View source for Acela

{{Short description|Intercity rail service operated by Amtrak in the northeastern United States}}
{{Italic title}}
{{About|the U.S. passenger train}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox rail service
| name               = ''Acela''
| logo               = Acela logo.svg
| logo_width         = 170px
| image              = Acela Express Rahway.jpg
| image_width        = 300px
| caption            = ''Acela'' at [[Rahway station|Rahway, New Jersey]], in May 2021
| type               = [[Inter-city rail|Inter-city]], [[High-speed rail|high speed]] [[tilting train]]
| status             = <!-- Only use when line is non-operational -->
| locale             = [[Northeast megalopolis]]
| predecessor        = ''[[Metroliner (train)|Metroliner]]''
| first              = {{Start date|2000|12|11}}
| operator           = [[Amtrak]]
| ridership2         = {{Amtrak route ridership|Acela}}
| start              = [[Boston South Station|Boston]], Massachusetts
| stops              = 12 <!-- Stops en route, not including the terminal stations -->
| end                = [[Washington Union Station|Washington]], D.C.
| distance           = {{Convert|457|mi|km|abbr=out}}
| journeytime        = 6 {{Fraction|3|4}} hours<ref name="bos-was" />
| frequency          = 20 per day<ref name="bos-was" /><ref name="nyp-was" />
| class              = First Class<br />Business Class
| access             = Fully accessible
| seating            = 4 across in business class <br />3 across in first class
| catering           = Café; at-seat meals in first class
| baggage            = Racks and overhead bins; no checked luggage
| stock              = [[Acela Express (trainset)|Acela Express]]<br />[[Avelia Liberty]]
| gauge              = {{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| electrification    = [[Overhead line]]; {{Indented plainlist|
* [[Amtrak's 60 Hz traction power system|25&nbsp;kV&nbsp;60&nbsp;Hz&nbsp;AC]] {{Nowrap|(Boston–New Haven)}}
* [[Electrification of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford Railroad|12.5&nbsp;kV&nbsp;60&nbsp;Hz&nbsp;AC]] {{Nowrap|(New Haven–New York)}}
* [[Amtrak's 25 Hz traction power system|12&nbsp;kV&nbsp;25&nbsp;Hz&nbsp;AC]] {{Nowrap|(New York–Washington)}}
}}
| trainnumber        = 2100–2290
| speed              = {{ubl|class=nowrap|
 |Service:
 |{{Convert|160|mph|abbr=on|round=10}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.amtrak.com/acela-express-train |title=Acela Express Overview |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=April 21, 2015}}</ref>
 |Average ({{Tooltip|incl.|including}} stops):
 |{{Convert|70|mph|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="specs">{{Cite web |url=http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/amtrak/ |title=Acela Express, United States of America |website=Railway Technology |access-date=September 3, 2014}}</ref>
}}
| map                = {{switcher
  | <!-- interactive map can be found on Wikimedia Commons: Data:Acela.map --> {{maplink-road|from=Acela.map}} {{Center|Acela route highlighted in blue}} <hr />
  | Show interactive map
  | [[File:Amtrak acela.png|275px]] <hr />
  | Show static map
  | {{Amtrak Acela|inline=yes}}
  | Show route diagram
  }}
}}

The '''''Acela''''' ({{IPAc-en|ə|ˈ|s|ɛ|l|ə}} {{respell|ə|SEL|ə}}; originally the '''''Acela Express''''' until September 2019) is [[Amtrak]]'s flagship [[passenger train]] service along the [[Northeast Corridor]] (NEC) in the [[Northeast megalopolis|Northeastern United States]] between [[Washington, D.C.]], and [[Boston]] via 13 intermediate stops, including [[Baltimore]], [[New York City]] and [[Philadelphia]]. ''Acela'' trains are the fastest in the [[Americas]], reaching {{Convert|150-160|mph|km/h|abbr=out}}, qualifying as [[High-speed rail#North America|high-speed rail]], but only for approximately {{Convert|40|mi|km}} of the {{Convert|457|mi|km|adj=on}} route.<ref name="amtrakETT">{{Cite web|date=February 5, 2024|title=Northeast Corridor Employee Timetable #1|url=https://archive.org/details/AMTK-NEC-employee-timetable-20240205-si/mode/2up|access-date=June 12, 2025|publisher=National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)}}</ref>

In fiscal year 2024, ''Acela'' carried more than 3.2 million passengers, second only to the slower and less expensive ''[[Northeast Regional]]'', which had over 10.8 million passengers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amtrak FY24 Ridership |url=https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FY24-Year-End-Ridership-Fact-Sheet.pdf}}</ref> Ridership was down from the pre-COVID-19 pandemic high of 3,557,455 passengers in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amtrak FY19 Ridership |url=https://media.amtrak.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/FY19-Year-End-Ridership.pdf |access-date=January 14, 2024}}</ref> Its 2024 revenue of $531 million was around 21% of Amtrak's total.<ref name="FY2024">{{Cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/nationalfactsheets/Amtrak-Company-Profile-FY2024-030425.pdf |title=Amtrak Company Profile for FY 2024 |date=March 4, 2025 |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=April 24, 2025}}</ref>

''Acela'' operates along routes that are used by slower regional passenger traffic, and only reaches the [[Rail speed limits in the United States|maximum allowed speed]] of the tracks along some sections, with the fastest peak speed along segments between [[Mansfield, Massachusetts]], and [[Richmond, Rhode Island]], and South Brunswick and Trenton, New Jersey.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lester |first=David C. |date=2022-06-25 |title=Amtrak Increasing Acela Speeds in New Jersey |url=https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/high-performance/amtrak-increasing-acela-speeds-in-new-jersey/?RAchannel=home |website=www.railwayage.com}}</ref> ''Acela'' trains use [[tilting train|active tilting]] technology, which helps control lateral [[centrifugal force]], allowing the train to travel at higher speeds on the sharply curved NEC without disturbing passengers.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/travel/features/acelaflash.htm |title=All Aboard Amtrak's Acela |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=June 26, 2015}}</ref> The high-speed operation occurs mostly along the {{convert|226|mi|km|abbr=out|adj=on}} route from [[New York Penn Station|Pennsylvania Station]] in New York City to [[Washington Union Station|Union Station]] in Washington, D.C., with a fastest scheduled time of 2 hours and 45 minutes and an average speed of {{convert|82|mph|km/h|abbr=out}}, including time spent at intermediate stops.<ref name="nyp-was">{{Cite web|url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/Northeast-Schedule-W02-030419.pdf|title=Northeast Corridor New York–Washington Timetable|date=March 4, 2019|publisher=[[Amtrak]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426225505/https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/Northeast-Schedule-W02-030419.pdf|access-date=April 26, 2019|archive-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref><ref name="note1">The timetable gives 2 hours and 45 minutes, minimum, between Washington and New York. Dividing that into the distance traveled, {{convert|226|mi|km|abbr=on}}, gives an average speed of {{cvt|82.2|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.</ref> Over this route, ''Acela'' and the ''Northeast Regional'' service captured an 83% share of air/train commuters between New York and Washington in 2021, up from 37% in 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/corporate/nec/fact-sheets/amtrak-nec-fact-sheet-ye2021.pdf |title=Amtrak Northeast Corridor fact sheet}}</ref>

The ''Acela''{{'s}} speed is limited by traffic and infrastructure on the route's northern half. On the {{convert|231|mi|km|abbr=out|adj=on}} section from Boston's [[South Station]] to New York's Penn Station, the fastest scheduled time is 3 hours and 30 minutes, or an average speed of {{convert|66|mph|km/h|abbr=out}}.<ref name="bos-was">{{Cite web |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/Northeast-Schedule-W04-030419.pdf |title=Northeast Corridor Boston–Washington Timetable |date=March 4, 2019 |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=April 26, 2019}}</ref><ref name="note2">The timetable gives 3 hours and 30 minutes, minimum, between New York and Boston. Dividing that into {{convert|231|mi|km|abbr=on}} gives an average speed of {{convert|66|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.</ref> Along this section, ''Acela'' has captured a 54% share of the combined train and air market.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/ea790b66-e29a-11dd-b1dd-0000779fd2ac |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121113209/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/ea790b66-e29a-11dd-b1dd-0000779fd2ac.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 21, 2009 |title=The Information: Most popular airline routes |newspaper=Financial Times |date=January 17, 2009|access-date=February 2, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/01/opinion/01sat3.html |title=America's Not-So-Fast Trains |date=August 1, 2009 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=June 2, 2014}}</ref> The entire {{convert|457|mi|km|abbr=out|adj=on}} route from Boston to Washington takes between 6 hours, 38 minutes and 6 hours, 50 minutes,<ref name="bos-was" /> at an average speed of around {{Convert|70|mph|km/h|abbr=out}}.<ref name="note3">The timetable gives 6 hours and 30 minutes, minimum, between Washington and Boston. Dividing that into {{Convert|457|mi|km|abbr=on}} gives an average speed of {{cvt|70.3|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.</ref>

