Amtrak passengers riding through the Capitol Corridor in California will now have free Wi-Fi access aboard trains.

The service was launched last week to coincide with Cyber Monday, the busiest Internet shopping holiday of the year, according to Amtrak. The service allows passengers to connect to the Internet through AmtrakConnect, both to access e-mail and surf the Web.

The implementation costs for the Wi-Fi service were funded by California state passenger-rail agencies, by reinvesting cost savings from prior completed rail projects, Amtrak officials said.

The Capitol Corridor is an intercity passenger train system that provides rail service along a 170-mile rail corridor to 16 stations in eight counties, including Placer, Sacramento and Yolo. The route extends from Auburn to San Jose and includes stops in Rocklin, Roseville, Davis, Richmond and Berkeley and other cities.

Amtrak is part of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Agency which delivers transit service in coordination with the Union Pacific Railroad and Caltrans. During Amtrak's fiscal-year 2011, more than 5.5 million riders used the three California state-supported trains.

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