City to Philadelphia.
The menu was compelling, offering breakfast choices of fresh seasonal fruit and oatmeal chia coconut pudding, a Denver omelet, or a Mediterranean quiche.
The lunch menu was also enticing, offering a choice of a cheese and fruit plate, Tuscan meatballs, or a burrata platter with prosciutto.
The meal service started with a ramekin of nuts.
The workers offered those of us getting off in Philadelphia the first chance to order, and I went for the cheese and fruit plate. It was tasty and a perfect snack on a short train journey.
The 5G Wi-Fi was excellent for most of the journey. I was able to upload photos and screenshots without any problems.
Once we left the most congested area of New Jersey, the train picked up speed. I'm not sure if my Speedometer app, which uses my phone's GPS to find miles per hour readings, is perfect at capturing the true speed. But, it showed the new Acela train reaching speeds of 163 miles per hour at one point.
Engineers hope the new cars will eventually reach up to 186 miles per hour, but that will require major infrastructure improvements in the Northeast Corridor (some of which are already underway). The new trains are equipped with a tilt system, which means that even at high speeds, they provide passengers with a smoother and quieter ride compared to the older Acela train sets.
I ended up arriving to Philadelphia just a few minutes late. It was a fun way to travel, and the new cars made the ride even better. Hopefully, as more of the new cars roll out in the system, prices will decrease, and they'll be a bit less crowded. Clearly, the new cars are popular.
Metropolitan Lounge Philadelphia
The Philadelphia lounge is not as nice as the one in New York City, but there is also a Metropolitan Lounge at William H. Gray III 30th Street Philadelphia Amtrak Station. You can access it a first-class ticket or by buying a one-day $35 lounge pass.
There are a few snacks and several seating areas, but this space is in need of renovation. The whole station is in the middle of getting a major upgrade, so hopefully they'll show some love to the lounge as well.
Service, however, is excellent and friendly. The best part is that when your train is close to arrival, staff escorts you straight down to the tracks in a special elevator. Now that's cool.
Our train was running behind schedule, and I ended up hanging out on the tracks for about 20 minutes before our New York City-bound train arrived.
I wouldn't recommend arriving at the lounge early, but it's nice that there is a separate space at all.
Business class PHL to NYP
I was on another NextGen train for the trip home to New York City.
All the cars after the first one are business-class trains (just like in traditional Acela trains). Seats are arranged in a 2-2 layout.
I was in the last row of the third car in seat 12C and had no one next to me — a treat considering the train was fairly full again.
Here, some seats are forward-facing, while others are pointed in the opposite direction, which can result in a lot of direct eye contact.
The seats are similar to first-class seats in that they slide forward, rather than reclining. There are reading lights and electrical outlets at each one. Seats in business class have 38 inches of pitch, which is pretty generous. I like the blue accent colors.
Similar to first class, there are tray tables and leg rests at every seat. A seatback pamphlet describes the food available in the cafe car or via cart service.
A friendly attendant brought out a cart for service during the journey with wine, beer and light bites on offer.
I also stopped by the cafe car.
There were grab-and-go options in coolers, including soda, water, juice and sandwiches.
One option that caught my eye was an antipasto tray for $15.
You could also grab a classic Amtrak fruit and cheese plate for $15. Hot options included a Hebrew National hot dog for $5.75 or an Angus beef cheeseburger for $8.50.
My trip back passed quickly, and I'd happily book the new trains whenever I need to travel the Northeast Corridor again (provided the price is right).
Booking
If you want to ride on one of the new cars, you'll need to pay special attention during booking. Eventually, 28 of the new cars will be running up and down the Northeast Corridor, but that won't happen until 2027. At launch in August, only five of the train sets were in service.
Look for the "NextGen" label next to the route during booking. You can see on the website that the "NextGen" label is listed under premium booking.
The next-generation train sets are only available in business class or first class. I booked well ahead of time with a round-trip ticket in business class between New York City and Philadelphia for $136. That's a great deal considering how high prices can get in general. I booked a month in advance.
Amtrak Guest Rewards: How to earn and redeem points with train travel
As you can see, a first-class ticket would have cost between $217 and $254 each way when I looked.
Instead, after my ticket was booked, I used Amtrak's upgrade bidding system to confirm what they call an "instant upgrade" to first class for $91. I saved my company $67 by booking that way instead of during the actual booking.
One thing to keep in mind: Your train could be swapped out for an older version last minute. Here's the warning from Amtrak's website:
"From time to time, Amtrak might need to substitute trains, including NextGen Acela trains, for another equipment type and such changes are permitted under the Terms and Conditions without prior notice."
If that happens to you and you have some flexibility, I'd ask to be switched to the next NextGen train.
Bottom line
There's something magical about travel by rail. The new Acela NextGen trains offer an even better reason to travel the Northeast Corridor by train. I'd love to see Amtrak provide some better deals on the trips, but if you can score a deal, I highly recommend trying out the new train sets.
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