A new sleeper car train system could connect New England and the Midwest, with a limited demonstration train available as soon as 2026, as reported by Newsweek. Aptly named the Lunatrain, the private company wants to develop an express, nonstop sleeper train system between major cities on the East Coast and the Midwest. It’s also looking to connect through Toronto and Montréal. The goal is for riders to make their trip in a single night and for the train to not make any stops that wake up passengers.
The company is based out of Philadelphia and is working on developing a network of night trains with different-sized cabins to suit solo travelers, couples, and families or groups. All the cabins will be private, so you won't have to share with strangers. They’ll have multiple power outlets for device charging, have soundproofing and vibration dampening so you feel the sway of the train less and offer onboard amenities. There will be two classes of service, economy and premium, that the company says will be priced the same or less than an airline seat of the same class.
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Lunatrain’s map shows connections as far east as Boston and as far west as Denver, spanning from Montréal down to Miami. Other cities include Chicago, Minneapolis, Dallas, New Orleans, Nashville, Charlotte, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York and Toronto.
Currently, Amtrak offers several routes that connect New England with the Midwest, but they are not express trains and take several days. For instance, the Lake Shore Limited train runs between Boston and Chicago and takes roughly 23 hours, and the Cardinal runs between New York and Chicago and takes roughly 28 hours. The Lunatrain could be a game-changer, rushing people through the night to their destination while they sleep.
Another benefit over Amtrak’s sleeper cars is that you can lock your cabin door when you’re not in it, using a contactless keycard and NFC mobile device access. You can lock Amtrak's roomettes and bedrooms when you're inside, but not when you go out to explore the train.