WASHINGTON, D.C.–Amtrak is taking the next step forward in high-speed rail for the United States on Aug. 28 when it debuts the NextGen Acela service, with trains that can reach speeds of 160 mph.

That’s 10 mph faster than the top speed of the original Acela Express service, introduced 25 years ago.

What does it mean for Westporters?

The closest Acela stops to Westport are at the Stamford and New Haven stations. The service covers the busy Northeast Corridor from Washington D.C. to Boston, including New York City. (Amtrak’s Northeast Regional and Vermonter services stop in Bridgeport, but the Acela does not.)

Evolution of travel

“NextGen Acela is more than a new train—it’s an evolution of travel,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said in a release. “In just a few weeks, history will be made with the debut of NextGen Acela as we launch a new standard for American train travel.”

The new trains will offer 27 percent more seats. At first, five NextGen Acela trainsets will make the runs. By 2027, 28 new trains are scheduled to enter service.

Amtrak has not said how much quicker the ride will be than the current Acela service.

“We are making final schedule adjustments in preparation for the entry of the NextGen Acela trainsets into the fleet,” Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams wrote in an email to Westport Journal.

Improvement on four hours / two hours

Under current schedules, the fastest Acela runs between Stamford and Washington D.C. are 3 hours, 52 minutes. Between New Haven and Boston, the fastest runs are two hours even.

Abrams did not respond to questions in emails and a phone message about where Acela trains can reach top speed and how much of the 457-mile route can be covered that way.

The trains reach top speed only on some sections of the route in New Jersey, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, according to news reports. A tilting technology, employed by Acela from the start, allows the trains to maintain greater speed around curves.

US trains lag Chinese trains

Trains in the United States have a long way to go to catch up with the speeds seen in some other countries. The fastest high-speed service is the Shanghai Maglev in China, with its operating speed of 268 mph. The fastest conventional trains – running on wheels on rails instead of magnetic levitation – also operate in China, reaching speeds of 217 mph.

But the Acela offers perks beyond speed that Amtrak promises will offer “an elevated experience,” with free, high-speed 5G-enabled Wi-Fi, as well as individual power outlets and reading lights. They include expanded food choices and cart service.