NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Amtrak said Saturday that it is canceling its nonstop Acela service between New York and Washington as cases continue to rise in the New York area and beyond.
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The rail company said in a statement that nonstop service will be suspended Tuesday, a suspension that will continue through May 26, 2020. Nonstop Acela service was launched just last fall.
“As we are experiencing some reduced demand for our service, we are making temporary adjustments to our schedule, such as removing train cars or cancelling trains when there is a convenient alternative with a similar schedule that will have minimal impact to customers,” Amtrak said.
In addition to suspending nonstop Acela service, Amtrak said it’s doing away with change fees on reservations made through April 30, 2020.
“While there are no current travel restrictions on Amtrak, we understand customers may have concerns,” Amtrak said. “As a valued customer, we are waiving change fees on all existing or new reservations made before April 30, 2020. We will adjust this policy as necessary.”
Amtrak said it’s also enhancing cleaning protocols on its trains, increasing supplies of antibacterial products for customers and employees, and reinforcing good hygiene practices on trains.