Amtrak rolled out the NextGen Acela, a fleet of high-speed trains operating along the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston, starting in 2025.
Revenue service began on August 27, 2025, with the first train departing Washington at 5 a.m., followed by a 6 a.m. departure from Boston. Five trainsets initially entered service, with more scheduled to join the fleet through 2027.
“NextGen Acela is more than a new train—it’s an evolution of travel,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said in a 2025 news release. “In just a few weeks, history will be made with the debut of NextGen Acela as we launch a new standard for American train travel.”
Developed by Alstom, the trainsets were designed to replace the original Acela fleet, which entered service on December 11, 2000. Assembly took place at Alstom’s facility in Hornell, New York, with participation from more than 180 suppliers in 29 states.
Approximately 95 percent of components were sourced domestically, and Amtrak estimates the program supported more than 15,000 jobs nationwide. More than 1,200 Alstom employees contributed directly to the project.
The introduction of the new fleet is part of Amtrak’s broader modernization plan, which seeks to replace older equipment and upgrade passenger facilities across the network. Once all 28 trainsets are deployed by 2027, the NextGen Acela was expected to increase capacity by about 27 percent per departure compared with the earlier fleet.
The new trains feature wide, ergonomic seating with winged headrests, additional legroom, and a tilting system designed to provide a smoother and quieter ride through curves. With a top speed of 160 miles per hour, the NextGen Acela improves on the 150-mile-per-hour limit of its predecessor.
