Amtrak on Feb. 10 showcased the first new Airo trainset from Siemens Mobility at Union Station in Washington, D.C. It features the Amtrak Cascades evergreen, cream, and mocha color scheme and Cascade Range mountain graphics.
Amtrak President Roger Harris (pictured above, second from right), USDOT Deputy Transportation Secretary and Amtrak Board Member Steve Bradbury (second from left), FRA Administrator David Fink (far right), and Siemens Mobility CEO Tobias Bauer (far left) attended the event (watch below).
The first of the 83 Airo trainsets—ordered in 2021 and 2023 and funded as a part of the federal Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act—are slated to enter revenue service on the Amtrak Cascades route, which serves 18 stations across the Pacific Northwest between Seattle, Wash.; Portland, Ore.; Vancouver, B.C.; and Eugene, Ore., according to “America’s Railroad.” Siemens is expected to finish manufacturing all eight Cascades trainsets this year at its Sacramento, Calif., plant.
The first Cascades trainset left the plant July 22, 2025, and wrapped up testing in Pueblo, Colo., in October before officially heading to the Northeast Corridor (NEC) for additional testing.
Airo trainsets will also be deployed in the coming years on the Northeast Regional, Empire Service, Amtrak Virginia Services, Keystone Service, Amtrak Downeaster, Maple Leaf, New Haven-Springfield-Greenfield Service, Palmetto, Carolinian, Pennsylvanian, Vermonter, Ethan Allen Express, and Adirondack routes.
According to Amtrak, the first trainsets for the Northeast Regional will complete production and begin testing this year, with revenue service expected to start in 2027.
Collectively, the 83 trainsets, valued at $3.909 billion, “will form the backbone of a modernized Amtrak network—expanding capacity, improving reliability, and enhancing the end-to-end travel experience for customers across the country,” Amtrak said. The final new Airo trainset is anticipated to enter service in 2031/2032.
Each trainset will seat more than 300 riders, offer “large and sturdy” tray tables, cushioned headrests, water bottle holders, and seatback tablet holders; panoramic windows and additional table seating; a redesigned café car, which for Cascades service will feature “local Northwest favorite foods including beer, wine, and spirits along with some self-service food options”; and amenities such as individual outlets, USB ports, free onboard Wi-Fi, “enhanced” lighting, digital customer information displays, automated steps, and touchless restroom controls.
The introduction of the new Airo trainsets follows the rollout of NextGen Acela, which entered NEC service last August and served more than 60,000 riders in the first month.
“Together, these new trainsets signal a fundamental shift in how Amtrak serves customers—reshaping the travel experience today while laying the foundation for long-term growth,” Amtrak said.
Further Reading:
- Airo Trainsets Prepare for Shipment (part of Transit Briefs)
- Amtrak King Street Yard Upgrade Under Way
- Production of Amtrak Airo
Trains ‘Boosting Business Nationwide’ - Amtrak Orders 10 Additional Airo Trainsets
- OIG Releases Audit Report on Amtrak Intercity Trainset Program
- First Look: Amtrak Airo
- From Siemens: Amtrak’s Next-Gen Trainsets
- OIG to Amtrak: Improved Facilities Planning Needed to Support New Trains
- NextGen Acela Inaugural Run Impressions
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