Amtrak expands Acela service

A worker takes a photo of a scale model of the next generation high speed Amtrak train after an unveiling event at Amtrak’s Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station on Aug. 26, 2016 in Wilmington, Del.  (AFP PHOTO / Brendan Smialowski)

Amtrak is expanding its popular Acela service, offering more options for weekend travelers beginning this month.

The additional service between Washington, D.C. and Boston, will include an additional Sunday train. Acela schedules also will be adjusted to add more Saturday morning departures and Sunday evening departures.

Amtrak officials said the additional train service is the result of customer requests.

“Acela Express has long been the preferred premium choice for travelers between Washington, New York and Boston,” said Mark Yachmetz, Amtrak’s vice president of Northeast Corridor business development in a release announcing the new service. “Our responsibility is to listen to our customers and continually improve our product to make sure Amtrak is always recognized as a smarter way to travel.”

The increased service will begin Saturday.

The expansion is a part of a push to improve service along the busy rail corridor. In October, the passenger rail service received a $2.45 billion loan to purchase 28 new Acela trains. The money also will pay for improvements to tracks and stations along the Northeast Corridor.