Amtrak Unveils Five New Onboard Health and Safety Protocols

With a “new normal,” comes a new way for consumers to travel—and with that new travel comes new standards to uphold. With a full-time medical director and public health and safety team, Amtrak has studied, analyzed and made improvements to the Amtrak travel experience.

Here are five helpful tips to keep in mind when preparing for your next Amtrak trip:

  1. Increased Amtrak App Use – To make trips contactless and encourage physical distancing at stations, Amtrak encourages boarding with eTickets, which conductors scan from the Amtrak app. To reduce crowds at departure boards, Amtrak app users can now receive gate and track information via push notification at select stations. 
  2. Limited Bookings to Socially Distance – Amtrak is limiting bookings on most trains to allow for more physical distancing in seating areas. Individuals traveling alone may use the seat next to them for personal belongings, while friends and family members will easily be able to find seats together. Likewise, private rooms, offered on many routes across the country, are another option for customers seeking privacy and space on a short trip and added comfort and amenities when traveling overnight.
  3. Requiring Face Coverings – To ensure everyone’s safety, Amtrak is requiring that all customers and employees in stations, on trains and Thruway Buses wear facial coverings throughout their trip. Face masks can be removed when customers are in their private rooms.
  4. Deep Cleaning and Sanitizing – In addition to following industry recommendations for deep cleaning and sanitizing of its trains prior to, during and after service, all trains are equipped with onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every four to five minutes. Amtrak has also removed all non-safety materials from seatback pockets to reduce exposure and will be installing hand sanitizer dispenses in café cars.
  5. Updated Dining – The onboard dining experience has been re-envisioned all in the name of safety. Signage, protective plastic barriers and markers leading up to café counters are being added to promote physical distancing and hand sanitizer dispensers are being installed for customer use. Amtrak is also streamlining its onboard food and beverage services, temporarily offering café service as carryout-only and flexible dining service on long-distance routes (with the exception of the Auto Train). While customers in private rooms are encouraged to opt for complimentary room service, dining and lounge seating will remain available on select long distance routes with physical distancing protocols in place.

Amtrak says it will continue to evaluate current practices and launch new initiatives to support personal safety.

Photo by Amtrak

Visit Amtrak.com/coronavirus.

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