How to get from Boston to Waterbury | Amtrak Acela, Amtrak | Busbud (2024)

FAQs

Why is Acela Express so slow? ›

Operating speeds

Although the first-generation Acela Express trainsets were designed with a top speed of 165 mph (266 km/h) and the second-generation Avelia Liberty trainsets will be designed to reach 220 mph (354 km/h), the existing infrastructure of the Northeast Corridor significantly limits speeds.

The ACELA train (Boston) has 14 stations departing from Washington Union Station and ending at South Station.

Acela is Amtrak's high-speed rail option in the Northeastern corridor, reaching speeds of up to 150 miles per hour during its journey. Acela has several classes of service to choose from, including luxury options, and offers perks like seat selection, at-seat meal service and access to station lounges.

Friendly service usually gets a little larger tip. For the Dining Car Attendants; it is typically recommended that you tip just like you do in a restaurant; 15 - 20% depending on the quality of the service. For those in First Class where the meals are included, it is important to remember that the tips are not.

The audit found that 12 completed trains have defects. As of July, the report said, 125 issues needed to be remediated, including a water drain problem between passenger cars that causes components to corrode, windows that shattered spontaneously and leaks in hydraulic tilting systems.

The new Acela will operate at top speeds of 160 mph vs. today's fleet, which operates at top speeds of 150 mph.

We recommend you arrive at the station no more than 30 minutes before your train departs, 60 if you're checking a bag or need ticketing/passenger assistance. Many of our stations also offer baggage services and assistance.

And since Amtrak travelers 65 years of age and over are eligible to receive a 10% discount on most trains, it becomes an affordable alternative.

Boston - South Station (BOS) is a short walk to many attractions, such as Chinatown, the Theater District, Children's Museum, New England Aquarium, Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall, Boston Common and Beacon Hill, or jump on the T (the Boston Subway) Red Line to tour around the city.

We look forward to welcoming you in Acela First Class. Once onboard, you'll enjoy complimentary at-seat meal and beverage service provided by our onboard staff of First Class attendants. Selections include freshly prepared chef inspired entrees as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Is first class Acela in front or back of train? ›

The Acela First Class car is always either the first or the last car on the six-car train and is configured with both forward- and rear-facing seats. Some of the single seats are rotated by the train crew and are always forward facing.

Amtrak Acela's business class tickets offer more plusher, wider seats than you'll experience in coach, but do not include a meal or in-seat service like first-class, roomette, and bedroom accommodations do.

Amtrak Acela automatically assigned my seat when I reserved a ticket. However, I later learned that it may be changed on the website anytime before departure. Seat maps are available on Amtrak's website, and they specify which direction each seat faces, as not all seats are forward-facing.

You can take nearly any luggage you want, but there is no way to check luggage because there is no luggage car. There is space for luggage on all cars. Overhead for smaller bags and large bags at the end of the car.

First class cabins tend to have more comfortable seats which are reclinable, larger and have extra legroom. These features will be a godsend if you are making a long journey and travelling on a route where it can occasionally be difficult to find a seat during peak times.

To get from New York to Washington DC, the Acela takes between 2 h 45 and 3 h for a journey of 328 km. By comparison, the TGV from Paris to Lyon takes 2 h for a distance of 391 km.

Federal law requires Amtrak passenger trains to receive preference over freight transportation, but the largest cause of delay to Amtrak trains on host railroads is “Freight Train Interference,” typically caused by a freight railroad requiring an Amtrak passenger train to wait so that its freight trains can operate ...

The big picture: Prolonged high temperatures can cause outdoor rail tracks to expand and deform. As a result, Amtrak and Metro trains operate at slower speeds when heat spikes and railways are closely monitored for kinks. Abnormalities aren't very common, but precautionary measures are taken to keep riders safe.

The tilting carriages are based upon Bombardier's earlier 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.