The original [[Acela Express (trainset)|Acela Express]] equipment began being replaced by new [[Avelia Liberty]] trainsets in 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Acela Fleet {{!}} Amtrak |url=https://www.amtrak.com/next-generation-high-speed-trains?msockid=3f1a769c00db663e0b30627301bb6793 |access-date=2024-12-11 |website=www.amtrak.com |language=en}}</ref> The new trains have greater passenger capacity and an enhanced active tilt system that allows higher speed on the many curved sections of the route.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nec.amtrak.com/content/next-generation-high-speed-trains|title=Next-Generation High Speed Trains |publisher=Amtrak |publication-place=[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]|access-date=November 11, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2021/06/03/amtrak-acela-new-trains/ | title = Debut of Amtrak's new Acela trains delayed a year by new round of testing | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] |last=Lazo|first=Luz|publication-place=[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]| date = June 3, 2021}}</ref> The first five trainsets entered passenger service on August 28, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NextGen Acela {{!}} Amtrak |url=https://www.amtrak.com/nextgen-acela.html |access-date=2025-08-07 |website=www.amtrak.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Franz |first=Justin |date=2025-08-08 |title=New Acela Trains to Enter Service August 28 |url=https://railfan.com/new-acela-trains-to-enter-service-august-28/ |access-date=2025-08-08 |website=Railfan & Railroad Magazine |language=en-CA}}</ref>

==History==
===Background===
Following the success of Japan's newly inaugurated [[Shinkansen]] network in the 1960s, the [[High Speed Ground Transportation Act of 1965]] authorized the U.S. government to explore the creation of high-speed rail, which resulted in the introduction of the higher-speed ''[[Metroliner (train)|Metroliner]]'' trains between [[Washington, D.C.]], and [[New York City]] in 1969, the predecessor to ''Acela''. During the 1980s, the U.S. [[Federal Railroad Administration]] explored the possibilities of [[high-speed rail in the United States]]. On December 18, 1991, five potential high speed rail corridors were authorized, including the Northeast Corridor.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fra.dot.gov/rpd/passenger/618.shtml |title=Chronology of High-Speed Rail Corridors |publisher=Federal Railroad Administration |location=Washington|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219195437/http://www.fra.dot.gov/rpd/passenger/618.shtml |archive-date=February 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=February 11, 2012}}</ref>

In the early 1990s, Amtrak tested several different high-speed trains from Europe on the Northeast Corridor. An [[X 2000#Exports|X 2000 train was leased]] from Sweden for test runs from October 1992 to January 1993, followed by revenue service between Washington, D.C., and New York City from February to May and August to September 1993. [[Siemens]] showed the [[ICE 1]] train from Germany, organizing the [[ICE 1#ICE train North America tour|ICE Train North America Tour]] which started to operate on the Northeast Corridor on July 3, 1993.<ref>{{Cite journal |year=1993 |title=ICE Train North America Tour |journal=Eisenbahntechnische Rundschau |language=de |volume=42 |issue=11 |page=756}}</ref>

===Building and development===
With the testing of the trains from Europe complete, Amtrak was able to define a set of specifications for high-speed equipment and in October 1994, Amtrak requested bids from train manufacturers for a trainset that could reach {{convert|150|mph}}.<ref name="bedevils">{{Cite news|last1=Dao|first1=James|last2=Wald|first2=Matthew L.|last3=Phillips|first3=Don|date=April 24, 2005|title=Acela, Built to Be Rail's Savior, Bedevils Amtrak at Every Turn|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/us/acela-built-to-be-rails-savior-bedevils-amtrak-at-every-turn.html|access-date=March 4, 2008}}</ref> A consortium of [[Bombardier Transportation|Bombardier]] (75%) and GEC Alsthom (now [[Alstom]]) (25%) was selected in March 1996.<ref name="bedevils" />

[[File:Acela Express testing at TTCI, June 2000.jpg|thumb|right|''Acela Express'' trainset undergoing testing at [[Transportation Technology Center|TTC]] in 2000]]
In 1999, Amtrak unveiled its plan for the ''Acela Express,'' a high-speed train on the [[Northeast Corridor]] between Washington, D.C., and Boston.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-6680582.html |title=Amtrak unveils high-speed shuttle trains for busy travelers – Service between Boston, Washington is designed to compete with airlines |date=March 10, 1999 |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026120641/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-6680582.html |archive-date=October 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref><ref name="overview">{{Cite news |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-23407520.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026120633/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-23407520.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 26, 2012 |title=Amtrak To Unveil High-Speed Service |date=March 9, 1999 |access-date=August 29, 2009 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Several changes were made to the corridor to make it suitable for higher-speed electric trains. The [[Amtrak's 60 Hz traction power system|Northend Electrification Project]] extended existing electrification from [[New Haven, Connecticut]], to Boston to complete the [[Railway electrification system|overhead power supply]] along the {{convert|454|mi|adj=on}} route, and several grade crossings were improved or removed.<ref name="overview" /><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-31928865_ITM |title=At-grade crossings: Innovation, safety, sophisticated new technology |date=June 1, 1999 |access-date=August 29, 2009 |magazine=Railway Track and Structures}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.palinc.com/sites/default/files/publications/Amtrak_History.pdf |title=Amtrak's High Speed Rail Program, New Haven to Boston: History and Historic Resources |last=Public Archaeology Laboratory |publisher=National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) |year=2001 |access-date=December 13, 2016 |archive-date=October 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005033406/https://www.palinc.com/sites/default/files/publications/Amtrak_History.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Prior to 2000, all trains bound for Boston had to switch to diesel power at New Haven.

A pilot trainset was completed by early 2000 and sent to [[Transportation Technology Center]] (TTC) for testing in June 2000. An inaugural VIP run of the ''Acela'' occurred on November 16, 2000,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67162158.html |title=U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater celebrates inaugural run of Acela Express high-speed rail service |date=November 17, 2000 |publisher=M2 Presswire |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026120746/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67162158.html |archive-date=October 26, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref> followed by the first revenue run on December 11, 2000, a few months after the intended date.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-27577035_ITM |title=Amtrak postpones debut of high-speed rail line |author=Hoover, Kent |date=March 3, 2000 |access-date=August 29, 2009 |work=[[Cincinnati Business Courier]]}}</ref>

===Cost===
Amtrak's original contract with the Bombardier-Alstom consortium was for the delivery of 20 trainsets (six coaches each, with power cars at front and rear) for $800 million.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-nov-22-na-amtrak22-story.html |title=Amtrak Sues Train's Manufacturer Over Design Flaws |date=November 22, 2002 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=December 23, 2017 |language=en-US}}</ref> By 2004, Amtrak had settled contract disputes with the consortium, paying a total of $1.2 billion for the 20 trainsets plus 15 extra high-speed locomotives and the construction of maintenance facilities in Boston, New York, and Washington.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=9815 |title=Two equipment makers settle dispute with Amtrak |date=March 18, 2004 |publisher=Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen |access-date=December 23, 2017 |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224102009/https://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=9815 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Impact of the ''Acela''===
[[File:Joe Biden and Arlen Specter.jpg|thumb|Vice President [[Joe Biden]] and Senator [[Arlen Specter]] riding the ''Acela Express'' to Philadelphia in February 2009]]
By 2005, Amtrak's share of the common-carrier market between New York and Boston had reached 40%, from 18% pre-''Acela''.<ref name="black">{{Cite journal |last=Black |first=Clifford R. |date=March 2005 |title=The Acela Express |url=http://www.jrtr.net/jrtr40/pdf/f18_bla.pdf |journal=Japan Railway & Transport Review |issue=40 |access-date=August 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613164237/http://www.jrtr.net/jrtr40/pdf/f18_bla.pdf |archive-date=June 13, 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> With the increasing popularity of the faster, modern ''Acela Express'', ''Metroliner'' service was phased out in late 2006.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/40077835.html?dids=40077835:40077835&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+28%2C+1999&author=Daniel+Machalaba%2C+The+Wall+Street+Journal&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=METROLINER+NAME+ON+PAST+TRACK&pqatl=google |title=Metroliner name on past track |last=MacHalaba |first=Daniel |date=March 28, 1999 |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=August 29, 2009 |archive-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022102923/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/40077835.html?dids=40077835:40077835&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+28,+1999&author=Daniel+Machalaba,+The+Wall+Street+Journal&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=METROLINER+NAME+ON+PAST+TRACK&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=795 |title=Amtrak to run last Metroliner |date=September 8, 2006 |publisher=Trains.com |access-date=September 8, 2006 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929095502/http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=795 |url-status=dead }}</ref> To meet the demand, more ''Acela'' services were added in September 2005.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2005/09/05/daily34.html?from_rss=1 |title=Amtrak to increase service for Boston, New York and D.C. |date=September 8, 2005 |work=Boston Business Journal |access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref> By August 2008 crowding had become noticeable.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.wsj.com/public/article/SB121815170729322339.html |title=All Aboard: Too many for Amtrak – Surge in ridership leads to crowding on Intercity trains |last=Christopher Conkey |date=August 27, 2008 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref>

