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Amtrak cancels DC to NY nonstop Acela service, as coronavirus lowers demand

Only Acela's nonstop service will be suspended March 10 through May 26. Regular Northeast Regional trains and Acela trains with all stops will continue operation.

WASHINGTON — Amtrak suspended all nonstop Acela service between New York City and the nation's capital beginning Tuesday, extending the suspension of the route's three nonstop Acela trains through May 26.

Regular Acela service with stops in D.C., New York, and the largest cities in between, will not be impacted. The rail operator cited reduced demand from coronavirus as the reason for suspending trains which exclusively serve D.C. and New York.

"As we are experiencing some reduced demand for our service, we are making temporary adjustments to our schedule, such as removing train cars or canceling trains when there is a convenient alternative with a similar schedule that will have minimal impact to customers," Amtrak said in a statement.

WATCH: What is Metro doing to protect their riders from coronavirus?

So, what happens if you already purchased a ticket for a trip that falls in that time period? If your reservation was purchased before April 30, Amtrak has suspended the usual change fees for those who need to switch plans.

Amtrak is just one of many transportation hubs around the District that are prepping for the virus's impact. Metro upgraded it's Pandemic Task Force to Phase 2 on Friday, the same day that Amtrak announced it's cancellations. 

For those who are wanting to change their reservations and check the status of their Amtrak ride, please visit their website.

RELATED: Metro activates special pandemic task force, aims to protect riders against coronavirus

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