Club Acela Access

[Club Acela]

This question has probably been asked and answered a million times before, but I am having trouble finding an answer.

If I am riding a regional coach from NYC to connect to a Capitol Limited sleeper in WAS am I allowed to access Club Acela in NYP?

 

[Acela150]

Yes, Since you have sleeping accommodations booked you are free to use the lounge.

Steve

 

[Shanghai]

The sleeper connection to the Capitol Limited must be a same day connection.

 

[the_traveler]

The same would be with the Pennslyvanian in PHL connecting to a sleeper in PGH. As long as it is a same day connection, you could use the CA in PHL!

 

[AlanB]

You will have to show both tickets, that is to say the Regional and the sleeper ticket for the Capitol to gain access, but once you do so you will indeed be allowed into the lounge at NYP. But be sure to hand them both tickets at the same time so that they do understand what's going on.

While I've not heard of it happening in NYP, I have seen a few stories about agents in DC who immediately turned rude and basically escorted people out for being in the wrong place because they only handed over the Regional ticket initially. Most agents seemed to listen long enough to check out the second ticket after telling the person to leave, but on one or two occasions I've heard that people were shown the door without ever getting another word in edgewise, much less having the chance to show the sleeper ticket or ticket stub.

So again, avoid any hassles and just hand over both as you enter.

 

[BillyJo]

Where, exactly, is the Club Acela in NY? I've only been to the one in WAS, and thought it was pretty nice. I ask because we will be taking the LSL next week, and am wondering if the Acela waiting room is that room directly next to the NJ Transit waiting area. I know there is an Amtrak lounge right next to it, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as nice as what I saw in DC.

 

[Acela150]

Where, exactly, is the Club Acela in NY? I've only been to the one in WAS, and thought it was pretty nice. I ask because we will be taking the LSL next week, and am wondering if the Acela waiting room is that room directly next to the NJ Transit waiting area. I know there is an Amtrak lounge right next to it, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as nice as what I saw in DC.

Do you have a sleeper? If so you can use it if you have coach you can use ONLY if you have an AGR coupon that gains access for you.

Steve

 

[Acela150]

You will have to show both tickets, that is to say the Regional and the sleeper ticket for the Capitol to gain access, but once you do so you will indeed be allowed into the lounge at NYP. But be sure to hand them both tickets at the same time so that they do understand what's going on.

While I've not heard of it happening in NYP, I have seen a few stories about agents in DC who immediately turned rude and basically escorted people out for being in the wrong place because they only handed over the Regional ticket initially. Most agents seemed to listen long enough to check out the second ticket after telling the person to leave, but on one or two occasions I've heard that people were shown the door without ever getting another word in edgewise, much less having the chance to show the sleeper ticket or ticket stub.

So again, avoid any hassles and just hand over both as you enter.

So you're saying that the attendants at WAS basically don't know the access rules that Amtrak put into place? If so theres some pieces of a puzzle missing here. :huh:

Steve

 

[Autumn Blossom]

In my travels, I have noticed that many of the attendants aren't aware of the minutiae when it comes to access. This is especially the case in Chicago where the attendants mainly deal with sleeping car transfer passengers. Your scenario doesn't sound all that unusual, but I would just hand over both tickets with the sleeping car portion on top and explain what you are doing.

 

[AlanB]

You will have to show both tickets, that is to say the Regional and the sleeper ticket for the Capitol to gain access, but once you do so you will indeed be allowed into the lounge at NYP. But be sure to hand them both tickets at the same time so that they do understand what's going on.

While I've not heard of it happening in NYP, I have seen a few stories about agents in DC who immediately turned rude and basically escorted people out for being in the wrong place because they only handed over the Regional ticket initially. Most agents seemed to listen long enough to check out the second ticket after telling the person to leave, but on one or two occasions I've heard that people were shown the door without ever getting another word in edgewise, much less having the chance to show the sleeper ticket or ticket stub.

So again, avoid any hassles and just hand over both as you enter.

So you're saying that the attendants at WAS basically don't know the access rules that Amtrak put into place? If so theres some pieces of a puzzle missing here. :huh:

Steve

No, I'm saying that these attendants both in NY and DC encounter dozens of people every day who don't understand the rules of who is and isn't allowed into the lounge. While I've never seen or heard of it happening in NY, it does appear that at least one in DC gets rather frustrated by this. So once they see that you don't belong there, they only focus on getting you out. They figure that they've heard all the arugments before and simply stop listening and focus only on getting you out.

Therefore, if you do know the rules about sleeping cars and same day access, you are better off being proactive and showing everything that you need to show right up front, rather than waiting for them to ask why you happen to think you are entitled to be in the lounge. If you do the later and hit the wrong attendant, assuming that they still are working the DC CA, you'll be out the door before you get a chance to explain that you're not another lost soul who doesn't know the rules.

Mind you I'm not condoning what this attendant in DC did to one of our members here, and another over at Flyertalk, I'm just trying to ensure that they don't get a chance to do it to someone else.

 

[arrow3]

Where, exactly, is the Club Acela in NY? I've only been to the one in WAS, and thought it was pretty nice. I ask because we will be taking the LSL next week, and am wondering if the Acela waiting room is that room directly next to the NJ Transit waiting area. I know there is an Amtrak lounge right next to it, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as nice as what I saw in DC.

It's in the back corner on the track 1 side of the station by the ticket windows. Opposite side of the main concourse from the NJT/Acela waiting rooms.

 

[the_traveler]

Where, exactly, is the Club Acela in NY? I've only been to the one in WAS, and thought it was pretty nice. I ask because we will be taking the LSL next week, and am wondering if the Acela waiting room is that room directly next to the NJ Transit waiting area. I know there is an Amtrak lounge right next to it, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as nice as what I saw in DC.

