Amtrak Boosts Service on Northeast Corridor Route

You’ll soon have more options for taking Amtrak along the Northeast Corridor line. The rail company has announced it’s boosting service between Washington, D.C., and Boston.

Here’s what you need to know.

Amtrak Adding 8 New Round-Trips per Week

Amtrak will add 4 weekday round-trips and 2 new weekend round-trips between Moynihan Train Hall at New York Penn Station and Washington, D.C. Union Station. Additionally, passengers will see a new weekday departure to New York from Philadelphia. Finally, Amtrak is adding 1 new weekend trip between Philadelphia and Boston South Station.

The rail company says the changes represent a 20% increase in weekday service and a 10% increase on Sundays.

Tickets for the increased service are now on sale.

“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.

This news comes amid a busy few weeks for America’s largest passenger rail company.

Late last month, Amtrak announced that several lines, including the Northeast Regional, would transition to fixed seating. A new House and Senate Appropriations Committee bill proposed more than $2 billion in funding for Amtrak.

Additionally, Amtrak will debut Acela trains between Washington, D.C., and Boston this year. The all-business-class trains will see new features like an updated cafe car, larger restrooms, and contactless luggage storage.

Booking Amtrak Tickets

The best way to book cheap Amtrak train tickets is directly through the rail company’s website, Amtrak.com.

Generally, you’ll want to book tickets well in advance, as you’ll save more money when you do so.

Amtrak frequently offers promotions on its deal page, including BOGO sales and discounts on the Acela. You can also score tickets for as low as $5 one-way via the Night Owl program, which requires departure between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

Another way to book Amtrak tickets is by using Amtrak Guest Rewards points. The program doesn’t have an award chart, but you can typically score tickets on shorter routes like Baltimore to Philadelphia for as low as 700 points each way.

Final Thoughts

This is positive news from Amtrak, which will increase service on its busiest route, the Northeast Corridor line. More trains mean more seating and, even better, more ways to earn and redeem Amtrak Guest Rewards points!