Amtrak makes free wireless part of Acela service, promises expansion

Amtrak makes free wireless part of Acela service

WASHINGTON — Free wireless will become a standard service for passengers on Amtrak’s Acela Express trains.

Amtrak made the announcement Tuesday. It follows a three-month trial run in which all 20 of Amtrak’s Acela Express cars provided free service.

Amtrak says about 115,000 passengers per month have used the service, or about 39 percent of ridership. It plans to expand the wireless service to other routes starting in the late fall of 2010.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the Acela Express train service, which began operating in 2000. The trains make the trip from Washington to Boston in about six and a half hours, about an hour and a half faster than regional trains.

Online:

Amtrak: www.amtrak.com