Amtrak joins most major airlines in now requiring passengers to wear face masks.
The new requirement goes into effect Monday, May 11 and applies to all customers in stations, on trains and on thruway buses.
Amtrak has already significantly cut the number of trains it is operating between D.C., New York City and Boston, and on its national routes.
It is now limiting ticket sales in coach and business class to no more than 50% of capacity, though most of its trains are carrying fewer passengers than that.
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Last month, Amtrak said ridership had dropped 95% since March, though it continues to operate as an essential service.
The new face mask requirement does allow for passengers who are seated alone to remove them. The same for passengers traveling with a companion in their own pair of seats.
Small children who are not able to maintain a facial covering are exempt from the requirement.
Amtrak has also gone cashless, accepting only credit card or contactless payments in stations and on trains.
Amtrak was on track to break even for its current fiscal year, but the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on travel now means it expects to see at least a $700 million drop in its adjusted operating earnings.
