Taking a 160-mph Ride on Amtrak’s New High-Speed Train
Our intrepid transit reporter decided to see what it was like riding the rails at speeds up to 160 MPH in the new high-speed Acela. Here’s what he found.
| 08 Sep 2025 | 12:18
Passing through the Port Chester station on Metro-North’s tracks, Amtrak’s Boston-bound NextGen Acela train 2170 shows off its distinctive colors and brand-new equipment. (
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The first-class car on the NextGen Acela offers a 2-1 seating pattern, with a table for two people at the left foreground. Both hot-meal service and beverage offerings are included in the first-class fare. (
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On the new trains, meal service in business class can be purchased in the cafe car or from a rolling cart that serves both food and drink. (
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In the NextGen Acela cafe car, grab-and-go food and beverage offerings are available for purchase. There are microwaves to heat items up in the enclosed middle section. (
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For business-class travelers who want to stay in their seats, this rolling cart will sell them food and beverages as they stay in touch with the office, watch something on their laptop, or savor their travel moments. From pretzels to an antipasto tray, accompanied by an IPA or a San Pellegrino, there should be something a hungry traveler will want. (
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Standing near the Aug. 27 Preview Train in New Haven, Amtrak president Roger Harris stops to chat with an invited guest on the platform. The train made longer stops in New Haven and Providence on its way north. Harris rode the train the entire way from Washington DC to Boston, only to return the following morning on the first revenue train to DC. (
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It’s a chilly winter’s eve in New Haven; former Amtrak Metroliner cab car 9651, one of 15 out of the original fleet of 61, waits for a return to Springfield, Mass., for the engineer to run the diesel and two cars from the front window. The Budd Company, not building railroad equipment any more, built trains to last—this unit started service in 1969. (
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All aboard!
This writer was on a preview ride from New York to Providence, RI, on Aug. 27, part of the VIP train trip between Washington and Boston the day before the new NextGen Acela train service started between the two.
On that day, we reached 161 mph, and quickly decelerated to 160 for a short stretch in Rhode Island. Much as in a finely tuned sports car, the sensation of acceleration and speed was evident, accompanied by a noise reading of 85 decibels, about that of a noisy Manhattan restaurant.
At normal speeds, sound was somewhat diminished. The train’s tilting mechanism enables it to take curves at a faster speed; the original Acelas had this feature, but it had to be disabled—those trains were too wide to use the feature. While in use on our train, the tilting was not evident. The line from DC to Penn Station is largely straight, but from there to Boston is very curvy.
Trains magazine passenger and train expert Bob Johnston deemed the seats “very comfortable” to this author. While seating for the 100 or so guests was unreserved, my perch was seat 10D in car 5, next to the cafe car. A large picture window made every view of the Long Island Sound communities east of New Haven outstanding.
Aboard the train there is one first-class car, a cafe car, and seven business-class cars, seating for 378 people in total.
Hungry? First class provides complimentary meal and beverage service; Business class travelers can buy a wide variety of food and drink in the cafe car; for those in a hurry who don’t want to wait can use a grab-and-go terminal and head back to their seat.
On the Aug. 27, train, Straus News sampled a chicken pesto sandwich and some sparkling water, both of which fitted quite well on the large, sturdy seat tray. Riders have the option of standing at high tables at both ends of the cafe car as the world rushes by.
Engrossed in that novel or absorbed in a video? A cart will circulate back and forth to bring food and beverage to your seat.
Speaking of seats, in a unique flourish for both classes, to recline, the bottom part of the seat slides forward, with the back remaining stationary. This design feature, common in Europe, is rarely seen in North America. The advantage? When the passenger in front of you reclines their seat, the seatback doesn't move and hit your knees.
Part of a unique design element is that a lot of the train cars share a single axle between them, similar to some Amtrak trains in the Pacific Northwest. This feature keeps trains a little closer to the track and reduces train weight. The NextGen Acela rode superbly on designated high-speed track, but the first 75 miles of the trip, largely on Metro-North rails, was a bit bumpy in places.
NextGen Acela service for the paying public began the next day, on Aug. 28.
Where We Started and Where We Stand Now
The trains’ manufacturer, the French-based global transport company Alstom, was contracted in 2016 to build 28 new trainsets—now a reality, after technical issues and COVID-19’s effect on manufacturing and supply chain issues. Many of the original Acelas, now 25 years old, are still in service today (as are 15 of the 61 original Metroliner cars, approaching 60 years of service and still used as train control cars on trains to Harrisburg and within New England).
Our conclusion: Alstom has done a remarkable job matching what is an advanced version of early 20th-century technology with state-of-the-art kitting-out of a comfortable conveyance to carry passengers. The comfortable setting for short to medium distances makes for a comfort difference over the previous Acelas in service. Unlike some airlines, there is free 5G Wi-Fi, USB ports, power outlets and LED reading lights, all at your seats. There are some table settings aboard in both Business and First classes (there is no coach on these premium trains), which allows for small-group business or pleasure travel.
Bathrooms are large enough to accommodate wheelchairs, nothing like current Amtrak ones, thus conforming to ADA standards. The train was designed with eight spaces for mobility-challenged passengers in both classes.
Once Amtrak has more data on actual operation of the new trains, schedules should improve. While prices vary for NextGen Acelas, you will want to book seats as far into the future as possible. With that in mind, once aboard, be your destination Philadelphia, New Haven, DC, Boston, and places in between, enjoy the ride on the 21st century’s second-quarter fast train. For booking and fare information, the Amtrak website is www.amtrak.com.