Amtrak says it has taken additional steps to ensure cleanliness and safety for those traveling during the coronavirus pandemic.
The details come ahead of the holiday travel season, with many areas encouraging people to limit their Thanksgiving plans.
Amtrak says it is following industry recommendations for deep cleaning and sanitizing trains before service, with additional cleaning en route to disinfect restrooms and frequently-touched surfaces.
“Amtrak is delivering a new standard of travel, we have enhanced cleaning and safety protocols in place,” spokesperson Kimberly Brown told WTOP. “We want to give customers peace of mind that they’re going to travel in comfort and safety.”
The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health assisted Amtrak in with coming up with improvements to trains for the safety and health of its customers.
“Amtrak has several partnerships, including with George Washington University, and it’s helping Amtrak strengthen and reinforce our comprehensive disinfection protocols for trains and on stations,” Brown said.
New efforts include simplifying the travel experience for customers, limiting bookings, requiring face masks at all times, increasing signage to promote distancing and more.
“All Amtrak trains are equipped with onboard filtration systems, with the fresh air exchange rate of every four to five minutes,” Brown added. “So, with the face covering requirement, the physical distancing, the limiting of the bookings, there are a lot of protocols in place that will allow us to keep customers safe and healthy this year.”
In addition, Amtrak says it is enhancing its cleaning and disinfection measures through a partnership with RB, the makers of Lysol.
WTOP’s Luke Lukert contributed to this story.
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