Trying to decide whether to take a shuttle flight, bus or train from the Big Apple to the capital (or vice versa)?

Amtrak is aiming to make the train more competitive, announcing its new Acela Nonstop direct service between Washington's Union Station and New York's Penn Station beginning Sept. 23 with tickets on sale Thursday.

“The new Acela Nonstop service will have you halfway to your New York City or DC destination in the time it would take you to board a flight,” said Amtrak President & CEO Richard Anderson in a press release.

The new nonstop service uses the same train as Amtrak's current Acela fleet, which can hit speeds of 150 mph. Its top speed between New York City and Washington is 135 mph.

The nonstop trip will take approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes each way. Initially, only weekday service will be offered with the single southbound train departing New York at 6:35 a.m. and arriving in Washington at 9:10 a.m. and the northbound train departing Washington at 4:30 p.m. and arriving in New York at 7:05 p.m.

Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams told USA TODAY its nonstop service is 15 minutes faster than the average Acela train on the route, which make stops at stations in between. He noted that passengers at stations between New York and Washington may see benefits from the nonstop service because capacity will be freed up on other trains by those who opt to take the new nonstop service.

After the nonstop train service launches, Amtrak will weigh the potential for expansion and higher frequency. In its 2018 fiscal year, New York Penn Station and Washington Union Station were Amtrak’s top two busiest stations across its national network.