Regional is Amtrak's service between Newport News, Virginia and Boston, Massachusetts. It was also known as NortheastDirect and Acela Regional. Amtrak removed the "Acela" from the name due to mass confusion by passengers with the high speed Acela Express. There is frequent daily service. Most trains are unreserved. Most have Business Class and a Café Car. Trains run all hours of the day. One train, The Federal, used to provide late-night/early morning service between Washington and Boston, giving the corridor 24 hour service.

The nightly round-trip between Boston and Washignton was until recently known as The Federal.

Trains are usually 3 to 10 cars long, with an electric locomotive pulling at the head end between Boston and Washington. The electric locomotives are AEM7 class, built 1978-1987 with 7000 horsepower (5.2 MW), or an Acela HHP-8 built 1999-2002, with 8000 horsepower (6 MW). Diesel engines are used between Washington and Newport News. The cars are Amfleet I and II series passenger cars built by the Budd Company in the mid to late 1970s. At least several of the cars are coaches, one or two may be Business Class, and there is one Café Car (sometimes two).

There is frequent service between Washington-New York City and Washington-Boston throughout the day. There is some service to Springfield, Massachusetts, either through to Washington or via a connection at New Haven, Connecticut. Some trains go as far south as Richmond or Newport News, Virginia.

Travel times are approximately four hours from Newport News to Washington, two hours from Washington to Philadelphia, one and a half hours from Philadelphia to New York, and four hours from New York to Boston.

Until 1999, service to Springfield continued east to Boston, for an alternate Inland Route. One weekend train stayed along this route until the latest schedule.[1]

Classes of service

• Coach class: This class has large, comfortable seats with reading lamps and folding tables. This class is unreserved.
• Business Class: Seating with extra legroom, and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are available. Reservations are required.
• First Class was formerly offered on NortheastDirect trains but is no longer available on Regional trains. It is now exclusively on Metroliner and Acela Express trains.

Stations

For stations between Boston and Washington, see Northeast Corridor.

For stations between Springfield and New Haven, see Vermonter.

For stations between Washington and Richmond Staples Mill Road, see Silver Service and Palmetto.

External links

• Amtrak - Regional