Amtrak to Increase Service for Thanksgiving Weekend
by Daine Taylor
The NEC is home to one of the busiest, most complex, and most technically advanced rail systems in the world, with over 2,000 trains on Amtrak-controlled segments each weekday. This traffic mix includes freight trains traveling at speeds of 30-50 mph, commuter trains at speeds up to 125 mph, Amtrak Regional trains at 110 or 125 mph, and Acela Express trains that can reach 150 mph. This makes it the fastest railroad in the Americas, and among the ten fastest in the world.
As the holiday season approaches, Amtrak is preparing to accommodate the surge of holiday travelers with extra trains and capacity on several routes.
In anticipation of busiest travel week of the year, Amtrak plans to operate every available passenger railcar in its fleet. Amtrak is also incorporating extra trains for additional seating on the Northeast Corridor, and is adding extra cars to existing trains along the Midwest and West Coast routes.
“With more than 500 destinations nationwide, customers can witness some of the best sightseeing opportunities the United States has to offer while getting to their holiday destination of choice,” said Amtrak President and CEO Richard Anderson. “This year for Thanksgiving, Amtrak customers can also do something good for the environment while traveling with ease to family, friends, and loved ones.”
The railroad will operate an extended schedule in the Northeast Corridor, adding additional service and capacity to the Acela and Northeast Regional trains. It will also add capacity to the Amtrak Keystone Service, Pennsylvanian, and Empire Service trains.
In the Midwest, Amtrak will add capacity to its Wolverine Service, Hiawatha, Pere Marquette, Illinois Zephyr, Lincoln Service, Saluki, and Illini trains. It will also operate additional service to some downstate Illinois cities.
On the West Coast, Amtrak will add capacity to the Capital Corridor, San Joaquins, and Pacific Surfliner routes.
Some lines — including the Pacific Surfliner, Hiawatha, Pennsylvanian, and Keystone Service — will require reservations between Nov. 25 and Dec. 2.
Tickets are now available.
