Amtrak Cascades tests new train on Eugene-Seattle route

Amtrak Cascades will test its new Siemens-built Airo train between Seattle and Eugene on July 23, giving Lane County riders a first look at equipment that will anchor an eight-trainset Northwest fleet. The run will invite public sightings and photos along the route, and the broader order also includes two new locomotives and a spare cab car.

The new trainsets can seat 300 passengers, which could help on busy south-end departures out of Eugene Amtrak Station and on trips north toward Portland and Seattle.

Amtrak Cascades marked the first trainset's arrival in Seattle on May 16, 2026, after earlier testing in the East, and it was entering final testing and crew training before service. The Eugene-to-Vancouver, B.C. segment is the first part of the corridor to see the new trains in regular service, while Amtrak's timetable still lists Eugene-to-Seattle service on the route, with King Street Station in Seattle as the northern terminus.

The spare cab car and additional locomotives give Amtrak more flexibility when equipment needs maintenance, a practical issue on a corridor that depends on a small number of daily departures. Local visibility will also be high during the Lane County Fair, which opened July 22 and runs through July 26.