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Updated Amtrak Summer Schedule Revealed [Northeast & Acela Boost]

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James Larounis
James Larounis's image

James Larounis

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James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in...

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Amtrak is recovering to 79% of its pre-pandemic traffic this summer with the addition of more Acela and Northeast Regional trains in the Northeast and more long-distance trains moving to daily service.

While Amtrak isn’t where it was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the additional services launching this summer represent the most growth Amtrak has seen in the last 2 years.

Additional Frequencies

Amtrak is adding more capacity to the Northeast, the bread and butter of Amtrak’s operation. Both the Northeast Regional and Acela trains cater to business travelers, and as business demand returns, trains will become more filled. It’s certainly not uncommon to ride a train today somewhere between Washington, D.C. and Boston and see well north of 90% capacity filled onboard.

Hot Tip: Members can earn double the Amtrak Guest Rewards points through May 22. Check out our article for more details!

Amtrak coach passenger boarding
Amtrak will be adding more trains and capacity this summer. Image Credit: Amtrak

Here are the Amtrak services that will be operated this summer:

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Effective DateTrainRoutesFrequencyWhen
ImmediatelyNortheast RegionalWashington, D.C. and New York City13 roundtripsWeekday
9 roundtripsSaturday
6 roundtripsSunday
Boston and New York City9 roundtripsWeekday
3 roundtripsSaturday
4 roundtripsSunday
Keystone ServicePhiladelphia and Harrisburg12 roundtripsWeekday
Philadelphia and New York City10 roundtripsWeekday

(early morning departure arriving in New York City by 7:15 a.m.)

Amtrak Hartford LineNew Haven and Springfield7 roundtripsWeekday
May 23AcelaWashington, D.C. and New York City10 roundtripsWeekday
4 roundtripsSaturday
6 roundtripsSunday
Boston and New York City9 roundtripsWeekday
3 roundtripsSaturday
4 roundtripsSunday
Auto Train, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Palmetto, Silver Star, Southwest Chief, Texas EagleDaily
City of New Orleans, Crescent5 departuresWeekly
Cardinal, Sunset Limited3 departuresWeekly
Silver Meteor continues to be suspended: interim service continues to be provided daily via Silver Star, Palmetto, Carolinian and Northeast RegionalDaily

Most long-distance trains will now operate daily, however, the City of New Orleans, Crescent, Cardinal, and Sunset Limited will continue to be offered only several times per week.

It’s worth noting that while the Silver Meteor is currently suspended, the stations along the way continue to be served by other trains, resulting in a very limited loss of service.

Hot Tip: Learn about the best ways to book cheap Amtrak train tickets — including advance bookings, rail passes, and promo codes — in our detailed guide!

Final Thoughts

Amtrak continues to restore more trains and frequencies in an effort to keep up with building demand. While the number of trains in service isn’t quite where it was a few years ago, many trains are filled to capacity, an encouraging sign for the next few months as Amtrak looks to put more trains back on the tracks.

James Larounis's image

About James Larounis

James (Jamie) started The Forward Cabin blog to educate readers about points, miles, and loyalty programs. He’s spoken at Princeton University and The New York Times Travel Show and has been quoted in dozens of travel publications.

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