It's in the back corner on the track 1 side of the station by the ticket windows. Opposite side of the main concourse from the NJT/Acela waiting rooms.

You mean near IIRC tracks 7 & 8, not near track 1.

 

[PRR 60]

Where, exactly, is the Club Acela in NY? I've only been to the one in WAS, and thought it was pretty nice. I ask because we will be taking the LSL next week, and am wondering if the Acela waiting room is that room directly next to the NJ Transit waiting area. I know there is an Amtrak lounge right next to it, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as nice as what I saw in DC.

It's in the back corner on the track 1 side of the station by the ticket windows. Opposite side of the main concourse from the NJT/Acela waiting rooms.

You mean near IIRC tracks 7 & 8, not near track 1.

I think he meant on the "Track 1 side" as a way of describing the south side of the station the where the lounge is located.

 

[arrow3]

I think he meant on the "Track 1 side" as a way of describing the south side of the station the where the lounge is located.

Yup, I figured he wouldn't know what "south side" meant.

 

[BillyJo]

Thanks for the replies re the Club Acela lounge. I was actually at Penn last night taking the NJCL home from work, and saw where the lounge is. We will be taking the sleeper car to CHI next week, and will have about an hour from the time our NJCL train pulls in until the LSL departs. Lounge looks pretty nice from the outside - far nicer than the regular waiting room!

 

[AlanB]

BillyJo,

The lounge is far nicer and I highly recommend waiting in there. In addition to free soda & coffee, you'll be warned about boarding before everyone outside knows about it. And perhaps the nicest thing is the much cleaner restrooms and the fact that you won't find anyone trying to take a shower in the sink.

Just show your tickets and relax until boarding time.

By the way, there is also a lounge in Chicago that you can use should you be connecting to another train or just too early to head to a hotel. Just show your ticket stubs for entry. And if you are returning via a sleeper, use that lounge for your return to get priority boarding. In Chicago it's called the Metropolitan Lounge and not Clue Acela.

 

[BillyJo]

Thanks, Alan. yes, the cleaner restrooms should be good, particularly compared to the other ones at Penn...

After spending a night in CHI, we are taking the CZ to EMY/SFO, so we will be using the Metropolitan Lounge. Will probably arrive there about an hour before the train leaves.

This will be our first cross-country trip via rail, and we are really, really looking forward to this.

 

[AlanB]

In Chicago the lounge is called the "Metropolitan Lounge". It is located on the lower level of Union Station, which is also the track level. If you are standing in front of the Amtrak ticket windows, then the Amtrak waiting area is to your left. When you enter the main Amtrak waiting area through a sliding glass door, just walk forward and slightly to the left. There should be another sliding glass door along with a sign, unless they've changed the entrance in the last few months. Again, just show your tickets and relax.

They'll also give you a card that contains the time that you need to return to the lounge by, in order to board the train and not miss it. If you do leave the lounge, take this card with you as it is also your pass for reentering the lounge. Just wave it at the attendants as you walk in and one will usually look up and acknowledge you and the card. Note the Chicago lounge can be very busy and it sometimes can be hard to get a seat, but you still get the free stuff and priority boarding.

There is luggage room inside the lounge for your carry-on's. There is a redcap manning this room who will give you a claim check for your bags, such that you can claim them shortly before you board the train. One nice advantage of this is the fact that you can park your carryon bags here, while you wander around Chicago and do lunch, assuming that your trains arrive on time.

 

[Acela150]

The ML in CHI is in my view better then any of the CA's in the northeast. So much more space to spread out and I love being able to store my stuff and know that it's safe.

Steve

 

[Guest]

So you're saying that the attendants at WAS basically don't know the access rules that Amtrak put into place? If so theres some pieces of a puzzle missing here. :huh:

The WAS attendants know the access rules, and do indeed follow them.

If you attempt to enter and only bother to show the attendant your Regional Ticket, you will be asked to leave. That is the rule.

 

[AlanB]

So you're saying that the attendants at WAS basically don't know the access rules that Amtrak put into place? If so theres some pieces of a puzzle missing here. :huh:

The WAS attendants know the access rules, and do indeed follow them.

If you attempt to enter and only bother to show the attendant your Regional Ticket, you will be asked to leave. That is the rule.

I don't have a problem with the attendants enforcing the rules, after all that is their job.

However, I do have a problem with attendants that do it rudely and don't give a passenger a chance to explain and show further proof after making the initial mistake of only showing their Regional or non-first class ticket. There is at least one, if not two, reports from members here who were connecting in DC from a sleeper to another train and after initially showing just the ticket that did not grant access, were shown the door before they could pull out their sleeper ticket stubs to prove that they were entitled to use the lounge.

I understand that the CA agents probably see at least a dozen lost souls, if not many more, trying to use the lounge without the proper credentials. I've seen as many as 3 people walk into the NY CA one time I was sitting near the front who didn't belong there, so I'm sure it's a common occurrence. But any attendant working the desk must stay calm and polite, and most importantly give a passenger a chance to explain why it is that they believe that they do have the right to use the lounge.

Showing someone the door without even giving them the chance to find their sleeper ticket stubs or listening to any explanation is just wrong. And again, it has happened in DC in the past. Perhaps DC has fixed things since, I don't know, but based upon a semi-recent observation on the overall attitude of a DC lounge attendant the last time I went through, I have to wonder.

I’ve also had DC CA agents demand a photo ID just for admittance, which is also not an Amtrak policy. If you’re picking up tickets they’re allowed to ask for it, but not simply for admittance to the CA.