Avelia Liberty, also known as the Acela II,[2] is a tilting high-speed passenger train built for the North American market by French manufacturer Alstom and assembled in the United States.

As of December 2024[update], the trains were undergoing testing and were expected to enter passenger service in spring 2025,[3] but a firm start date has not yet been announced.

[4] In August 2016, Amtrak announced a $2.4 billion loan from the United States Department of Transportation for the purchase of new high-speed train sets for the Acela service from Alstom.

[23] On January 13, 2024, Amtrak announced that after thirteen previous failures, the Avelia Liberty had passed a series of computer simulations of running the trains over the Northeast Corridor tracks.

[25] Although Amtrak initially favored a New Pendolino derivative, the train set trailers are based on the AGV and the power car design is based on that of the Avelia Horizon, designed for the French high-speed rail network (TGV),[26] but adapted to conform with North American railroad standards, including the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)'s Tier III crashworthiness standards.

The power cars include a Crash Energy Management system to help meet the FRA's Tier-III standards while allowing a 30 percent reduction in train weight.

[28][29] These trains will also have USB ports, power sockets, Wi-Fi, accessibility features, touchless bathroom facilities, trip information displays, a café car, improved HVAC, and other conveniences.