Currently, Bostonians’ only option for high-speed train service connecting to Manhattan and several other destinations along the Northeast corridor is the newly launched Amtrak NextGen Acela. These trains travel at speeds up to 160 miles per hour, but don’t offer coach service.
Amtrak’s Northeast Regional, which travels the same route and does offer coach service, travels at maximum speeds of 125 miles per hour, making high-speed coach rail service unavailable in America. However, in a proposed partnership with Amtrak, the privately-funded AmeriStarRail hopes to rebrand the NextGen Acelas as Libertyliner 250—a triple-class high-speed train.
The Libertyliner 250
The Libertyliner 250 is a proposed rebrand of the NextGen Acela trains. Offering this train service more frequently, will help phase out the “aging Amfleet cars,” states AmeriStarRail, that currently service coach rail transit. The name Libertyliner 250 draws inspiration from what will be America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, the suspected roll out year.
AmeriStarRail’s privately funded plan, to team with Amtrak, will be able to begin transforming Northeast Corridor service by using the 28 Alstom Avelia Liberty high-speed trainsets, bringing new features for coach, business, and first class service. AmeriStarRail operation of Amtrak Libertyliner 250 high-speed service on the Northeast Corridor will include:
- Hourly Boston to New York/Washington express service
- Free seating for kids under 18 with purchase of adult/senior ticket
- Hourly nonstop and limited service routes between New York and Washington D.C.
Coach class features
The first aim is to offer hi-speed coach service for Americans.
AmeriStarRail notes offering coach seating on these trains “will make Amtrak high-speed trains on the Northeast Corridor affordable for senior citizens, families, students and persons with disabilities to ride coach on America’s fastest trains.”
The upgrades also propose the following coach features:
- Free onboard entertainment system for music, TV and movies
- Cafe lounge with water cooler and bottle filling station
- Kid’s play area
First and business class upgrades
One of the most tantalizing upgrades for passengers are massage chairs designated for first class passengers. AmeriStarRail also proposes the following enhancements:
For business and first class passengers:
- Free shoe shines
- Onboard conference room by reservation
- Cloth headrests and travel neck pillows
- Door-to-door baggage service
For first class passengers:
- First class quiet section
- Massage chairs pads
- Onboard and metropolitan lounge massage services
About Ameristar Rail
AmeriStarRail is a private sector company planning the most dramatic transformation of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor service since America’s first high speed trains, The Metroliners, in 1969. They are the same team behind the Transcontinental Chief, a train revolutionizing travel ahead of the FIFA ’26 World Cup.
With our private investors, AmeriStarRail has proposed implementing our partnership with Amtrak as soon as possible this year to rebrand the NextGen Acela trainsets as Amtrak Libertyliners with Triple-Class service of Coach, Business and First Class seating on every high-speed train. We are planning to have all 28 Libertyliner 250 trainsets in operation on the Northeast Corridor by the Spring of 2026 so that Amtrak Libertyliners will be operating daily, every hour from 5 AM to 11 PM between Boston – New York – Washington and more frequently, including hourly nonstops, between New York and Washington, notes AmeriStarRail Chief Operating Officer, Scott Spencer.
These new trainsets could roll out as early as spring 2026, with aims of making rail travel along the Northeast corridor faster, more accessible, and glamorous.