NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Amtrak’s Newport News service moved to the brand new Newport News Transportation Center starting on Thursday.

The transportation hub at 500-B Bland Blvd. near Newport News-Williamsburg Airport replaces the old Warwick Boulevard Amtrak station further south. The $53 million project was mostly funded through federal and state grants. Officials first broke ground on the project back in 2020.

“This opening is a significant milestone in our efforts to improve our service, trains, stations and amenities to provide customers an exceptional experience,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said. “We are grateful for the support from CSX and our city, state and federal partners for investing in this project and maximizing opportunities to help bring improvements to advance passenger rail growth in the Hampton Roads region.”

Amtrak says the center will have two daily daily Amtrak Virginia roundtrips between Newport News and Richmond, Alexandria, Washington, D.C. and cities in the Northeast. It will also be a transfer location for Amtrak Thruway Bus Service to Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and a shuttle location to take passengers to and from Newport News-Williamsburg Airport.

“The Newport News Transportation Center is a landmark achievement for our city and a testament to the power of collaboration,” said Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones. “This state-of-the-art facility not only enhances our region’s connectivity but also reflects our commitment to providing an exceptional travel experience for all. As we look forward to the many benefits this center will offer, I want to express my sincere appreciation to all the partners involved in making this vision a reality. I am excited to welcome passengers to a new chapter of accessible and efficient transportation in Newport News.”

Among those improvements are accessible boarding platforms that are level with the train, illuminated and accessible pathways leading to the building, a state-of-the-art Passenger Information Display System (PIDS) to display train status information and other amenities like vending machines and restrooms.

The first train took off around 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, going all the way to Boston. Around 30 people boarded.

10 On Your Side spoke with a traveler hoping to celebrate her birthday in D.C. She said she prefers this location to the old one on Warwick Boulevard.

“I like the new building,” Tonneshia Stith said. “I love the way it looks. It’s lit up. It looks a little safer.”

Officials will be at the station around 11:30 a.m. when the first arriving passengers are expected to get to the station.

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) says he’s proud of securing $1.2 million in congressionally directed spending for the project.

“I’ve long championed the expansion and improvement of passenger rail service because it helps Virginians get where they need to go, boosts our economy, and reduces traffic,” Kaine said. “… with improved and more accessible facilities and state-of-the-art passenger information display systems, the Newport News Transportation Center will make travel more convenient for Virginians and travelers from across the East Coast.”

Kaine’s colleague, U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Virginia), said this type of project was what he and colleagues had in mind with the bipartisan infrastructure law championed by President Joe Biden.

“We imagined better-connected communities and projects like this one, that allow Virginians to get from point A to point B safely and efficiently. I commend Amtrak, the city of Newport News, the Commonwealth of Virginia and everyone involved in making this facility a reality. I will continue working to support and expand public transportation across the country.”

This all comes after Virginia’s Amtrak service reported record ridership in 2023, with Newport News seeing a 57.4% increase (nearly 11,000 more riders) than 2022.