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After traveling on Amtrak’s new Aero trains, travel writers praised the cabin design, seat comfort, and dining convenience upgrades, but also criticized the lack of real-time location and arrival time displays.
Tristin Hoffman, travel columnist for Business Insider, said she has been a frequent Amtrak rider for four years and often takes the train across the Pacific Northwest, passing lush pastures, blue rivers and endless forests. Although he loves the scenery along the way, he has always been disappointed by the old Amtrak trains. So, when Amtrak recently launched new trains, she booked a ticket in hopes of experiencing the difference right away. These new trains named Aero will replace the existing Cascade trains. Amtrak plans to launch 83 sets of Aero Trains in the United States, and the Cascades will continue to operate until early 2027.
Although Hoffman pointed out thatoregon A round-trip ticket between Eugene and Portland costs $34 and travel time is just over two hours and 30 minutes, which is the same as normal, but he is impressed by some of the new features, except that one major service is missing.
Hoffman said that when she stepped onto the train, she was struck by the modern design, which was a stark contrast to the older trains. The cabin is brightly lit and projected onto streamlined gray walls. The smell of new leather makes the journey a bit luxurious.
While sitting in the ordinary vehicle, Hoffman noticed that there was plenty of storage space. Some larger luggage racks can be raised to make room for bicycles. Additionally, there are dedicated storage spaces to help keep aisles clear and prevent carry-on luggage from getting blocked in transit.
The seats on the Aero trains are ergonomically designed, and Hoffman said his back received better support during the nearly three-hour journey. She found that she was not changing sitting positions as frequently as usual and was able to take a peaceful nap.
Hoffman said that when she saw the Elke water dispenser on the train, she couldn’t stop herself from taking a second look. This can be said to be a big upgrade compared to the small taps of older trains and is especially practical for long-distance journeys.
In addition, train doors and restroom doors are equipped with contactless control devices to ensure that the train and passengers feel hygienic.
Amtrak said the Cascades food car menu was updated in June to include ingredients from throughout the Pacific Northwest. Hoffman chose an Italian sandwich, a Twix chocolate bar and a can of Sprite, for a total of $14.50.
Hoffman said he didn’t notice any major differences in the menu or the quality of the sandwiches compared to previous visits, but the food was certainly delicious. She also likes the self-service refrigerators and to-go options that make the whole process quick and convenient.
Hoffman said his biggest frustration with traveling was not knowing where the train was running or whether it was delayed.
Although she could access this information through an app, she hoped that Aero Trains would display their location and estimated arrival time on the screen, like airplanes.
