Airo train service to begin on Amtrak Cascades route

WHATCOM COUNTY, Wash. — National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) announced 2 Airo trainsets will enter passenger service on the Amtrak Cascades route beginning September 30, 2026.

The Amtrak Cascades route stops in Bellingham with trains heading north to Vancouver, BC and south to Seattle and Eugene, Oregon.

According to a recent Amtrak news release, the rollout represents the first phase of Airo trainset operations between Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Oregon and Eugene. Additional Airo trainsets are scheduled to enter service through early 2027, replacing the existing Amtrak Cascades fleet.

Amtrak ordered 8 Airo trainsets, 2 locomotives and 1 spare cab car for the Amtrak Cascades route. The trainsets are manufactured by Siemens Mobility in the US using components from 100 suppliers across 31 states.

According to Amtrak, the Airo trainsets include:

more than 300 seats per trainset
seating with adjustable headrests
windows, lighting and interiors
improved wi-fi, power outlets and USB ports
digital customer information displays
automated steps, wayfinding and 6 restrooms with touchless controls
food and beverage service

In comparison, the recently used Amfleet I/II and Horizon railcars seat between 50 and 80 per railcar with 6 to 8 car trainsets. Those railcars are separate and have unsealed gangways between the cars. The Airo trainsets are semi-permanently coupled with sealed gangways which reportedly reduce noise and drafts from outside air.

Airo seats are approximately 1.5-inches narrower and use slimline ergonomic polyurethane instead of foam padding. When reclining, the seat back does not tilt backwards. Instead, the seat bottom slides forward and the seat back tilts without moving into the personal space of the passenger sitting behind the seat.

The September 30, 2026, schedule includes the following 4 daily trips. Northbound trains 516 and 518 and southbound trains 517 and 519 stop in Bellingham.

Northbound

Train 516: departing Seattle for Vancouver, British Columbia, from about 8:30am to about 12:30pm
Train 508: departing Eugene for Seattle from about 4:30pm to about 10:50pm

Southbound

Train 503: departing Seattle for Eugene from about 7:10am to about 1:50pm
Train 519: departing Vancouver, British Columbia, for Seattle from about 4:45pm to about 9:10pm

26 cars were removed from service on the Amtrak Cascades northbound and southbound route in March 2025 as part of a national removal of equipment after inspections of railcars discovered corrosion and additional areas of concern.

The Amtrak Cascades route is the first in the nation to receive the trainsets according to Amtrak. Amtrak announced the next planned deployment will occur on northeast regional routes in late 2027.