First look: Inside Amtrak's new Acela Express trains

Nancy Trejos | USA TODAY

Amtrak will introduce a new Acela Express fleet on its popular Northeast Corridor in 2021.

The new trains, which Amtrak gave a first look at on Wednesday, will provide a smoother and more comfortable ride.

The interiors will have more spacious leather seats with lighting, electrical outlets and USB ports. Each seat will have dual tray tables with a large and small option.

Seatbacks will have handles to help travelers walk through the train.

Each train car will have six LED screens to provide real time information such as location, train speed and conductor announcements.

Other amenities will include Wi-Fi and an advanced seat reservation system. Overhead luggage compartments will be streamlined. Bathrooms will be large and ADA-compliant with a 60-inch diameter turning radius.

“The next generation of Acela trains will set a new standard for rail service in the U.S., providing our customers with a superior travel experience,” Caroline Decker, vice president of the Amtrak Northeast Corridor Service Line, said in a written statement.

The new trainsets will accommodate 386 passengers, an increase of about 30 percent.

Amtrak got the feedback of customers to design the new trains.

The prototype of the new trainsets, which is in production at Alstom’s manufacturing plant in Hornell, New York, will be ready in 2019.

Amtrak will begin rolling out the completed trains in 2021, with all the trains in service by the end of 2022. In the meantime, Amtrak is investing $4 million in a refresh of interiors of the Acela Express trains currently in service.

Amtrak has made other improvements to its service in recent months, including new food and beverage menus.