Amtrak news release
March 4, 2024Amtrak Adds More Service Throughout the Northeast Corridor to Meet Growing Customer DemandAdditional weekday and weekend trains offer more opportunities for travel
WASHINGTON – Amtrak has increased Northeast Regional service to provide additional travel options throughout the East Coast. This includes four additional weekday roundtrips and two new weekend roundtrips between Moynihan Train Hall at New York Penn Station (NYP) and Washington Union Station (WAS), and a new weekday morning departure from William H. Gray III 30th Street Station (PHL) in Philadelphia to NYP. There is also now one new weekend trip between PHL and Boston South Station (BOS). These service changes result in a 20% increase in weekday service and 10% increase on Sundays, which collectively deliver an additional capacity of more than 1 million seats to the Northeast Regional.
“More people are taking the train than ever before and we’re proud to offer our customers additional travel options when they ride with us on the Northeast Regional,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch. “The Northeast Regional gets you where you want to go comfortably, conveniently and sustainably as you breeze past traffic on I-95 for a more enjoyable travel experience.”
These new schedules drive Amtrak’s ambitious goal of doubling annual ridership to 66 million by Fiscal Year (FY) 2040. Momentum has already begun with FY23 4th Quarter NEC ridership achieving 8% above pre-pandemic levels and Northeast Regional ridership having nearly 9.2 million customers in all of FY23 – growing more than 29% compared to FY22.
Northeast Regional offers relaxing and affordable downtown-to-downtown service throughout the NEC. Customers can also enjoy enhanced travel in Business Class, which includes extra legroom, a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage, and assigned seats for a more seamless boarding experience. Additionally, Business class customers receive a 25% bonus on Amtrak Guest Rewards points.
Adding service on the NEC also helps with Amtrak’s sustainability goals to Achieve Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 2045. Traveling with Amtrak on the NEC produces 83% less emissions than driving and up to 73% less than flying. All customers are provided with their trip-specific carbon emissions savings on their ticket.
Tickets are now available for the added service via Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app, and through 1-800-USA-RAIL. Customers can book now with Amtrak’s new, more affordable, Flex fares and make changes without a fee (difference in fare may apply).
Related: Fixed seating starting on NEC