By 2011, the ''Acela'' fleet had reached half of its designed service life. Amtrak proposed several replacement options, including one as part of its ''A Vision for High-Speed Rail in the Northeast Corridor''.<ref name="2012update">{{Cite web |url=http://nec.amtrak.com/sites/default/files/2012%20Amtrak-Vision-for-the-Northeast-Corridor.pdf |title=The Amtrak Vision for the North East Corridor 2012 Update Report |date=July 2012 |publisher=[[Amtrak]] |access-date=November 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201032355/http://nec.amtrak.com/sites/default/files/2012%20Amtrak-Vision-for-the-Northeast-Corridor.pdf |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2011, Amtrak announced that forty new ''Acela'' coaches would be ordered in 2012 to increase capacity on existing trainsets. The existing trains would have received two more coaches, lengthening the trainsets from a 1-6-1 configuration to 1-8-1 (power car—passenger cars—power car). The longer trainsets would have required the modifications of the ''Acela'' maintenance facilities in Boston, New York and Washington. The first of the stretched trainsets was to have entered service in [[fiscal year]] 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/644/399/ATK-11-020%20AmtrakAddsAcelaCarsFY12Budget.pdf |title=Amtrak To Add 40 Coach Cars To Acela Express Under FY 2012 Budget Plan |date=February 14, 2011 |publisher=[[Amtrak]] |access-date=April 7, 2013}}</ref> This plan was cancelled in 2012 in favor of replacing, rather than refurbishing, the ''Acela'' fleet.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://money.cnn.com/2012/12/13/news/economy/amtrak-acela/index.html |title=Amtrak to replace high-speed Acela trains |last=O'Toole |first=James |date=December 13, 2012}}</ref>

In January 2014, Amtrak issued a request for proposals on 28 or more new model ''Acela'' trainsets, in a combined order with the [[California High-Speed Rail Authority]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nec.amtrak.com/sites/default/files/Amtrak-California-RFP-HSR-Trainsets-ATK-14-011.pdf |title=Amtrak and California Request Bids for High-Speed Trainsets |date=January 24, 2014 |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=November 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034624/http://nec.amtrak.com/sites/default/files/Amtrak-California-RFP-HSR-Trainsets-ATK-14-011.pdf |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After discussions with manufacturers, Amtrak and the California High Speed Rail Authority concluded their needs were too disparate for common rolling stock and decided not to pursue the joint option.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.globalrailnews.com/2014/06/24/amtrak-and-california-drop-joint-high-speed-train-tender/ |title=Amtrak and California drop joint high-speed train tender |date=June 24, 2014 |publisher=Global Rail News |access-date=November 20, 2017}}</ref>

===Legacy and influence===
Since its introduction, the Acela has become a symbol of modern passenger rail in the United States and has influenced subsequent high-speed rail planning efforts across the country. The Train's operational success demonstrated consistent public demand for faster, business-oriented intercity travel, reinforcing federal and state interest in high-speed rail corridors such as [[California High-Speed Rail]] and [[Brightline West]]. Amtrak's experience with Acela's maintenance and ridership patterns has also informed the design of future services and infrastructure standards along the [[Northeast Corridor]] and beyond.  <ref>{{cite web |title=A vision of high-speed rail in America: Time for a national conversation |url=https://www.brookings.edu/articles/a-vision-of-high-speed-rail-in-america-time-for-a-national-conversation/ |website=Brookings Institution |date=29 June 2015 |access-date=November 4, 2025}}</ref>

===Branding===
Before the introduction of the Acela, there were several classes of trains on the Northeast Corridor: the express ''Metroliners'', the Philadelphia-New York ''[[Clocker (train)|Clockers]]'', ''[[Empire Service (train)|Empire Service]]'' trains between New York City and [[Niagara Falls, New York|Niagara Falls]] via the [[Empire Corridor]], ''[[Keystone Service]]'' trains between New York City and to [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]] via the [[Keystone Corridor]], and the [[umbrella term]] ''[[NortheastDirect]]'', applied to other trains on the corridor (in addition to unique names assigned to many departures).

[[File:Acela Regional in Boston South Station.jpg|thumb|An ''Acela Regional'' train at [[South Station]], Boston, in 2002]]
The ''Acela'' name was announced in 1999 as a part of the original announcement of the service itself.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5CDDDC734C540&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |title=New trains, new name for Northeast Corridor: Amtrak's High-speed Acela service is due later this year |author=Belden, Tom |date=March 10, 1999 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=May 2, 2009 |archive-date=April 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101300/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB5CDDDC734C540&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |url-status=dead }}</ref> The branding team based the name "''Acela''" on the ideas of [[acceleration]] and excellence.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Acela|url=http://www.cdf.org/issue_journal/acela.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011235258/http://www.cdf.org/issue_journal/acela.html|archive-date=October 11, 2008|access-date=May 2, 2009|publisher=Corporate Design Foundation}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Vantuono, William|date=April 1, 1999|title=Amtrak's vision: Today, the Northeast. Tomorrow America|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-31922649_ITM|magazine=Railway Age|access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref> At the same time, Amtrak launched what it called the Capstone Program, a short-lived plan to [[rebranding|rebrand]] the ''[[Northeast Regional|NortheastDirect]]'', ''Keystone Service'' and ''[[Empire Service]]'' trains as ''Acela Regional'' and the ''[[Clocker (train)|Clocker]]'' trains as ''Acela Commuter''.<ref name="Acela">{{Cite news|last=Machalaba|first=Daniel|date=March 28, 1999|title=Metroliner Name on Past Track|language=en-US|work=Chicago Tribune|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-03-28-9903280070-story.html|access-date=March 16, 2021|via=The Wall Street Journal}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=New Amtrak trains on fast track |last=Jay Jochnowitz |date=March 10, 1999 |work=[[Times Union (Albany)]] |page=A1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/projo/access/44920648.html?dids=44920648:44920648&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Mar+12%2C+1999&author=Garland%2C+Russell&pub=The+Providence+Journal&desc=Amtrak+switch%3A+Is+it+on+the+right+track%3F+Advertising+people+say+the+new+Acela+name+gives+a+mixed+message |title=Amtrak switch: Is it on the right track? Advertising people say the new Acela name gives a mixed message |last=Garland, Russell |date=March 12, 1999 |work=Providence Journal |access-date=August 29, 2009 }}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

The ''Acela Regional'' name was first applied to ''NortheastDirect'' trains 130–133 in 2000.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Holcomb, Henry J.|date=February 1, 2000|title=Amtrak begins Phila-Boston service that's 45&nbsp;minutes faster "Acela Regionals" go into service as the first step in improvements on the Northeast Corridor line|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB735098C4CB57B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|access-date=August 30, 2009|archive-date=March 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307150814/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB735098C4CB57B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D|url-status=dead}}</ref> Those trains were the first electrified trains to run on the full Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C., and Boston.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Johnston|first=Bob|date=April 2000|title=Amtrak opens Boston electrification|magazine=[[Trains (magazine)|Trains]]}}</ref> As more trains were electrified, they too were rebranded.

Following widespread rider confusion amoung the three services, the branding was removed from the lower-speed ''Acela Regional'' and ''Acela Commuter'' trains in 2003.''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Acela Service: Refreshing the Amtrak Brand — Amtrak: History of America's Railroad|url=https://history.amtrak.com/blogs/blog/acela-refreshing-the-amtrak-brand|access-date=March 16, 2021|website=Amtrak History}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Arnold|first=Laurence|date=March 5, 2003|title=Amtrak will use name 'Acela' to describe high-speed trains only|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>''

In 2019, Amtrak shortened the name of the service from ''Acela Express'' to simply ''Acela''.<ref>Date and observation of train name change at {{cite web|title=Amtrak Debuts New Amenities for ''Acela Nonstop'' Service Between New York City and Washington, D.C.|date=September 12, 2019|url=https://media.amtrak.com/2019/09/amtrak-debuts-new-amenities-for-acela-nonstop-service-between-new-york-city-and-washington-d-c/|publisher=Amtrak}} Further examples of the dropping of "Express" on all press releases since then at [http://media.amtrak.com "Media Room", Amtrak]</ref>

==Engineering==
===First-generation trainsets===
[[File:Acela Express Rahway (cropped).jpg|thumb|First-generation ''Acela Express'' trainset in New Jersey, May&nbsp;2021]]
{{main|Acela Express (trainset)}}
The first-generation ''Acela'' trainset is a unique set of vehicles designed specifically to satisfy governmental rolling stock requirements established primarily by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). This includes the ability to withstand a collision with a freight train at speed without collapsing. Most manufacturers that bid on the ''Acela'' were unable to meet the structural requirements, due to increased costs and complications for the manufacture of the trains, and the need for manufacturers to make significant engineering changes to their standard designs. In the end, only three qualified bidders remained: [[ABB]] (Swedish-Swiss manufacturer of the [[X 2000]] train), Siemens (manufacturer of the German [[Intercity-Express|ICE]]), and a consortium of Bombardier (manufacturer of the LRC trains) and Alstom (manufacturer of the French [[TGV]]).<ref name="black" />

