Amtrak hopes to make train travel more popular with its new Acela Nonstop direct service between Washington’s Union Station and New York’s Penn Station beginning Sept. 23, with tickets going on sale this Thursday.
In a press release, Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson praised the development, saying, “The new Acela Nonstop service will have you halfway to your New York City or DC destination in the time it would take you to board a flight.”
Not only is Amtrak’s new option more affordable than a flight, it also reduces your carbon footprint. The new nonstop service runs trains that hit speeds of 150 mph and take approximately two and a half hours each way. To start, only weekday service will be available for booking, with single southbound trains departing New York at 6:35am and arriving in Washington at 9:10am. The northbound train departing Washington will leave at 4:30 p.m. and arrive in New York at 7:05 p.m.
The nonstop service is 15 minutes faster than the average Acela train route which makes stops along the way. Passengers at stations between New York and Washington may appreciate roomier cabins with New York and DC commuters opt for the nonstop option.
Amtrak will consider expanding the nonstop service after the New York to DC route launches. New York Penn Station and Washington Union Station represented Amtrak’s two busiest stations across its national network in the 2018 fiscal year.