What it was like on Amtrak’s new Acela ‘NexGen’ trains

Amtrak has joined the twenty first century with model new trains now in service on key routes within the U.S.

I have been eagerly overlaying and anticipating the brand new Amtrak next-generation practice units which might be lastly touring the busy Northeast Hall after years and years of delays. We bought our first have a look at the trains in 2022, however they did not begin official service till this yr.

Amtrak has lagged behind Asian and European practice operators for many years, however these new trains do an awesome deal to assist the U.S. catch up. The upgraded Acela next-generation automobiles attain speeds of some 160 miles an hour and use 20% much less vitality.

Alstom is the French firm that constructed the brand new automobiles, and they’re additionally behind the high-speed TGV trains that race round France. The automobiles are made in America on the Alstom manufacturing facility in Hornell, New York.

The brand new practice automobiles maintain 386 passengers. That is an enormous capability leap over the older trains.

I jumped on the likelihood to check out the brand new trains on a latest spherical journey from New York Metropolis to Philadelphia.

Here is what it was like in enterprise class and top notch on the brand new trains, and what the lounge experiences have been like.

Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan Station

The Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan Prepare Corridor affords a peaceable strategy to spend an hour or two earlier than your practice (if you’re leaving from New York Metropolis). The station is within the outdated submit workplace, and it is an effective way to begin a practice journey. You will discover the lounge upstairs from the primary corridor.

If you’re touring in top notch, you get free lounge entry. You can too purchase a go for $50. (Different Amtrak lounges are simply $35.)

The house is gorgeous.

My favourite characteristic is the terrace, which affords sweeping views of the attractive new Moynihan Prepare Corridor.

There was an excellent number of free meals and drinks out there whereas I used to be there, together with breakfast sandwiches, muffins, packaged nuts, in a single day oats, pumpkin donuts, croissants and extra. I attempted the breakfast sandwich and a cappuccino. The sandwich was fairly good. The very best comparability I may consider is one from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Espresso drinks, chilly brew and brewed scorching espresso are by La Colombe, a higher-end espresso model. There’s additionally a bar, which was closed whereas I used to be there. There have been wines like Oyster Bay sauvignon blanc and a Sebastiani Cherryblock cabernet sauvignon out there.

As soon as your practice is prepared for boarding, they announce the observe quantity within the lounge.

Top notch passengers can skip the primary line and get to board first.

Top notch on Amtrak Acela new NextGen trains

Boarding was chaotic with an extended line to get into the first-class automobile. It wasn’t the employees’ fault, although, as there was a passenger in a motorized wheelchair who wanted to be boarded earlier than the remainder of the passengers. We ended up leaving the station about quarter-hour late.

Onboard, seats are organized in a 1-2 configuration, with a row of single seats on one facet and a row of double seats on the opposite. The pitch of the seats measures a powerful 42 inches. The cabin was nearly utterly full, with only a few empty seats.

The ergonomic seats have been high-quality. They’re nonetheless a bit agency, however I think about they’ll change into extra comfy as they put on in. I used to be in seat 1A within the very rear of the practice automobile. It is good to have fashionable finishes, and the pops of crimson add a pleasant contact within the first-class automobile.

Each seat has a leg relaxation. The seats additionally slide out with the push of a button. I discovered the recline to be fairly restricted, so napping could also be troublesome for some riders.

The tray tables measure 10.5 inches in size and 17 inches in width. It match my laptop computer high-quality, but it surely was a problem when attempting to eat.

There is a cup holder on the surface of the tray.

There are studying lights at each seat, and particular person energy shops characteristic three-prong AC shops and USB-A ports.

The lavatory is within the vestibule between the first-class automobile and the business-class automobile behind. It is a half-moon form with a curved door that opens right into a spacious room that includes touchless controls, together with door and flush buttons.

It’s a important enchancment over the older Acela practice units, however as with all Amtrak trains, the problem shall be conserving the toilets clear over time.

There may be one set of seats with a shared desk within the single-seat aisle and only one extra on the double-seat facet.

The brand new automobiles characteristic retractable window shades.

The home windows are all the higher for taking within the views alongside the route, like this shot of Philadelphia within the distance.

There was loads of overhead house on the open racks above the seats, although a full-size suitcase may really feel a bit precarious up there.

I used the baggage rack on the entrance of the automobile, however that stuffed up rapidly on my very full practice.

I additionally appreciated the brand new digital signage all through the automobile (and on the outside of the automobile as properly). Ultimately, these digital indicators above the seat ought to have a bit extra info.

About 10 minutes after boarding, the practice lastly left Moynihan.

Cabin attendant Danielle got here round and introduced that employees would serve drinks and free meals shortly. She and Antonio have been working the first-class cabin, they usually did their finest to easy out a jarring boarding course of.

Extremely, there was a meal service, even for passengers taking the quick, simply over an hour journey from New York Metropolis to Philadelphia.

The menu was compelling, providing breakfast decisions of recent seasonal fruit and oatmeal chia coconut pudding, a Denver omelet, or a Mediterranean quiche.

The lunch menu was additionally engaging, providing a selection of a cheese and fruit plate, Tuscan meatballs, or a burrata platter with prosciutto.

The meal service began with a ramekin of nuts.