The design, using identical {{convert|6,200|hp|kW}} [[power car]]s at each end which operate on voltages of 12 kV, 12.5 kV, and 25 kV [[alternating current|AC]], and either 25 or 60 [[Hertz|Hz]] frequency, derives several components from the TGV,<ref name="Perren, Brian p156" /> such as the third-generation TGV's traction system (including the four asynchronous AC motors per power car, rectifiers, inverters, and regenerative braking), the trucks/bogies structure (a long-wheelbase dual transom H frame welded steel with outboard mounted tapered roller bearings), the brake discs (although there are only three per axle, versus four on the TGV), and crash energy management techniques to control structural deformation in the event of an accident.<ref name="TGVweb">{{Cite web |url=http://www.trainweb.org/tgvpages/acela.html |title=Acela Express |date=February 2001 |website=Trainweb.org |access-date=June 18, 2012}}</ref><ref name="Perren, Brian p156">{{Cite book |last=Perren |first=Brian |title=TGV Handbook, Including Eurostar |date=April 1998 |publisher=Capital Transport Publishing |isbn=9781854141958 |edition=2nd |location=Harrow Weald |pages=156 |oclc=47037025}}</ref>

The tilting carriages are based upon Bombardier's earlier [[LRC (train)|LRC]] trains used on [[Via Rail]] rather than the TGV's non-tilting articulated trailers. ''Acela'' power cars and passenger cars are much heavier than those of the TGV in order to meet the FRA's crash standards.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ebbc.org/rail/fra.html |title=How the FRA is Regulating Passenger Rail Out of Existence |last=McCaughrin |first=Eric |date=March 5, 2007 |website=East Bay Bicycle Coalition |access-date=August 31, 2009 |archive-date=December 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222054520/https://www.ebbc.org/rail/fra.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> French and Canadian crews testing the ''Acela'' referred to it as "the pig" due to its weight.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Philips |first=Don |date=January 2010 |title=Now it seems to be official: Freight rail is the future |magazine=Trains |volume=70 |issue=1 |page=10 |quote=When the train was being tested at the technology center in Pueblo, Colo., I had lunch one day out on the ballast with the French and Canadian crews doing the testing. The conversation turned to the weight of the Acela, which the crews considered laughably too heavy. At one point, a French engineer confided that the crews called the train "le cochon", meaning "the pig". The man and his supervisor immediately realized he had said too much. They asked me to keep that a secret, and I did for many years until I was sure everyone on the program had moved on to other jobs.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/24/us/acela-built-to-be-rails-savior-bedevils-amtrak-at-every-turn.html |title=Acela, Built to Be Rail's Savior, Bedevils Amtrak at Every Turn |last1=Dao |first1=James |date=April 24, 2005 |work=[[New York Times]]|access-date=March 4, 2008 |last2=Wald |first2=Matthew L. |quote=Before the first train was built, the Federal Railroad Administration required it to meet crash safety standards that senior Amtrak officials considered too strict. That forced the manufacturers, Bombardier Inc. of Canada and GEC Alstom of France, to make the trains twice as heavy as European models. Workers dubbed the trains ''le cochon'' -- the pig. |last3=Phillips |first3=Don |last4=Dao}}</ref> The extra weight leads to the ''Acela''{{'s}} power-to-weight ratio being about 22.4&nbsp;hp per tonne, compared to 30.8&nbsp;hp for a [[SNCF TGV Réseau|SNCF TGV Reseau]] trainset.<ref name="Perren, Brian p156" /> The Tier II crash standards, adopted in 1999, have also resulted in the passenger cars being designed without steps and trapdoors, which means that the trainsets can only serve lines with [[Railway platform height|high-level platforms]] such as the Northeast Corridor. ''Acela'' trains are semi-permanently coupled (but not articulated as in the TGV) and are referred to as trainsets. Bombardier later used the ''Acela'' carriage design and a [[diesel engine|diesel]]/[[gas turbine]] variant of the power car for its experimental [[JetTrain]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQQ/is_11_42/ai_99569317/ |title=Bombardier unveils new JetTrain locomotive |date=November 2002 |work=[[International Railway Journal]]}}</ref>

=== Second-generation trainsets ===
[[File:Amtrak Avelia Liberty on its inaugural revenue run (cropped).jpg|thumb|Second-generation ''Avelia Liberty'' trainset passes through [[Edison station]] in New Jersey on {{nowrap|August 28, 2025}}, the first day of service]]
{{Main|Avelia Liberty}}

On August 26, 2016, then–Vice President [[Joe Biden]] announced a $2.45 billion federal loan package to pay for new equipment for the ''Acela Express'' service, as well as upgrades to the NEC. The loans will finance 28 [[Avelia Liberty]] trainsets that will be built by Alstom in [[Hornell, New York|Hornell]] and [[Rochester, New York]], and will replace the existing fleet of twenty Acela trainsets.

The fleet expansion will allow for hourly New York–Boston service all day and half-hourly New York–Washington service at peak hours.<ref>{{Cite press release|title=Amtrak's Next-Generation of High-Speed Trains|date=August 26, 2016|publisher=Amtrak|url=http://blog.amtrak.com/2016/08/amtraks-next-generation-high-speed-trains/|access-date=August 26, 2016|archive-date=September 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921145023/http://blog.amtrak.com/2016/08/amtraks-next-generation-high-speed-trains/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The new trainsets will be longer, have 386 seats compared to 304 on Acela Express (a 27% increase) and will feature [[Tilting train|active tilt]] technology that will initially allow service to operate at 160&nbsp;mph (260&nbsp;km/h) and would allow for {{convert|186|mph}} service if proposed infrastructure improvements are completed.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

The new trains were expected to be phased in between 2021 and 2022, after which the current fleet was to be retired.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Aratani|first=Lori|date=August 26, 2016|title=Biden announces upgrades for Amtrak's Northeast Corridor|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2016/08/26/biden-announces-upgrades-for-amtraks-northeast-corridor/}}</ref> In December 2024, Amtrak updated the trainsets' announced release date to "spring 2025", which was revised a second time to "coming soon" after the spring season ended.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NextGen Acela Fleet |url=https://amtraknewera.com/nextgen-acela-fleet/ |access-date=2025-07-14 |website=Amtrak New Era |language=en-US}}</ref> On August 7, 2025, Amtrak announced that the new trains would enter service on August 28, 2025.<ref>https://www.amtrak.com/nextgenacela</ref>

==== Operating speeds ====
[[File:Acela Express and Metro-North railcar.jpg|thumb|An ''Acela Express'' train passes a [[Metro-North Railroad|Metro-North]] [[New Haven Line]] train in southwestern [[Connecticut]]]]
Although the first-generation Acela Express trainsets were designed with a top speed of {{cvt|165|mph|0}} and the second-generation Avelia Liberty trainsets will be designed to reach {{cvt|220|mph|0}}, the existing infrastructure of the Northeast Corridor significantly limits speeds.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

The maximum speed limit on the Northeast Corridor is {{cvt|160|mph}} on {{convert|40|mi}} of the {{convert|457|mi|0|adj=on}} route, in four sections of track in Rhode Island, Massachusetts,<ref name="amtrakETT" /> and New Jersey. The ''Acela'' achieves an average speed (including stops) of {{cvt|82|mph}} between Washington and New York,<ref name="nyp-was"/><ref name="note1"/> and an average speed of {{cvt|66|mph}} from New York to Boston.<ref name="bos-was"/><ref name="note2"/> The average speed over the entire route is {{cvt|70.3|mph|0}}.<ref name="bos-was"/><ref name="note3"/>

Speeds are limited by the route the corridor takes through urban areas, and there are several speed restrictions below {{convert|60|–|80|mph|abbr=on}} over bridges or through tunnels that are over a century old. Altogether, Amtrak has identified 224 bridges along ''Acela''{{'s}} route that are beyond their design life.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.northeastallianceforrail.org/2011/07/the-acela-story-part-2-planning-for-the-not-so-distant-future.html |title=The Acela Story Part 2: Planning for the Not-So-Distant Future&nbsp;— Northeast Alliance for Rail |date=July 27, 2011 |publisher=Northeast Alliance for Rail |access-date=November 1, 2014 |archive-date=November 1, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141101203027/http://www.northeastallianceforrail.org/2011/07/the-acela-story-part-2-planning-for-the-not-so-distant-future.html |url-status=usurped }}</ref>

South of the Delaware River, the ''Acela''<nowiki />'s top speed is {{cvt|135|mph}}.<ref name="amtrakETT" /> One limiting factor is the [[Overhead line|overhead catenary]] support system which was constructed before 1935 and lacks the constant-tension features of the new catenary east of New Haven.<ref name="2012update" /> The [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] ran ''Metroliner'' test trains in the late 1960s as fast as {{cvt|164|mph|0}} and briefly intended to run the ''Metroliner'' service at speeds reaching {{cvt|150|mph|0}}. Certification testing for commercial operation at {{cvt|160|mph|0}} involving test runs at up to {{cvt|165|mph|0}} began between Trenton and New Brunswick in September 2012.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/960/223/Amtrak-Ink-Aug-Sept-2012.pdf?audienceId=4332455&tiid=47649&rtTracking=1 |title=Amtrak Ink : Aug&nbsp;— Sept 2012 |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=August 1, 2012}}</ref> Passenger operation at {{cvt|150|mph|0}} began in this region in late May 2022.

