Amtrak has confirmed that its new Airo trains will enter service later this year, but they will not be ready in time for the Fifa World Cup. The first eight Airo trainsets will operate on the Amtrak Cascades route, linking Eugene and Portland in Oregon with Vancouver, British Columbia, the northern terminus.
Key stations on the corridor include Seattle, Centralia, Olympia, Tacoma, Everett, Mount Vernon and Bellingham. The Airo replaces the Talgo Series 8 trainset and introduces features such as digital screens showing speed, stops and connections, automated boarding steps for improved accessibility at mixed-height platforms, and touchless restroom controls.
Amtrak says the Airo is more fuel efficient and produces significantly less air pollution. Like its predecessor, it offers seat power, wi-fi, panoramic windows and an onboard café. The Airo has a top speed of 125mph, compared with the Talgo's 124mph, though the fastest Cascades service currently operates at just 79mph due to track restrictions and freight traffic.
Amtrak described the Airo as "part of our bold transformation in passenger rail". Ron Pate, Director of Washington State Department of Transportation's Rail, Freight and Ports Division, said: "Amtrak Cascades is eager to welcome new trains to our scenic 18-city route linking Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. Their arrival will herald a new generation of train travel in the Pacific Northwest."
A total of 83 Airo trainsets will be introduced across the US, beginning with Amtrak Cascades and followed by the Northeast Regional and other key routes. The rollout follows the launch of Amtrak's 160mph tilting Acela trains on the Northeast Corridor, which runs from Washington DC's Union Station to Boston via Philadelphia, New York Penn Station, New Haven and Providence. Acela features include cafe cars, high-speed 5G-enabled wi-fi, in-seat USB ports and plug sockets, individual reading lights, winged headrests and seat covers made from recycled leather.
This article was amended on 20 January 2026 to correct an earlier report that the new trains would debut in time for the World Cup.
