Amtrak Ads Mimic Luxury Cars to Woo Travelers

Amtrak is adopting a bold marketing strategy, mimicking the style of luxury car advertisements to reframe train travel as a desirable option. The new campaign, "The Build," uses high-end automotive advertising tropes to highlight the smooth ride and amenities of Amtrak's NextGen Acela fleet. This approach aims to shift the public's perception away from a "car-first mindset."

The campaign emphasizes the advantages of train travel, such as avoiding traffic congestion and the frustrations of air travel. Amtrak's chief commercial officer, Eliot Hamlisch, stated that the marketing focuses on differentiating the train experience from cars and planes. The "Retrain Travel" campaign, of which "The Build" is a part, is designed to drive awareness, with a significant portion of ad spending allocated to media like TV and podcasts.

Amtrak has seen positive results, with ridership reaching a record 34.4 million trips in its 2025 fiscal year, a 5% increase year-over-year. The company aims to double ridership by 2040 through significant upgrades to its infrastructure and fleet, supported by government funding. Despite these improvements, challenges remain, including an aging fleet and necessary track work causing delays, which Amtrak is actively managing to meet customer expectations.