Amtrak yesterday placed the first Airo trains in its national network into service on the Amtrak Cascades corridor, which links Vancouver, Canada, with Seattle, Portland and Eugene. Two trainsets will initially operate four daily services and will progressively replace the current fleet as additional units are delivered.
Designed specifically for the Pacific Northwest, the trains offer more than 300 seats per trainset, panoramic windows, improved lighting, ergonomic seats with adjustable headrests, free Wi-Fi, individual power sockets, USB-C ports and digital passenger-information displays. They belong to the Siemens Venture family, and the contract for the first 73 trains was awarded in July 2021.
Accessibility has also been enhanced through dedicated spaces for passengers with reduced mobility, automatic steps, improved wayfinding systems and six accessible toilets with touchless controls. The onboard café service will also offer products inspired by regional cuisine.
The first services are trains 516, 508, 503 and 519, operating between Seattle, Vancouver and Eugene. Amtrak identifies these trainsets with a ‘New Train’ tag on its website and mobile app. Washington State’s Department of Transportation highlighted that Cascades is the first US corridor to receive Airo trains.