The cost of traveling the U.S. by train depends on how travelers choose to ride. For those sticking with coach class, tickets generally range from $200 to $600 each way per person. Coach seats recline and offer decent legroom, but riders should be prepared for a long journey without many amenities beyond the standard offerings.

Five new Amtrak trains will begin rolling out, DC, New York and Boston at top speeds of 160 mph starting Thursday. The inaugural NextGen Acela ride is taking of

The new trains, built in Hornell, N.Y. by French multinational builder Alstom, cost $2.3 billion, and are at the center of a fleet modernization effort by Amtrak.