by Donald Wood
Last updated: 5:00 PM ET, Wed November 1, 2017
As the travel world prepares for the busy Thanksgiving travel period, rail company Amtrak is getting ready to accommodate the surge of holiday travelers with additional trains and capacity.
Despite operating every available passenger railcar, customers who will be hitting the rails for Thanksgiving are encouraged to plan ahead and book tickets early, as tickets are expected to sell out quickly.
The Amtrak Acela Express services running between Boston and Washington, D.C., as well as the Northeast Regional services running between Boston and Washington, D.C./Virginia, will operate extended schedules with additional frequencies and capacity during the week of Thanksgiving.
In addition, Amtrak will utilize extra trains in Downstate Illinois and Michigan with additional capacity on other Midwest routes. Since space will be limited on the Hiawatha Service during the holidays, a reservation will be required to travel between November 21-27
Many Amtrak customers around the United States will be able to enjoy newly-refreshed train cars during the holiday travel period, as the company has invested nearly $17 million to upgrade its fleet.
Several services are also undergoing a series of improvements, including new seat cushions, carpeting, curtains and refreshed restrooms to provide a more comfortable experience.
In 2016, Amtrak carried 760,755 customers across the U.S. during the Thanksgiving travel period, and the rail company is expecting similar numbers this year.
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