Is Amtrak's NextGen Acela High-Speed Train Living Up To The Hype? Here's What Riders Say

The NextGen Acela might be America's answer to Japan's famous bullet trains. "Might" being the operative word. Amtrak is betting big on high-speed rail, and on August 28, 2025, the shiny NextGen finally rolled out of the station. The long-awaited train promised to rocket passengers along the northeast rail corridor more comfortably than ever. Amtrak claims the Acela sets "a new standard for American train travel." The first passengers have already put it to the test. Here's the word on the rails.

One of the big selling points is "a smoother, quieter ride, even at 160 mph." On this front, the Acela is (kind of) living up to its promises. Riders pretty much universally agree that the trip is the smoothest they've had on Amtrak. Several note it's noticeably quieter, too. Another advantage is that traveling by train can be cheaper than going by plane. So far, so good for Amtrak.

But is the train actually super-fast? The NextGens are supposed to reach 160 miles per hour and crush it on curves, thanks to the tilt system. But according to several passengers, ride times are currently longer than for the older generation. As user beurrybread put it on Reddit's r/Amtrak forum: "We're on the Next Gen from NYP—BOS and it's the slowest Acela of the day." Ouch! Hopefully train speeds will increase, though the number of curves on the track means it'll be hard for the Acela to hit top speed over long stretches.

The new Acela is supposed to be a comfortable ride. But the seats are stirring up plenty of debate. While some riders say they're comfortable enough, many claim they're stiff and unforgiving. But the recline is getting the most flak. Travelers report everything from being unable to budge the seats an inch to being stuck in permanent lounge mode.

On top of that, many aren't sold on the sliding-forward design, which pushes you closer to the tray table instead of leaning you back. The advantage of this is that no one can encroach on your legroom. However, at tables where seats face each other, passengers knees end up colliding. Awkward. Only business and first class seating are available, but many say that first class isn't much of an upgrade in terms of looks or comfort.

Beyond the seats, onboard experiences are mixed. Travelers report that on some trains, the mechanism to open the doors didn't work, forcing staff to use emergency overrides at each stop. We're not sure if that's funny or a little worrying. WiFi coverage is patchy: fantastic for some travelers and disappointing for others. Even the cup holders are causing controversy: Some love them, others complain they only hold tapered coffee cups and not soda cans (a European design quirk, according to The Transit Guy). So, does the NextGen Acela live up to the hype? Not yet. But if Amtrak learns from this bumpy launch, the rollout of its planned bullet train from Los Angeles to Las Vegas should be smooth sailing.