After years of delays and anticipation, Amtrak’s new NextGen Acela entered regular service on Wednesday morning with departures from Boston and Washington, D.C. 

Five of the NextGen trainsets (sometimes called Acela Avelia Liberty) are entering service this month. Amtrak hopes to have all 28 trains in operation by the end of 2027. Until then, high-speed service between Boston and Washington, D.C., will be provided by both the original Acela trains and the new ones. 

Amtrak said that weekday trains 2153, 2154, 2170 and 2173 will usually have the new trains. On Saturdays, trains 2250 and 2251 will have the NextGen sets and on Sundays it will be 2248, 2258, 2259 and 2271. The trains are marked with a unique tag on the Amtrak app and website to note it is a new train. 

“Acela is synonymous with American high-speed trains, and today marks a new era of next-generation service,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “On behalf of everyone at Amtrak, I’m proud to welcome you aboard NextGen Acela. The future of high-speed rail starts now.”

The Alstom-built trains were scheduled to start service in 2021, but delays occurred due to various mechanical and infrastructure problems, especially compatibility issues with the decades-old catenary on the route. Once those problems were fixed, testing of the trains has ramped up in recent weeks along the Northeast Corridor. The new trains can reach speeds up to 160 miles per hour and offer features like free high-speed internet, individual power outlets, and more. 

Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it was taking control of Washington Union Station from Amtrak, alleging it had “fallen into disrepair.” The takeover comes as the Trump administration steps up federal law enforcement in Washington D.C., including deploying National Guard troops, despite the fact that crime rates have dropped in recent years.

—Justin Franz