Amtrak · Boston, MA – Washington, DC
Acela Cell Service & Coverage Map
Modeled coverage on board the Acela, Boston, MA to Washington, DC. On the train, AT&T has the most solid coverage at 98% of the route, ahead of T-Mobile (92%) and Verizon (91%). Amber stretches are spotty: signal often works but may drop. AT&T's longest true dead zone runs about 1 miles near New York, NY.
The whole line at a glance
Washington, DC on the left, Boston, MA on the right. Scroll sideways on a phone. Hover a band for its mileposts. Verizon, on the train.
Carriers compared on the train
| Carrier | Coverage mix | Solid | Spotty | 5G | Dead-zone miles | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T Best on board | 98% | 2% | 83% | 2 | 0.9 mi | |
| T-Mobile | 92% | 8% | 84% | 0 | 0.3 mi | |
| Verizon | 91% | 9% | 42% | 0 | 0.0 mi |
Coverage summary
Verizon · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid Verizon service on the train, plus 9% spotty
has modeled 5G; 37% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near Boston, MA
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Philadelphia and Wilmington
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 36.5%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 5.7%
- 4G LTE 48.1%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 9.2%
- Not yet processed 0.4%
Verizon · Outdoor model
of the route has solid Verizon service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 81% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near Boston, MA
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Iselin and Philadelphia
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 81.4%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 6.8%
- 4G LTE 11.3%
- Not yet processed 0.4%
AT&T · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid AT&T service on the train, plus 2% spotty
has modeled 5G; 68% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near New York, NY
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Iselin and Philadelphia
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 68.3%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 14.1%
- 4G LTE 15.0%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 1.9%
- No modeled coverage 0.3%
- Not yet processed 0.4%
Plan downloads and calls around Stamford–New York (0.9 mi without coverage).
AT&T · Outdoor model
of the route has solid AT&T service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 79% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), near New York, NY
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Iselin and Philadelphia
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 79.0%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 16.5%
- 4G LTE 3.8%
- No modeled coverage 0.3%
- Not yet processed 0.4%
Plan downloads and calls around Stamford–New York (0.9 mi without coverage).
T-Mobile · On the train (in-vehicle model)
of the route has solid T-Mobile service on the train, plus 8% spotty
has modeled 5G; 74% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Stamford and New York
longest unbroken covered stretch, near Philadelphia, PA
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 74.1%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 9.3%
- 4G LTE 8.1%
- Spotty (outdoor-strength only) 8.1%
- No modeled coverage 0.1%
- Not yet processed 0.4%
T-Mobile · Outdoor model
of the route has solid T-Mobile service outdoors
has modeled 5G; 95% at the faster 35/3 Mbps tier
longest dead zone (no signal in either model), between Stamford and New York
longest unbroken covered stretch, between Iselin and Philadelphia
- 5G NR · 35/3 Mbps 95.4%
- 5G NR · 7/1 Mbps 3.5%
- 4G LTE 0.6%
- No modeled coverage 0.1%
- Not yet processed 0.4%
Station to station
In timetable order from Boston, MA. Distances are along the track. Follows the carrier and model selected on the map.
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston → Boston | 1 | 100% | 37% | — | |
| Boston → Westwood | 10 | 86% | 17% | — | |
| Westwood → Providence | 32 | 79% | 30% | — | |
| Providence → New Haven | 113 | 81% | 32% | — | |
| New Haven → Stamford | 39 | 99% | 62% | — | |
| Stamford → New York | 36 | 93% | 41% | — | |
| New York → Newark | 10 | 100% | 90% | — | |
| Newark → Iselin | 15 | 100% | 81% | — | |
| Iselin → Philadelphia | 66 | 99% | 48% | — | |
| Philadelphia → Wilmington | 26 | 100% | 53% | — | |
| Wilmington → Baltimore | 68 | 91% | 43% | — | |
| Baltimore → Baltimore | 11 | 95% | 30% | — | |
| Baltimore → Washington | 30 | 90% | 26% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston → Boston | 1 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Boston → Westwood | 10 | 100% | 80% | — | |
| Westwood → Providence | 32 | 100% | 79% | — | |
| Providence → New Haven | 113 | 100% | 78% | — | |
| New Haven → Stamford | 39 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Stamford → New York | 36 | 100% | 95% | — | |
| New York → Newark | 10 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Newark → Iselin | 15 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Iselin → Philadelphia | 66 | 100% | 92% | — | |
| Philadelphia → Wilmington | 26 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Wilmington → Baltimore | 68 | 100% | 91% | — | |
| Baltimore → Baltimore | 11 | 100% | 90% | — | |