The fastest schedule between New York and Washington, DC, was 2&nbsp;hours, 43&nbsp;minutes in 2012. $450 million was allotted by President [[Barack Obama]]'s administration to replace catenary and upgrade signals<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/amtrak-lands-450-million-to-boost-acela-to-160-mph/ |title=Amtrak lands $450 million to boost Acela to 160 mph |last=Nusca |first=Andrew |date=May 20, 2011 |work=ZDNet |access-date=December 23, 2017}}</ref> between [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]] and [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick]], which will allow speeds of {{cvt|160|mph|0}} over a {{cvt|23|mi|adj=on}} stretch. The improvements were scheduled to be completed in 2016, but have been delayed; the project was partially completed in late May 2022, with the remainder projected in 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2022/06/amtrak-increasing-speed-of-acela-trains-in-new-jersey-through-infrastructure-investments-and-improvements |title=160 mph trains will speed from Trenton to New Brunswick by 2020 |website=Amtrak |date=June 14, 2022}}</ref> This section of track holds the record for the highest speed by a train in the US, which is {{cvt|170.8|mph}}, achieved in a test run by the U.S./Canada-built [[UAC TurboTrain]] on December 20, 1967.<ref name="2012update" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ewh.ieee.org/cmte/asmeltc/hsr_plaque.htm |title=High Speed Rail Transportation in North America |date=June 14, 2007 |access-date=December 23, 2017}}</ref>

North of New York City, [[Amtrak's 60 Hz traction power system|Amtrak upgraded the track]] along the Connecticut shoreline east of New Haven to allow maximum speeds in excess of {{cvt|110|mph|0}}, in preparation for the ''Acela'' launch.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nec.amtrak.com/sites/default/files/Northeast-Corridor-Infrastructure-Master-Plan.pdf |title=The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan |date=March 24, 2010 |publisher=Amtrak |access-date=November 20, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201031657/http://nec.amtrak.com/sites/default/files/Northeast-Corridor-Infrastructure-Master-Plan.pdf |archive-date=December 1, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although this area contains the fastest current operating speeds ({{cvt|150|mph|0}}), it also has the slowest section of the NEC: between [[New Rochelle, New York]], and New Haven, Connecticut. This section is owned by [[Metro-North Railroad]] and the [[Connecticut Department of Transportation]] and is heavily used by commuter trains which limit the speed of the ''Acela''. Amtrak's trains achieve {{cvt|90|mph|0}} only on a limited {{cvt|4|mi|adj=on}} stretch in New York State and rarely exceed {{cvt|60|mph|0}} at any time eastbound through Connecticut until reaching New Haven.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://acm.jhu.edu/~sthurmovik/movies/MNRR-Employee-Timetable-No-4-GO-414-2010-06-21.pdf |title=Metro-North Railroad EMPLOYEE TIMETABLE No. 4 |date=June 21, 2010 |publisher=Metro-North Railroad |orig-year=February 5, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019022945/http://acm.jhu.edu/~sthurmovik/movies/MNRR-Employee-Timetable-No-4-GO-414-2010-06-21.pdf |archive-date=October 19, 2012 |access-date=December 29, 2013}} This notes, on p.41, that the 90&nbsp;mph section is from MP (mile post) 17.2 to MP 21.4; that begins midway between New Rochelle and Larchmont, and ends between Mamaroneck and Harrison.</ref> In 1992, ConnDOT began plans to upgrade the catenary system and replace outdated bridges on the New Haven Line to enable the ''Acela'' to run slightly faster. {{As of|2017|May}} the catenary replacement and bridge work were under way and expected to be completed by mid-2018.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://web.mta.info/mnr/html/catenary2017.html |title=New Haven Catenary Replacement Project Update (May 2017) |publisher=MTA |access-date=November 20, 2017}}</ref>{{update inline|date=February 2024}}

On July 9, 2007, Amtrak introduced a limited-stop round trip, with trains stopping only at Philadelphia between New York and Washington. This shortened the trip between the two cities to 2&nbsp;hours 35&nbsp;minutes, making the trip roughly an hour faster than some of the ''Northeast Regional'' train services. These trains were an experiment to find ways to expedite travel time on the ''Acela''; Amtrak has since dropped them.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/aug08/W02.pdf |title=Northeast Corridor timetable |date=August 4, 2008 |website=[[Amtrak]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908072509/http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/aug08/W02.pdf |archive-date=September 8, 2008 |access-date=August 8, 2008}}</ref>

===High speed infrastructure===
The dense population of the northeastern United States makes the [[Northeast Corridor]] the most heavily traveled portion of the American passenger rail system. [[Transportation in New York City|Two-thirds of rail passengers in the United States live in or near New York City]], also home to the nation's busiest passenger rail station, [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|Penn Station]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.empire.state.ny.us/moynihanstation/default.asp |title=Moynihan Station |website=empire.state.ny.us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080207140808/http://www.empire.state.ny.us/moynihanstation/default.asp |archive-date=February 7, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=November 28, 2007}}</ref> In order to compete with [[airliner]]s, Amtrak needed to increase the speed of trains in the region. The former [[Shore Line Railway (Connecticut)|Shore Line]] from New Haven to Boston is burdened by sharp turns and [[Level crossing|grade crossings]], the crossings being of special concern.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://articles.courant.com/1999-03-29/news/9903290182_1_railroad-crossings-boston-to-washington-corridor-amtrak-plans |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150429054452/http://articles.courant.com/1999-03-29/news/9903290182_1_railroad-crossings-boston-to-washington-corridor-amtrak-plans |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 29, 2015 |title=Rail crossings safety concern for Amtrak |last=Jane Dee |date=March 29, 1999 |work=Hartford Courant |access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref>

Tilting enables passengers to ride more comfortably on curved sections of track faster than would otherwise be possible, by leaning into the bend. ''Acela'' trainsets use active tilting above {{cvt|60|mph}} on most of the system, but some segments of track in the Northeast Corridor are too close together for the cars to safely tilt while maintaining FRA minimum space between trains on parallel tracks. Metro-North Railroad restricts tilting on the segment of track north of New York which it owns. The system was originally designed for a 6.8° tilt, but the cars were redesigned {{cvt|4|in|4=0}} wider to accommodate wider seats and aisles that reduced allowable tilt to 4.2° to fit within the clearance constraints of the existing tracks.<ref name="TGVweb" /> Traveling at higher than {{cvt|135|mph}} also requires constant-tension catenary, which is only implemented on the more modern catenary system north of New York City. South of New York City, the trains are restricted to {{cvt|135|mph}}. By comparison, the ''Northeast Regional'' and the now-defunct ''Metroliner'' service reached {{cvt|125|mph}}.

''Acela'' service was originally expected to begin in late 1999 but was delayed. The catenary system could not support the intended speeds between Washington DC and New York City, but the newer system between New York City and Boston allows the higher speeds. Attention was drawn to the decreased 4.2° tilt, but this was not the root of the speed problem, as the tracks from New York to Boston are similar to those between New York and Washington, and the tilt mechanism is not the factor enabling higher speeds.<ref name="bedevils" /><ref name="TGVweb" /> Following repairs, the first ''Acela'' service began on December 11, 2000, a year behind schedule.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/daily/11/acela_departs.htm |title=Fast train begins service with Washington-Boston roundtrip |last=Laurence Arnold |date=December 11, 2001 |work=[[Boston Globe]]|access-date=November 13, 2006 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

