Amtrak tempting travellers with free Wi-Fi access

21st January, 2010 by adina
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Commuter train operator Amtrak has said, a few days ago, to offer free Wi-Fi service (at least for the beginning) on its Acela trains carrying passengers between Boston, New York and Washington. This is the latest move made by the company in order to entice business travellers to use the train instead of flying. The announced service will launch in March.

The Acela express of Amtrak makes 2 hours and 50 minutes from New York to Washington, which would mean uninterrupted internet access, while a flight on the same route would require the users to turn off their devices during takeoffs and landings. The company’s plans are to add this service to Northeast regional trains next and eventually to others than the East Coast.

Cliff Cole, spokesperson of Amtrak, says that offering an alternative to East Coast flights from Delta and US Airways is only a part of the reason for introducing this new service, as the rail operator is trying to find new ways to bring more customers and increased profits.

When the free service will stop and what it will cost afterwards is still unknown, but the price may be close to what Delta airlines is currently charging. Flights under 1.5 hours add fees under $5, while $13 is the fee for flights longer than three hours. Owners of Wi-Fi devices, such as smartphones, are charged about $8.


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