Amtrak’s long been lumbering along in outdated railcars, and now it’s released visuals for the state of the art Airo train, which will be sleekly zooming the rails in 2026. According to Amtrak’s press release introducing the train, the Airo will operate much more greenly, producing 90 percent less particulate emissions in diesel operations. The ride will also be more comfortable, with a spacious interior and panoramic windows to better experience the incredible vistas. And the Airo trains will be more speedy: going up to 125 mph and transitioning better between power sources whereas currently, passengers wait for time-consuming locomotive changes.
If you’ve traveled on Amtrak recently, you may have found the café car a little dismal (pandemic measures meant that the much-nicer dining car was reserved only for use by overnight passengers), and that is one of the improvements you’ll see on the Airo, which will include contemporary cuisine with self-service options.
Of course, passengers are obsessed with how comfortable the seats are. The Airo promises spacious seats with ergonomic alignment, movable headrests and lots of leg room. They’ll be kitted out with large and sturdy tray tables, a cupholder, tablet holder and individual outlets and USB ports. In business class, passengers can choose between double or single seats.
Finally, overall, the trains will have enhanced lighting, onboard Wi-Fi, state-of-the-art customer trip information and a digital seat reservation system. Color-coded signage will make navigation between the different cars easier (both on the outside of the trains and inside). Because of the pandemic, we’re all more concerned about hygiene, and the Airo will include enhanced HVAC, touchless restroom controls, and automated steps.
Disabled passengers will be happy to hear that the Airo will have improved accessibility with inductive hearing loops, accessible restrooms and vestibules, an accessible Food Service car and lifts for passengers using mobility devices and wheelchairs.
How is all this being funded? Thanks to President Biden’s signing the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, $7.3 billion in funding opened up for Amtrak to invest in upgrading its fleet. Amtrak expects this new equipment will add 1.5 million riders to its trains each year.
The Airo train isn’t the only improvement, though. Amtrak’s working on major infrastructure and modernization projects for stations and tracks. Besides the Airo, there are also new Acela trains.
The Airo will be made in America by Siemens Mobility, creating manufacturing jobs for workers in Sacramento, California. Initial plans are for 83 trains, with an option to add another 130 later. Routes for the Airo will include the Northeast Regional, Empire Service, Virginia Services, Keystone Service, Downeaster, Cascades, Maple Leaf, New Haven/Springfield Service, Palmetto, Carolinian, Pennsylvanian, Vermonter, Ethan Allen Express and Adirondack.
What about the existing trains? They’ll be upgraded, too.
Can Amtrak take me skiing? Sure!