''Acela'' travels between Boston and New York in about three and a half hours (an improvement of half an hour); New York to Washington runs take a minimum of two hours and forty-five minutes.<ref name="bos-was" /> These schedules, as well as the relative convenience of direct downtown-to-downtown rail service as opposed to air travel, especially after the [[September 11 attacks]], have made the ''Acela Express'' more competitive with the [[air shuttle]]s. Due to this competition, [[Southwest Airlines]] canceled service between Washington and New York.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/opinion/bs-xpm-2012-09-24-bs-bz-amtrak-high-speed-test-20120924-story.html|title=Acela run expected to match U.S. rail speed record of {{cvt|165|mph}}|last=Thompson|first=Candy|date=September 24, 2012|newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|location=[[Baltimore]]|publisher=[[Tribune Publishing]]|access-date=November 20, 2017|archive-date=September 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910083939/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2012-09-24/news/bs-bz-amtrak-high-speed-test-20120924_1_acela-trains-acela-express-northeast-corridor|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Platform track speeds====
[[File:Acela Kingston Station RI at 150 mph.webm|thumb|Acela passing through a platform track at Kingston Station in Rhode Island at 150 mph.]]
Due to the high speed at which ''Acela'' trains bypass platforms of local stations, concerns have mounted in some communities over inadequate warnings and safeguards for passengers waiting for other trains, including that the two-foot wide yellow [[Railway platform#Markings|platform markings]] may not keep people at a safe distance. At [[Kingston station (Rhode Island)|Kingston station]] in Rhode Island and [[Mansfield station (MBTA)|Mansfield station]] in Massachusetts, ''Acela'' trains pass by at {{cvt|150|mph|0}}.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Railroads of Rhode Island : shaping the Ocean State's railways |last=Heppner |first=Frank |publisher=History Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-60949-333-2 |location=Charleston, SC |page=182 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.wickedlocal.com/article/20130117/News/301179445 |title=Better warning sought for Acela at Mansfield station |last=Weinstein |first=Susan Parkou |date=January 17, 2013 |work=Wicked Local |access-date=October 17, 2018}}</ref> Suggestions include platform [[safety barrier]]s, or use of different announcements for approaching ''Acela'' trains versus slower ones.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thesunchronicle.com/news/local_news/mansfield-sounds-acela-warning/article_63f2f7ac-7b9a-5890-a4b5-b09d76e75b5b.html |title=Mansfield sounds Acela warning |last=Smith |first=Nell |date=January 17, 2013 |work=The Sun Chronicle |access-date=March 20, 2014}}</ref>

===Outages===
In August 2002, shortly after their introduction, ''Acela'' trainsets were briefly removed from service when the brackets that connected truck ([[bogie]]) dampers (shocks) to the powerunit carbodies ("yaw dampers") were found to be cracking.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2002/2002-08-20-acela-woes.htm |title=Discovery of hairline cracks causes more problems for Amtrak's Acela Express |date=August 20, 2002 |work=USA Today |access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-8810199_ITM |title=Flaws Shut Down Amtrak's Acela Express Line |last=Daniel |first=Mac |date=August 14, 2002 |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref> The ''Acela'' returned to service when a program of frequent inspections was instituted. The damper brackets have since been redesigned and old brackets replaced by the newer design.

On April 15, 2005, the ''Acela'' was removed from service when cracks were found in the [[disc brake]]s of many passenger coaches.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/15/national/15cnd-amtr.html |title=Amtrak Suspends Acela Trains After Finding Brake Problems |last=Hauser, Kristine |date=April 15, 2005 |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=April 15, 2005}}</ref> The Bombardier-Alstom consortium replaced the discs under warranty. Limited service resumed in July 2005, as a portion of the fleet operated with new brake discs.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-133125089/acela-return-expected-july.html |title=Acela's return expected in July |last=Reed, Keith |date=June 10, 2005 |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=August 29, 2009}}</ref> ''[[Metroliner (train)|Metroliner]]'' trains, which the ''Acela Express'' was intended to replace, filled in during the outage. Amtrak announced on September 21, 2005, that all 20 trainsets had been returned to full operation.

In October 2012, ''Acela'' service was cancelled immediately before, during, and after [[Hurricane Sandy]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.on-track-on-line.com/forums/index.php?page=1&showtopic=42293|title=Sandy: Amtrak impacts - Storms of 2012|work=On Track On Line Forums|access-date=July 18, 2020|archive-date=July 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200714051851/http://www.on-track-on-line.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42293&page=1|url-status=dead}}</ref> which damaged the [[North River Tunnels]] causing lasting delays and reliability problems.

In March 2020, all ''Acela'' trips were suspended as part of a round of service reduction in response to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States]].<ref name=covid>{{cite press release |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=March 24, 2020 |title=Service Adjustments Due to Coronavirus|url=https://www.amtrak.com/alert/nec-modified-schedule.html |url-status=live |publisher=Amtrak |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200325190328/https://www.amtrak.com/alert/nec-modified-schedule.html |archive-date=March 25, 2020 |access-date=March 25, 2020}}</ref> Amtrak resumed ''Acela'' service on June 1, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|last=Genovese|first=Daniella|title=Amtrak to resume Acela service after coronavirus suspended operations|publisher=Fox Business|date=May 8, 2020|url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/amtrak-to-resume-acela-service|access-date=May 9, 2020}}</ref>

== Service ==

=== Composition ===
The ''Acela Express'' trainset consists of two [[Power car|power cars]], a [[Café car]], a [[First class travel|First Class]] car, and four [[Business class|Business Class]] cars, [[Gangway connection|semi-permanently coupled]] together. It has fewer seats than its regional service counterparts. The First Class car has 44 seats, being three seats across (one on one side, two on the other side), four-seat tables and assigned seating. There are 260 Business Class seats on each trainset; these cars have four seats across (two on each side), four-seat tables, and assigned seating.<ref name="specs" /> Baggage may be stowed in overhead compartments or underneath seats. Trains are wheelchair-[[Accessibility|accessible]]. Each car has one or two toilets, with one being ADA compliant.

The Business Class car adjacent to First Class is designated as a quiet car, where passengers are asked to refrain from loud talking and phone conversations. Automatic sliding doors between cars reduce noise.

The original production sets are formed as follows:<ref name="TGVweb" />
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Car no. !! !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! !! ''Total''
|- style="vertical-align:top"
! Designation
| Power || First Class || Business Class<br />''(quiet car)'' || Business Class || Café || colspan="2" | Business Class || Power ||
|-
! Weight<br />Pounds<br />([[Tonne|Metric ton]])
| {{convert|204000|lb|t|abbr=values}} || {{convert|142000|lb|t|abbr=values}}  || {{convert|139000|lb|t|abbr=values}} || {{convert|139000|lb|t|abbr=values}}  || {{convert|139000|lb|t|abbr=values}} || {{convert|139000|lb|t|abbr=values}} || {{convert|142000|lb|t|abbr=values}} || {{convert|204000|lb|t|abbr=values}} || ''{{convert|1246000|lb|t|abbr=values}}''
|-
! Capacity
| — || 44 || 65 || 65 || — || 65 || 65 || — || ''304''
|}

Compared to the original Acela trainsets, the NextGen trainsets have 43 seats in First Class and 343 seats in Business Class, of which 8 of these seats are a wheelchair space. The quiet car has been moved to the opposite end of the train from the First Class car. The First Class galley has also been moved into the Business Class car adjacent to the First Class car, resulting in a 10-seat reduction in that car compared to the rest of the intermediate Business Class cars. Each car aside from the Café car is equipped with one ADA compliant toilet.<ref name="First Impressions" />

The NextGen Acela trainsets are formed as follows:<ref name="First Impressions">{{Cite news |title=NextGen Acela Inaugural Run Impressions |url=https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/high-performance/nextgen-acela-inaugural-run-impressions/|access-date=August 31, 2025 |work=Railway Age |language=en}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Car no. !! !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! !! ''Total''
|- style="vertical-align:top"
! Designation
| Power || First Class || colspan="4" | Business Class || Café || colspan="2" | Business Class || Business Class<br />''(quiet car)'' || Power ||
|-
! Capacity
| — || 43 || 39 || 49 || 49 || 49 || — || 49 || 49 || 59 || — || ''386''
|}

=== Operations and staffing ===
''Acela'' offers two classes of seating, Business Class and First Class. Unlike most other Amtrak trains, Business Class is the ''de facto'' standard class on ''Acela'' trains; there is no coach service.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Acela Train {{!}} Amtrak |url=https://www.amtrak.com/acela-train |access-date=August 6, 2023 |website=www.amtrak.com |language=en}}</ref>

''Acela'' maintenance is generally taken care of at the Ivy City facility in Washington, DC; [[Sunnyside Yard]] in [[Queens]], New York; or Southampton Street Yard in Boston.

The ''Acela'' trainsets underwent minor refurbishments between mid-2009 and 2010 at Penn Coach Yard, next to 30th Street Station in [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania. These refurbishments included new blue leather seats throughout the trainset.<ref name="Amtrak Introduces Blue, if Not Corinthian, Leather">{{Cite news |url=https://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/grybaum-amtrak-seats-post/ |title=Amtrak Introduces Blue, if Not Corinthian, Leather |last=Grynbaum |first=Michael |date=January 13, 2010 |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>

In May 2018, Amtrak announced a 14-month program to refresh the interiors of the ''Acela'' trainsets, including new seat cushions and covers, new aisle carpeting, and a deep clean. This refurbishment program has been completed as of June 2019.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://media.amtrak.com/2018/05/amtrak-refreshes-interiors-acela-express-trains/ |title=Amtrak Refreshes Interiors of Acela Express Trains |publisher=Amtrak |date=May 14, 2018 |access-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-date=April 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190426225511/https://media.amtrak.com/2018/05/amtrak-refreshes-interiors-acela-express-trains/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==== Wi-Fi service ====
Wireless Internet station service began in 2004.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/08/technology/behind-the-curve-access-on-metro-north-or-amtrak-cars-not-so-fast.html |title=Behind the Curve; Access on Metro-North or Amtrak Cars? Not So Fast |last=Glenn Fleishman |date=July 8, 2004 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> In 2010, with services provided by The GBS Group, all ''Acela'' trains began offering "AmtrakConnect" supporting [[IEEE 802.11]]a/b/g/n, 2.4&nbsp;GHz and 5&nbsp;GHz and standard [[Virtual private network|VPN]] connections.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Amtrak launches wireless access on Acela trains |date=March 1, 2010 |website=San Diego Union Tribune |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-amtrak-launches-wireless-access-on-acela-trains-2010mar01-story.html |access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref> In 2016, Amtrak upgraded to a faster wifi service.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Aratani|first=Lori|date=November 3, 2016|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2016/11/03/wifi-on-amtraks-acela-express-trains-shifts-into-faster-gear/|title=WiFi on Amtrak's Acela Express trains shifts into faster gear|newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref>