The employees supplied these of us getting off in Philadelphia the primary likelihood to order, and I went for the cheese and fruit plate. It was tasty and an ideal snack on a brief practice journey.

The 5G Wi-Fi was glorious for many of the journey. I used to be capable of add photographs and screenshots with none issues.

As soon as we left essentially the most congested space of New Jersey, the practice picked up velocity. I am unsure if my Speedometer app, which makes use of my telephone’s GPS to seek out miles per hour readings, is ideal at capturing the true velocity. However, it confirmed the brand new Acela practice reaching speeds of 163 miles per hour at one level.

Engineers hope the brand new automobiles will finally attain as much as 186 miles per hour, however that may require main infrastructure enhancements within the Northeast Hall (a few of that are already underway). The brand new trains are outfitted with a tilt system, which implies that even at excessive speeds, they supply passengers with a smoother and quieter experience in comparison with the older Acela practice units.

I ended up arriving to Philadelphia only a few minutes late. It was a enjoyable strategy to journey, and the brand new automobiles made the experience even higher. Hopefully, as extra of the brand new automobiles roll out within the system, costs will lower, they usually’ll be a bit much less crowded. Clearly, the brand new automobiles are in style.

Metropolitan Lounge Philadelphia

The Philadelphia lounge is just not as good because the one in New York Metropolis, however there’s additionally a Metropolitan Lounge at William H. Grey III thirtieth Avenue Philadelphia Amtrak Station. You possibly can entry it a first-class ticket or by shopping for a one-day $35 lounge go.

There are a couple of snacks and a number of other seating areas, however this house is in want of renovation. The entire station is in the midst of getting a serious improve, so hopefully they’re going to present some like to the lounge as properly.

Service, nonetheless, is superb and pleasant. The very best half is that when your practice is near arrival, employees escorts you straight all the way down to the tracks in a particular elevator. Now that is cool.

Our practice was working not on time, and I ended up hanging out on the tracks for about 20 minutes earlier than our New York Metropolis-bound practice arrived.

I would not suggest arriving on the lounge early, but it surely’s good that there’s a separate house in any respect.

Enterprise class PHL to NYP

I used to be on one other NextGen practice for the journey dwelling to New York Metropolis.

All of the automobiles after the primary one are business-class trains (identical to in conventional Acela trains). Seats are organized in a 2-2 structure.

I used to be within the final row of the third automobile in seat 12C and had nobody subsequent to me — a deal with contemplating the practice was pretty full once more.

Right here, some seats are forward-facing, whereas others are pointed in the other way, which can lead to loads of direct eye contact.

The seats are much like first-class seats in that they slide ahead, relatively than reclining. There are studying lights and electrical shops at each. Seats in enterprise class have 38 inches of pitch, which is fairly beneficiant. I just like the blue accent colours.

Just like top notch, there are tray tables and leg rests at each seat. A seatback pamphlet describes the meals out there within the cafe automobile or through cart service.

A pleasant attendant introduced out a cart for service in the course of the journey with wine, beer and lightweight bites on provide.

I additionally stopped by the cafe automobile.

There have been grab-and-go choices in coolers, together with soda, water, juice and sandwiches.

One choice that caught my eye was an antipasto tray for $15.

You could possibly additionally seize a traditional Amtrak fruit and cheese plate for $15. Sizzling choices included a Hebrew Nationwide scorching canine for $5.75 or an Angus beef cheeseburger for $8.50.

My journey again handed rapidly, and I might fortunately guide the brand new trains every time I must journey the Northeast Hall once more (supplied the worth is correct).

Reserving

If you wish to experience on one of many new automobiles, you may must pay particular consideration throughout reserving. Ultimately, 28 of the brand new automobiles shall be working up and down the Northeast Hall, however that will not occur till 2027. At launch in August, solely 5 of the practice units have been in service.

Search for the “NextGen” label subsequent to the route throughout reserving. You possibly can see on the web site that the “NextGen” label is listed beneath premium reserving.

The following-generation practice units are solely out there in enterprise class or top notch. I booked properly forward of time with a round-trip ticket in enterprise class between New York Metropolis and Philadelphia for $136. That is an awesome deal contemplating how excessive costs can get usually. I booked a month upfront.

Amtrak Visitor Rewards: Tips on how to earn and redeem factors with practice journey

As you may see, a first-class ticket would have price between $217 and $254 every approach once I seemed.

As an alternative, after my ticket was booked, I used Amtrak’s improve bidding system to substantiate what they name an “prompt improve” to top notch for $91. I saved my firm $67 by reserving that approach as an alternative of in the course of the precise reserving.

One factor to bear in mind: Your practice could possibly be swapped out for an older model final minute. Here is the warning from Amtrak’s web site:

“Now and again, Amtrak would possibly must substitute trains, together with NextGen Acela trains, for an additional gear sort and such adjustments are permitted beneath the Phrases and Circumstances with out prior discover.”

If that occurs to you and you’ve got some flexibility, I might ask to be switched to the following NextGen practice.

Backside line

There’s one thing magical about journey by rail. The brand new Acela NextGen trains provide a fair higher motive to journey the Northeast Hall by practice. I might like to see Amtrak present some higher offers on the journeys, however in case you can rating a deal, I extremely suggest attempting out the brand new practice units.

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