My interest in the new Acela fleet wasn’t random.
Whether in the US, Canada, or Europe, I prefer to ride the rails. I’ve spent 100 hours on Amtrak trains in classes ranging from coach to a private bedroom.
In 2022, I took the older Acela train between NYC and Baltimore in business and first class. So I was curious to see what the new cars were like.
Compared to a standard business-class ticket, the first-class booking included perks like lounge access at some stations, a meal on board, attendant service, and a bigger seat with more legroom.
Most Amtrak trains look similar to me. They have plain, metal exteriors with subtle red and blue accents and a bulky, boxy shape.
So I was surprised when I saw the new Acela’s bold red, white, and blue exterior. It had a rounded roof, and the front was as sleek as a sports car. It reminded me of a rocket ship.
Next to the older Acela model on an adjacent platform, my ride looked like it was from the future.
Whenever I hop on a train, I ask myself the same question: Am I in the right car?
It can be tough to tell what class you’re in when you board a train you’ve never been on before.
The new Acela train had a clever solution to my typical confusion. The business-class cars had pops of blue coloring the headrests, signage, and even the bathroom doors. The single first-class car was full of red accents.
One of the classic predicaments of train travel is where to put your drink when you’re not sipping it. The rails are bumpy, and I’ve found that the shallow, concave circle on your average tray table isn’t always supportive enough to keep a beverage from falling.
It was a nice surprise that the new Acela had pull-out cupholders on the back of the tray tables in both classes.
Ordering a special at a restaurant always makes me feel a little lavish. So when I saw a single dish framed in the center of the menu in my first-class seatback pocket, I was excited and surprised. I’d never seen a special on an Amtrak menu before.
The dish was charred Bobo chicken with roasted acorn squash, a verde sauce, and a hard roll. The marinated chicken was flavorful and paired well with the sweet squash.
It was the best meal I’ve had on an Amtrak train.