==== Staffing ====
Generally, Amtrak train crews consist of an engineer, a conductor, and at least one assistant conductor.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Franz |first=Justin |date=Summer 2023 |title=ACELA'S FIRST CONDUCTOR |url=https://railphoto-art.org/railroad-heritage-73/ |magazine=[[Center for Railroad Photography & Art#Railroad Heritage|Railroad Heritage]] |pages=22–27 |publisher=[[Center for Railroad Photography & Art]] |access-date=February 23, 2024 }}{{dead link|date=December 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> ''Acela'' trains also have an On-Board Service crew consisting of two First Class attendants and a Café Car attendant. In addition to the food service provided in the Café Car, on most trains an attendant will also provide at-seat cart service, serving refreshments throughout the train. First Class passengers are served meals at their seats on all services.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://trn.trains.com/railroads/abcs-of-railroading/2006/05/the-people-who-work-on-trains|title=The people who work on trains|last=Sperandeo|first=Andy|date=May 1, 2006|website=Trains|access-date=August 9, 2017|archive-date=August 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809102349/http://trn.trains.com/railroads/abcs-of-railroading/2006/05/the-people-who-work-on-trains|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Notable incidents==
* During the [[Northeast blackout of 2003]], a northbound ''Acela Express'' train was stuck on the [[Hell Gate Bridge]] for over nine hours, until a rescue engine from [[Sunnyside Yard]] was able to tow the train back to [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|New York's Penn Station]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.slamtrak.com/rrphotoalbum/page109.htm |title=Welcome to the Blackout of 2003 |website=Slamtrak|last=Hayhurst, Paul |date=August 16, 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815024240/http://www.slamtrak.com/rrphotoalbum/page109.htm |archive-date=August 15, 2018 }}</ref>
* The first ''Acela'' [[Level crossing|grade crossing]] accident occurred on September 27, 2005, when a car rolled under closed crossing gate arms in [[Waterford, Connecticut]], and was struck by a train traveling at {{convert|70|mph}}, killing three automobile passengers. None of the 130 ''Acela'' passengers were injured. The gates were found to have been functioning properly,<ref name="High-Tech Gates Fail to Avert Car-Train Crash">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/30/nyregion/30acela.html |title=High-Tech Gates Fail to Avert Car-Train Crash |last1=McGeehan |first1=Patrick |date=September 30, 2005 |work=The New York Times |access-date=September 2, 2008 |last2=Wald |first2=Matthew L.}}</ref><ref name="Investigators Seek Answers In Fatal Crash That Killed Two; Cause of Waterford car-train accident may never be known">{{Cite news |url=http://www.axthetax.org/commuter-rail/_12.html |title=Investigators Seek Answers In Fatal Crash That Killed Two; Cause of Waterford car-train accident may never be known |last=Daddona |first=Patricia |date=September 30, 2005 |work=[[The New London Day]] |access-date=May 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620171726/http://www.axthetax.org/commuter-rail/_12.html |archive-date=June 20, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> but the incident drew much criticism regarding the eleven remaining grade crossings along Amtrak's busy Northeast Corridor.<ref name="Family sues over fatal car crash on railroad tracks">{{Cite news |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/12/27/family_sues_over_fatal_car_crash_on_railroad_tracks/ |title=Family sues over fatal car crash on railroad tracks |date=December 27, 2006 |work=The Boston Globe |access-date=May 22, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081227044832/http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/12/27/family_sues_over_fatal_car_crash_on_railroad_tracks/ |archive-date=December 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
* On March 24, 2017, an ''Acela Express'' train derailed at low speed in [[Pennsylvania Station (New York City)|New York's Penn Station]], during morning rush hour. All 248 passengers were safely evacuated.<ref name="Amtrak Acela derails at NY Penn Station, some service disruptions">{{Cite news |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/24/nj-transit-rail-service-suspended-in-and-out-of-penn-station-for-derailed-amtrak-train.html |title=Amtrak Acela derails at New York's Penn Station, some service disruptions |last=Little|first=Katie |date=March 24, 2017 |work=[[CNBC]]|location=[[New York City|New York]]|publisher=[[NBCUniversal]]}}</ref> The derailment was caused by a defective section of track, of which Amtrak was aware, but had not yet fixed.<ref name="Amtrak Knew of Flaw That Caused Penn Station Derailment">{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/06/nyregion/penn-station-train-service.html |title=Amtrak Knew of Flaw That Caused Penn Station Derailment |author-first1=Emma G.|author-last1=Fitzsimmons|date=April 6, 2017 |author-first2=Nick|author-last2=Corasaniti|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=[[New York City|New York]]}}</ref>
* On February 6, 2018, ''Acela Express'' train No. 2150 split apart between the first and second cars in the trainset, at {{cvt|124|mph}}, near [[Havre de Grace, Maryland]]. There were no injuries of the crew nor the 52 passengers on board, who were transferred to ''[[Northeast Regional]]'' train No. 180.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/amtrak-cars-separate-boston-bound-acela-train/story?id=52881264 |title=Amtrak cars separate on Boston-bound Acela train |last=Jacobo |first=Julia |date=February 6, 2018 |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|location=[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] |publisher=[[Disney Entertainment]]|language=en |access-date=February 7, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amtrak-train-2150-acela-breaks-apart-boston/ |title=Amtrak train separates on busy Acela line |date=February 6, 2018 |work=[[CBS News]] |location=[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]|publisher=[[Paramount Global]]|access-date=February 7, 2018}}</ref>

