With Increased Demand and Congressional Funding, Amtrak Restores 12 Long Distance Routes to Daily Service

Slated to debut this summer, new schedules offer the most departures since June 2020

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Mar 10, 2021, 17:30 ET

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its COVID-19 recovery efforts, Amtrak announces full restoration of daily service for 12 long distance routes following pandemic-related schedule reductions in 2020. Providing customers significantly more departures for the upcoming summer travel season, the new schedule has been updated on all Amtrak reservation systems, including Amtrak.com and the Amtrak app.

Due to COVID relief funding, Amtrak will sustain and restore operations and recall the more than 1,200 furloughed employees through the remainder of FY21 and into FY22. The funding is pending President Biden's signature on the final bill.

"Offering daily long distance service represents a vital step in our road to recovery," said Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn. "Recognizing the immense value of our employees, we'd like to thank Congress for enabling service restoration and helping us recall furloughed employees."

The daily schedules will commence in May 2021 and be grouped into three phases:

May 24

May 31

June 7

California Zephyr

(Chicago – Omaha – Denver – Salt Lake City – San Francisco)

Capitol Limited

(Washington DC – Pittsburgh – Cleveland – Chicago)

Crescent

(New York – Washington DC – Atlanta – New Orleans)

Coast Starlight

(Seattle – Portland – Sacramento – Oakland – Los Angeles

City of New Orleans

(Chicago – Memphis – Jackson – New Orleans)

Palmetto

(New York – Washington DC – Charleston – Savannah)

Empire Builder

(Chicago – St. Paul-Minneapolis – Spokane – Portland/Seattle)

Lake Shore Limited

(New York/Boston – Albany – Buffalo – Chicago)

Silver Meteor

(New York – Savannah – Jacksonville – Orlando – Miami)

Texas Eagle

(Chicago – St. Louis – Dallas – San Antonio – Los Angeles)

Southwest Chief

(Chicago – Kansas City – Albuquerque – Los Angeles)

Silver Star

(New York – Raleigh – Jacksonville – Orlando – Tampa – Miami)

Destinations listed above do not represent an exhaustive list of all route stops

All destinations and scheduled departure/arrival times served by the long distance network will be maintained. Additionally, Amtrak will continue to operate the Auto Train daily and the Cardinal and Sunset Limited trains tri-weekly, as it has been done historically.

The schedule restoration is a critical part of Amtrak's strategy for investing in long distance service. Other components include:

The debut of the new Viewliner II sleeping cars on the Silver Service, the first addition to the Amtrak sleeper fleet in over two decades
Upgraded bedding, towels and linens in private rooms aboard the Auto Train, with additional routes rolling out starting in summer
Fully-refreshed Amfleet II cars for Coach class routes along East Coast, including new seating cushions, carpets, curtains and LED reading lights
Multi-year interior refresh program for Superliner and Viewliner I equipment—including new seating cushions, carpet and curtains—beginning to enter service this summer
New Amtrak ALC-42 diesel-electric locomotives with higher performance and lower emissions will begin to replace the current long distance engine fleet this year
Improved lounge experience for all private room customers—including the debut of the Metropolitan Lounge in the Moynihan Train Hall at New York Penn Station
Enhancements to the Auto Train customer experience

From New York City to the California coast; from Florida beaches to the Sierra Nevada; and from the Windy City to heart of the Big Easy, Amtrak's world-famous long distance routes offer countless itineraries to over 500 destinations from coast to coast. Customers traveling aboard these trains can expect the following:

Private Rooms: For a truly unique experience, private rooms offer the perfect option for customers seeking privacy and space on a short trip and added comfort and amenities when traveling overnight. All customers traveling in private rooms enjoy complimentary lounge access in stations and meals onboard. Amtrak recently launched the addition of private rooms on select Northeast Regional trains operating overnight between Washington, D.C., New York and Boston.
Best Baggage Policy in Travel: Customers can bring up to two checked bags, two carry-on bags and two personal items, free.
Destination: National Parks Amtrak offers access to and through several U.S. National Parks, including Glacier National Park and Harpers Ferry. Amtrak Vacations also offers numerous National Parks-themed packages to choose from.
Several Ways to Save: Saver Fares are available on each route and customers can save 20% over the standard Coach fare when booked 14 days in advance. Kids ride for 50% off every day while seniors can save 10%. Customers can be among the first to learn about upcoming flash sales and other ways to save by subscribing to emails from Amtrak Guest Rewards or following @Amtrak on social media.

Visit Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app for more information on schedules and fares. For information on enhanced COVID safety measures, please visit Amtrak.com/coronavirus.

About Amtrak®
For 50 years, Amtrak has connected America and transformed transportation by modernizing train travel, and building for the future. Amtrak will continue to play an important role in the national transportation network for the next 50 years and beyond by operating a safe, environmentally efficient and fiscally responsible business by providing travelers with an experience that sets a new standard. Book travel, check train status, access your eTicket and more through the Amtrak app. Learn more at Amtrak.com and connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Amtrak