Citing an anticipated increase in demand, Amtrak will resume Acela service between D.C., New York City and Boston starting June 1. It will also increase the frequency of regular Northeast Regional service.
Acela service was suspended in late March. It will now resume with a modified schedule of three weekday round trips.
Northeast Regional frequencies will be increased from eight weekly round trips to 10, starting June 1.
“We are dedicated to doing everything possible to return service safely. We want everyone to feel comfortable as they navigate this new normal,” said Amtrak President and CEO Bill Flynn.
Amtrak will require passengers to wear face masks starting this coming Monday, though passengers who are seated alone or traveling with a companion in their own pair of seats will be allowed to remove them once seated.
Amtrak also no longer accepts cash, with credit card or contactless payments in stations and on trains.
It is limiting the number of passengers on the trains it is running to 50% capacity, though most are carrying fewer passengers than that. In April, Amtrak said ridership had dropped 95% since March.