== Station stops ==
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|-
!State
!Town/City
!Station
!Connections
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Massachusetts]]||rowspan=2|[[Boston]]||[[South Station]]||{{ric|Amtrak|name=y}}: {{lnl|Amtrak|Lake Shore Limited}}, {{lnl|Amtrak|Northeast Regional}}<br />{{ric|MBTA|Commuter Rail|name=y}}: [[Fairmount Line]], {{lnl|MBTA|Framingham}}, [[Fall River/New Bedford Line]], [[Franklin/Foxboro Line]], [[Greenbush Line]], [[Kingston Line]], [[Needham Line]], {{lnl|MBTA|Providence}}<br />{{ric|MBTA|Subway|name=y}}: {{ric|MBTA|Red|name=y}}, {{ric|MBTA|Silver|name=y}}<br />{{ric|MBTA|Bus|name=y}}<br/>{{rint|bus}} Intercity bus services at [[South Station Bus Terminal]]
|-
|[[Back Bay station|Back Bay]]||{{rint|us|Amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Northeast Regional'', ''Lake Shore Limited''<br />{{ric|MBTA|Commuter Rail|name=y}}: Framingham/Worcester Line, Franklin/Foxboro Line, Needham Line, Providence/Stoughton Line<br />{{ric|MBTA|Subway|name=y}}: {{ric|MBTA|Orange|name=y}}<br />{{ric|MBTA|Bus|name=y}}
|-
|[[Westwood, Massachusetts|Westwood]]||{{amtk|Route 128}}||{{rint|us|Amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Northeast Regional''<br />{{ric|MBTA|Commuter Rail|name=y}}: Providence/Stoughton Line
|-
|[[Rhode Island]]||[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]||{{amtk|Providence}}||{{rint|us|Amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Northeast Regional''<br />{{ric|MBTA|Commuter Rail|name=y}}: Providence/Stoughton Line<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[Rhode Island Public Transit Authority]]<br />{{rint|bus}} [[Amtrak Thruway]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Connecticut]]||[[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]]||[[Union Station (New Haven)|Union Station]]||{{rint|us|Amtrak}} Amtrak: {{lnl|Amtrak|Hartford Line}}, ''Northeast Regional'', {{lnl|Amtrak|Vermonter}}<br />{{rint|hartford}} [[CT Rail|CT''rail'']]: [[Hartford Line]], [[Shore Line East]]<br />{{rint|newyork|mnr}} [[Metro-North Railroad|Metro-North]]: {{rcb|Metro-North Railroad|New Haven|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[CT Transit New Haven|CT''transit'' New Haven]]<br />{{rint|bus}} Intercity bus: {{rint|us|greyhound}} [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]], [[Peter Pan Bus Lines|Peter Pan]]
|-
|[[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]]||{{amtk|Stamford}}||{{rint|us|Amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Northeast Regional, Vermonter''<br />{{rint|newyork|mnr}} Metro-North: {{rcb|Metro-North Railroad|New Haven|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[CT Transit Stamford|CT''transit'' Stamford]]<br />{{rint|bus}} Intercity bus: {{rint|us|greyhound}} [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]]
|-
|[[New York (state)|New York]]||[[New York City|New York]]||[[New York Penn Station|New York<br/>Penn Station]]||{{rint|us|amtrak}} [[Amtrak]] (long-distance): {{lnl|Amtrak|Cardinal}}, {{lnl|Amtrak|Crescent}}, ''[[Lake Shore Limited]]'', {{lnl|Amtrak|Palmetto}}, ''[[Silver Meteor]]''<br />{{rint|us|amtrak}} Amtrak (intercity): {{lnl|Amtrak|Adirondack}}, {{lnl|Amtrak|Berkshire Flyer}}, {{lnl|Amtrak|Carolinian}}, {{lnl|Amtrak|Empire Service}}, ''[[Ethan Allen Express]]'', ''[[Keystone Service]]'', {{lnl|Amtrak|Maple Leaf}}, {{lnl|Amtrak|Northeast Regional}}, {{lnl|Amtrak|Pennsylvanian}}, {{lnl|Amtrak|Vermonter}}<br />{{rint|newyork|lirr}} [[Long Island Rail Road]]: {{rcb|LIRR|City Terminal Zone|inline=square}}, {{rcb|LIRR|Port Washington|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|njt}} [[NJ Transit]]: {{rcb|NJ Transit|North Jersey Coast|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Northeast Corridor|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Gladstone|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Montclair-Boonton|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Morristown|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Raritan Valley|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|newyork|subway}} [[New York City Subway|NYC Subway]]: {{NYCS Broadway-Seventh|time=bullets}}{{NYCS Eighth south|time=bullets}}<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[MTA Regional Bus Operations|MTA Bus]], [[FlixBus]], Tripper Bus, [[Vamoose Bus]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[New Jersey]]||[[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]]||[[Newark Penn Station|Newark<br/>Penn Station]]||{{rint|us|amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Cardinal'', ''Carolinian'', ''Crescent'', ''Keystone Service'', ''Palmetto'', ''Pennsylvanian'', ''Silver Meteor'', ''Vermonter''<br />{{rint|newark}} [[Newark Light Rail]]<br />{{rint|njt}} NJ Transit: {{rcb|NJ Transit|North Jersey Coast|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Northeast Corridor|inline=square}}, {{rcb|NJ Transit|Raritan Valley|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|path}} PATH: {{rcb|PATH|NWK-WTC|inline=route}}<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit]]<br />{{rint|bus}} Intercity bus: {{rint|us|greyhound}} [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]], [[Orange Newark Elizabeth Bus|Coach USA]], [[Fullington Trailways]]
|-
|[[Iselin, New Jersey|Iselin]]||{{amtk|Metropark}}||{{rint|us|amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Crescent'', ''Keystone Service'', ''Northeast Regional'', ''Palmetto,'' ''Vermonter''<br />{{rint|njt}} NJ Transit: {{rcb|NJ Transit|Northeast Corridor|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|bus|1}} Local bus: [[NJ Transit Bus Operations|NJ Transit]]
|-
|[[Pennsylvania]]
|[[Philadelphia]]
|[[30th Street Station|30th Street<br />Station]]||{{rint|us|amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Cardinal'', ''Carolinian'', ''Crescent'', ''Keystone Service'', ''Northeast Regional'', ''Palmetto'', ''Pennsylvanian'', ''Silver Meteor'', ''Vermonter''<br />{{rint|septa}} SEPTA Regional Rail: ''all routes''<br />{{rint|njt|rail}} NJ Transit: {{rcb|NJ Transit|Atlantic City|inline=square}}<br />{{ric|SEPTA Metro|name=y}}: {{ric|SEPTA Metro|L}} {{ric|SEPTA Metro|T}}<br />{{rint|bus|1}} SEPTA City Bus, SEPTA Suburban Bus, NJ Transit<br />{{rint|bus}} Intercity bus: {{rint|us|megabus}} [[Megabus (North America)|Megabus]], [[Martz Trailways]]
|-
|[[Delaware]]||[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]||{{amtk|Wilmington}}||{{rint|us|amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Cardinal'', ''Carolinian'', ''Crescent'', ''Northeast Regional'', ''Palmetto'', ''Silver Meteor'', ''Vermonter''<br />{{rint|septa}} SEPTA Regional Rail: {{rcb|SEPTA|Wilmington/Newark|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[DART First State]]<br />{{rint|bus}} Intercity bus: {{rint|us|greyhound}} [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Maryland]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Baltimore]]||[[Baltimore Penn Station|Baltimore<br/>Penn Station]]||{{rint|us|amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Cardinal'', ''Carolinian'', ''Crescent'', ''Northeast Regional'', ''Palmetto'', ''Pennsylvanian'', ''Silver Meteor'', ''Vermonter''<br />{{rint|baltimore|marc}} [[MARC Train|MARC]]: {{rcb|MARC|Penn|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|baltimore|raillink}} [[Baltimore Light RailLink|Light RailLink]]<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[MTA Maryland]], [[Charm City Circulator]]
|-
|{{amtk|BWI Airport}} {{rint|air|link=Baltimore/Washington International Airport}}||{{rint|us|amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Crescent'', ''Northeast Regional'', ''Vermonter''<br />{{rint|baltimore|marc}} MARC: {{rcb|MARC|Penn|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[BWI Marshall Airport Shuttle|Shuttle]] to {{rint|air|Baltimore/Washington International Airport}} [[Baltimore/Washington International Airport]]<br />{{rint|bus|1}} MTA Maryland, [[UMBC Transit]]
|-
|[[Washington, D.C.|District of Columbia]]||[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]||[[Washington Union Station|Washington<br />Union Station]]||{{rint|us|amtrak}} Amtrak: ''Cardinal'', ''Carolinian'', ''Crescent'', {{lnl|Amtrak|Floridian}}, ''Northeast Regional'', ''Palmetto'', ''Silver Meteor'', ''Vermonter'', [[Amtrak Thruway]]<br />{{rint|baltimore|marc}} MARC: {{rcb|MARC|Brunswick|inline=square}}, {{rcb|MARC|Camden|inline=square}}, {{rcb|MARC|Penn|inline=square}}<br />{{rint|vre}} [[Virginia Railway Express]]: {{rcb|VRE|Manassas|inline=square}}, {{rcb|VRE|Fredericksburg|inline=square}} <br />{{rint|washington|metro}} [[Washington Metro|Metro]]: {{rint|washington|red}} [[Red Line (Washington Metro)|Red Line]]<br />{{rint|washington|streetcar}} [[DC Streetcar]]: [[H Street/Benning Road Line]]<br />{{rint|bus|1}} [[Metrobus (Washington, D.C.)|Metrobus]], MTA Maryland, [[Loudoun County Transit]], [[Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission|PRTC]]<br />{{rint|bus}} Intercity bus: {{rint|us|greyhound}} Greyhound, {{rint|us|megabus}} [[Megabus (North America)|Megabus]], [[BestBus]], [[Peter Pan Bus Lines|Peter Pan]], [[OurBus]]
|}

A limited number of Acela trains previously stopped at [[New Rochelle station|New Rochelle]], New York; [[New London Union Station|New London]], Connecticut; and [[Trenton Transit Center|Trenton]], New Jersey; service was eliminated in 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively.<ref name="timetable">{{Cite web |date=March 10, 2018 |title=Northeast Corridor Timetable |url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/timetables/Northeast-Schedule-W04-031018.pdf |access-date=June 3, 2018 |publisher=Amtrak}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Acela Train |url=https://www.amtrak.com/acela-train |publisher=Amtrak|location=Washington|accessdate=April 10, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=January 12, 2021 |title=Acela Express now stopping at New Rochelle, NY |website=[[YouTube]]|publisher=Amtrak|location=Washington |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFYF-xG7_5Q |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/AFYF-xG7_5Q |archive-date=December 14, 2021 |access-date=February 23, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Weekday Acela Stops at Trenton (TRE) will be discontinued effective April 3 |url=https://twitter.com/AmtrakNECAlerts/status/1640800510767779843 |access-date=March 28, 2023 |website=Twitter |publisher=[[Amtrak]]|location=Washington|language=en}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of high-speed trains]] 
* [[List of Amtrak routes]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==Further reading==
* {{Solomon-Amtrak}}
* {{Cite book |last=Wilner |first=Frank |title=Amtrak: Past, Present, Future |publisher=Simmons-Boardman Books, Omaha |date=2012 |isbn=978-0911382-59-4}}
* {{Cite book |last=Vranich |first=Joseph |title=End of the line: the failure of Amtrak reform and the future of America's passenger trains |publisher=AEI Press |date=2004 |isbn=978-0-8447-4203-8 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/endoflinefailure00vran }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Rail travel in the United States}}
* {{amtrak web|route=yes}}
* [http://www.on-track-on-line.com/amtkrinf-acelaexp.shtml Transit Information – On Track On Line]

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