This summer, if all goes well, Amtrak will roll out the first clutch of trains in its shiny new Airo fleet, an $8 billion project that the company hopes will usher in a more modern, comfortable and accessible age of rail travel.
It’s a big order, in many ways.
In August, the company launched the NextGen Acela, an upgrade of the high-speed train that, when it launched in December 2000, offered travelers a racehorse alternative to the workhorses along the Northeast Corridor.
For the Airo fleet, the company ordered 73 trains from Siemens in June 2021 and later added 10 more. Eight six-car trains will serve the Cascades route, which runs from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Eugene, Oregon. Next in line is the Northeast Corridor. The remainder of trains will hit the tracks from North Carolina to Maine, including routes in New York state and Pennsylvania, Amtrak President Roger Harris said at a Tuesday preview at Union Station in Washington, D.C. The company said it plans to integrate Airo into Northeast Regional service in 2027.
Amtrak executives said the project is on budget and on schedule.
The timing of Airo is opportune. Amtrak said ridership has been steadily climbing over the last three years. A record 34.5 million travelers logged trips last year, a 5.1 percent increase over 2024.
“The Airo fleet will set a higher standard for regional and inner city travel, replacing trains that are up to 50 years old,” Harris said. “Our North Star for this whole project can be summarized in two words: the customer.”
If the customer experience truly was the company’s guiding light, did Amtrak succeed? During a sneak peek of the train, we reclined seats, unfolded tray tables and nearly performed cartwheels in the bathroom to determine whether Airo is really built for us.
Green is the new silver
With its forest green and bark brown exterior, Airo evokes the woodsy landscape and outdoorsy lifestyle of the Pacific Northwest. The image of a snowy mountain is open for interpretation: Is it Mount Hood, Mount Rainier or Grouse Mountain — or all of the above?
Though the interior isn’t plaid flannel, the color palette is soothing with a touch of hygge. The seats are the light gray of a brightening overcast sky. A pop of green peeks out from behind the headrest like a Douglas fir treetop rising between buildings. The tables and trays resemble the blond wood hue popularized by Scandinavian designers.
The aesthetic is unique to the Cascades, however. Amtrak executives said the trains on the East Coast will stick to the standard tricolor of red, white and blue.
Upgraded seats
The train feels more spacious and filled with light, thanks to taller ceilings and large panoramic windows. Travelers can enjoy a full of view of the passing landscape, not the truncated scenery of the old bifurcated window design.
The seats — 317 total on a six-car train, with 72 in each coach car and 50 in business class — are not as cushy or wide as the older models. You won’t sink into them, but on the plus side, you’ll have better posture.
The small, thoughtful touches really shine. The tray table components intuit a traveler’s ever-changing wants and needs. You can pull out the small shelf and watch a movie on your gadget, accompanied by a beverage stored between sips in a separate cup holder. For a meal and a movie, you can employ the full tray plus the ledge with a latch that holds a tablet in place. A personal light attached to the seat keeps the cone of illumination on you and not slumbering passengers. Best of all, each seat has its own outlet in the middle console, so no more bugging your window-seat neighbor for some juice.
Being on the receiving end of a reclining passenger can quickly lower your quality of travel. Problem solved. The seats slide forward, not back, so you don’t infringe on anyone’s personal space except your own.
Accessible corridors and seat configurations
The Airo pushes accessibility to the forefront, from sweeping design changes to the smallest details, such as adjustable tables and braille seat numbers.
“All of our new trains are highly accessible, and we’re spending $2 billion on making our stations more accessible,” Harris said. “It’s really a core theme for Amtrak.”
Starting with the boarding process, coach cars are equipped with integrated wheelchair lifts, which are essential for navigating low-level platforms. Once on board, travelers with mobility issues can move more fluidly through “accessible corridors,” which at 32 inches are wider than standard passageways. The entryways and bathrooms offer a 60-inch radius of turning space, ample enough to rotate a wheelchair, according to Amtrak.
The new seat configurations cater to individuals who use mobility devices. For instance, by the bathrooms, a window seat paired with an open aisle “seat” can accommodate a passenger traveling with a wheelchair and a companion; it also provides extra room if they wish to transfer to the seat. Two large buttons — one to call for assistance, another for the light — are within easy reach. One seating arrangement can accommodate two people in wheelchairs, with a table between them for a picnic purchased in the cafe car or delivered by a food cart.
A bathroom you’ll want to use
Normally, I’d rather abstain from beverages for the entire train trip than use the on board outhouse — I, mean, restroom. The Airo’s facilities, by comparison, are pure luxury.
First, you could hold a dance party inside the spacious lavatory. All of the features are touchless, so you will no longer have to flush the toilet with your foot or close the door with your elbow.
Set against an entire wall, the baby changing table allows parents to switch out diapers without having to torque their bodies. In a touch of civility, a little shelf holds small bags and comes with three hooks for coats or other hanging accessories. There are several hand grips, in case the train jostles while you are taking care of business. In case of emergency, you can “press” the call button.
Dining in . . . your seat
The cafe car is strictly for ordering. With no tables, the message is to grab your goodies and go back to your seat.
Amtrak said the menu, still a work in progress, will incorporate regional flavors and brands. I didn’t see any salmon or Stumptown coffee in the sample cantina, but I did notice Tim’s Cascade-Style Potato Chips, Bob’s Red Mill oatmeal and Alki Bakery Cinnamon Rolls and grilled chicken Caesar salad.
A service cart is also in development, though Amtrak could not say whether passengers will be able to order the items on an app or during the cart’s rounds.
One of the nicest additions to the railway’s food-and-beverage scene are the filtered water dispensers, a staple in airports. The refillable bottle service, which pairs well with the renovated restrooms, is an amenity I would use without hesitation.
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