Amtrak has an expansive network of trains throughout the United States, frequented by travelers for scenic vacations or convenient trips between cities. The company recently announced that it has called for suppliers to bid on a massive new railcar project that would transform its long-distance fleet.
The fleet replacement program aims to modernize overnight and cross-country trips, and calls for over 800 new rail cars across 14 routes. Amtrak has shared that it plans to select suppliers for the new rail cars by the end of 2027. This is the largest order of new rail cars in Amtrak’s history, and is a major change.
Amtrak’s new trains
Under the modernization program, all the long-distance rail cars will be on a single level, opposed to the current fleet, which has a mix of double and single-level cars. The new trains will be fully ADA-compliant and will feature modern technology that existing rail cars lack. The new strategy is based on standardizing the fleet,
Amtrak’s fleet modernization program
The new long-distance rail cars are just one part of Amtrak’s broad modernization program. The company recently launched the NextGen Acela trains last fall, traveling between major cities like Washington, D.C., New York, and Boston. Another new fleet, called the New Airo Fleet, will launch on the Cascades route in 2026, as the company continues to overhaul its many trains.
Amtrak has multiple routes on the West Coast, including a scenic coastal route, the Coast Starlight. You can learn more about Amtrak’s new long-distance rail cars here.