| Baltimore → Washington | 30 | 100% | 86% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston → Boston | 1 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Boston → Westwood | 10 | 100% | 92% | — | |
| Westwood → Providence | 32 | 87% | 56% | — | |
| Providence → New Haven | 113 | 96% | 65% | 0.5 mi | |
| New Haven → Stamford | 39 | 99% | 94% | 0.3 mi | |
| Stamford → New York | 36 | 98% | 96% | 0.9 mi | |
| New York → Newark | 10 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Newark → Iselin | 15 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Iselin → Philadelphia | 66 | 100% | 94% | — | |
| Philadelphia → Wilmington | 26 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Wilmington → Baltimore | 68 | 100% | 79% | — | |
| Baltimore → Baltimore | 11 | 100% | 89% | — | |
| Baltimore → Washington | 30 | 100% | 95% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston → Boston | 1 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Boston → Westwood | 10 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Westwood → Providence | 32 | 100% | 89% | — | |
| Providence → New Haven | 113 | 100% | 91% | 0.4 mi | |
| New Haven → Stamford | 39 | 99% | 99% | 0.3 mi | |
| Stamford → New York | 36 | 98% | 98% | 0.9 mi | |
| New York → Newark | 10 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Newark → Iselin | 15 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Iselin → Philadelphia | 66 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Philadelphia → Wilmington | 26 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Wilmington → Baltimore | 68 | 100% | 94% | — | |
| Baltimore → Baltimore | 11 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Baltimore → Washington | 30 | 100% | 100% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston → Boston | 1 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Boston → Westwood | 10 | 94% | 94% | — | |
| Westwood → Providence | 32 | 88% | 80% | — | |
| Providence → New Haven | 113 | 88% | 76% | — | |
| New Haven → Stamford | 39 | 93% | 87% | — | |
| Stamford → New York | 36 | 91% | 82% | 0.3 mi | |
| New York → Newark | 10 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Newark → Iselin | 15 | 100% | 93% | — | |
| Iselin → Philadelphia | 66 | 89% | 82% | — | |
| Philadelphia → Wilmington | 26 | 97% | 96% | — | |
| Wilmington → Baltimore | 68 | 96% | 85% | — | |
| Baltimore → Baltimore | 11 | 87% | 87% | — | |
| Baltimore → Washington | 30 | 97% | 88% | — |
| Segment | Miles | Coverage mix | Solid | 5G | Longest gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston → Boston | 1 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Boston → Westwood | 10 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Westwood → Providence | 32 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Providence → New Haven | 113 | 100% | 99% | — | |
| New Haven → Stamford | 39 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Stamford → New York | 36 | 99% | 96% | 0.4 mi | |
| New York → Newark | 10 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Newark → Iselin | 15 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Iselin → Philadelphia | 66 | 100% | 99% | — | |
| Philadelphia → Wilmington | 26 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Wilmington → Baltimore | 68 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Baltimore → Baltimore | 11 | 100% | 100% | — | |
| Baltimore → Washington | 30 | 100% | 100% | — |
Acela cell service FAQ
Does the Acela have cell service?
For most of the trip, yes. Inside the train, solid coverage (the FCC's in-vehicle model) reaches 98% for AT&T, 92% for T-Mobile, 91% for Verizon of the 456-mile route from Boston, MA to Washington, DC. Much of the rest is spotty rather than dead: AT&T has some signal on 100%, T-Mobile has some signal on 100%, Verizon has some signal on 100%.
Which carrier is best on the Acela?
AT&T has the most modeled on-train coverage (98%), with 5G on 83% of the route. T-Mobile covers 92% and Verizon covers 91%.
Where is the longest dead zone on the Acela?
AT&T: about 1 miles near New York, NY. T-Mobile: about 0 miles between Stamford and New York. Verizon: about 0 miles near Boston, MA.
Does Amtrak Wi-Fi work on the Acela?
Amtrak Wi-Fi relies on cellular networks, so it generally weakens or drops in the same places your phone does. Expect it to be unreliable through the dead zones shown on this map.
How accurate is this coverage map?
It reflects carrier-reported modeled coverage published by the FCC (data as of Dec 31, 2025). It is not an onboard measurement. BarTrakr shows the FCC's in-vehicle model by default; the outdoor model is available with the Outdoor switch.
Can I use BarTrakr on the train without signal?
Yes. Tap “Save for offline” before you board. The route, coverage data and map background up to zoom 10 are stored on your device, and live tracking uses your phone's GPS, which works without cell service.
About this data
- Coverage: FCC Broadband Data Collection mobile coverage for Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, release D25 (as of Dec 31, 2025, published Oct 13, 2026).
- Route: U.S. DOT / BTS National Transportation Atlas Database, Amtrak Routes. Stations and stop order: Amtrak GTFS.
- On the train: colored where the FCC in-vehicle model shows coverage; amber (spotty) where only the outdoor model does; red where neither does.
- Stretches shorter than a quarter mile are merged into their neighbors; at train speed they last only seconds.