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.
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Amtrak will be adding more trains and capacity this summer. Image Credit: AmtrakHere are the Amtrak services that will be operated this summer:
| Effective Date | Train | Routes | Frequency | When |
| Immediately | Northeast Regional | Washington, D.C. and New York City | 13 roundtrips | Weekday |
| 9 roundtrips | Saturday |
| 6 roundtrips | Sunday |
| Boston and New York City | 9 roundtrips | Weekday |
| 3 roundtrips | Saturday |
| 4 roundtrips | Sunday |
| Keystone Service | Philadelphia and Harrisburg | 12 roundtrips | Weekday |
| Philadelphia and New York City | 10 roundtrips | Weekday (early morning departure arriving in New York City by 7:15 a.m.) |
| Amtrak Hartford Line | New Haven and Springfield | 7 roundtrips | Weekday |
| May 23 | Acela | Washington, D.C. and New York City | 10 roundtrips | Weekday |
| 4 roundtrips | Saturday |
| 6 roundtrips | Sunday |
| Boston and New York City | 9 roundtrips | Weekday |
| 3 roundtrips | Saturday |
| 4 roundtrips | Sunday |
| Auto Train, California Zephyr, Capitol Limited, Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, Lake Shore Limited, Palmetto, Silver Star, Southwest Chief, Texas Eagle | | | Daily |
| City of New Orleans, Crescent | | 5 departures | Weekly |
| Cardinal, Sunset Limited | | 3 departures | Weekly |
| Silver Meteor continues to be suspended: interim service continues to be provided daily via Silver Star, Palmetto, Carolinian and Northeast Regional | | | Daily |
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.
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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.
Featured Image Credit:
Amtrak
