Club Acela

Just wondering about the usage of the lounge at Penn Station in NY.

We are taking the Cardinal from Cincinnati to DC, then the Regional from Wash. DC over to Penn Station, NY. From there we are taking the Silver Star to Kissimmee, FL.

Although we are not "first class" until we board the Silver Star in NY with rooms, are we permitted to use the lounge in NY. We are due to arrive there from the Wash. Regional at 1:53A and are not due to depart on the Star until 11:08A.

Since we have booked the rooms on the Star we would also like to relax in the lounge for a while prior to our boarding the Star for Kissimmee.

Does all of this make sense? I guess I want to know if you need to have rooms on all legs of the trip or does it matter?

thanks :unsure:

Yes, you will be able to use the ClubAcela lounge at NYP Station. It probably won't be open when you arrive at 1:53am, but I believe it opens around 5-6am and you will be able to go in at that time by showing that you are booked in first class/sleepers for the next leg of your trip.

Just curious: Why don't you ride the Cardinal straight through to NYP?

Not taking Cardinal all the way due time, schedules and making use of daylight hours.

I am taking my children ages 9, 16, and 18. Since I know we may use the lounge we may take the Cardinal all the way and would be due around 11P at NYP.

Since the lounge does not open until early AM, just how safe is the station for mom and kids to "hang out" until the lounge opens? Of course all safety tips will be used and we allow for late arrival of our train.

Don't want to stay in hotel for that period cause NY hotels $$$$$$.

That is why we had planned on taking the Regional, more time on train, less time at station with only a 3-5 hour wait as opposed to 11-12 if we take Cardinal all the way.

Why not get off in Washington, DC and then catch the Silver Star there?

We were, but kids and I want to see NY. Are visiting DC on return.

Looks like we are going ahead and stay over in NYP. Take Meteor next day @ 3P. What's a few more hundred $ For convience and since we don't know our way around we'll stay at Pennsylvanian.

Read reviews but does anyone else have experience with that hotel. We would like to take the S-Island Ferry in early AM after check out and be back for the Meteor.

Since Amtrak has a wonderful reputation for gorgeous scenery, we are using this mode of transport instead of the driving and flying. This is an extedned family vacation touring Disney World, Universal, Sea World, Dinner Shows and various other attractions.

Why not use Amtrak and have an ultimate travel experience.!!! B)

Read reviews but does anyone else have experience with that hotel.

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If you are talking about the Hotel Pennsylvania, right across the street from Penn Station, I stayed there in Feb and caught the Cardinal the next day,

It has been remodeled recently. I was alone and had a single and it was a small room, but very comfortable.

There is a Lindy's off the main lobby with great sandwiches.

Enjoy!

There have been a few members who have stayed at the Pennsy. I know that Bill Haithcoat has stayed there, since I met him in the lobby a few times. He was even in that hotel during the big blackout a few years back and they took pretty good care of him, considering.

Do you need directions to get to the SI Ferry?

AlanB said:

There have been a few members who have stayed at the Pennsy.  I know that Bill Haithcoat has stayed there, since I met him in the lobby a few times.  He was even in that hotel during the big blackout a few years back and they took pretty good care of him, considering.
Do you need directions to get to the SI Ferry?

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This just to back up Alan's notes about my stays. It is nothing fancy, but it being an old fashioned building, that meant when the Great N.E. Power Blackout happened , the old-timey windows could still open. That was some relief in the lack of air conditioning. And incredibly we could still access our rooms even with the power off.

(But hopefully the whole N.E.'s power won't go off when you are there!!!!)

So, yeah, it works for me, and you cannot beat it for convenience.

I too like the convience idea of the Hotel Penn. I would greatly appreciate directions to the SI Ferry. Glad you brought it up. So many trains etc.

I don't want to appear to much like a tourist. :lol:

On the Acela note:

I spoke with customer service and was told that if our party did not wish to or need to take all of our luggage to the hotel, that we could check them at the lounge and they would place them on the train for us.

Has anyone done this and is it a reliable thing to do. Sounds great to us so we don't have to lug around baggage while we sightsee. Only our small carry ons.

Guest_bwilburn542004 said:

On the Acela note:
I spoke with customer service and was told that if our party did not wish to or need to take all of our luggage to the hotel, that we could check them at the lounge and they would place them on the train for us.

Has anyone done this and is it a reliable thing to do. Sounds great to us so we don't have to lug around baggage while we sightsee. Only our small carry ons.

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I've never tried that, but then I'd have no reason to try it. It sounds to me though, like they are simply going to call a redcap for you and have him bring the bags to the baggage check area for you. That means that you won't have any access to those bags while you are on the train. So if you do that, make sure that your carry-on's have everything you'll need till you reach Florida.

Most likely your hotel will also hold your bags for you for free, although the bellman will expect a small tip. You can also just take your bags directly to the baggage check area in Penn if you like.

Guest_bwilburn542004 said:

I too like the convience idea of the Hotel Penn.   I would greatly appreciate directions to the SI Ferry.  Glad you brought it up.  So many trains etc.  
I don't want to appear to much like a tourist. :lol:

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If you are bring you bags to Penn first, then once you've taken care of that, head down stairs to the lower level of Penn Station. Follow signs for the Long Island Railroad and the Subways. Once on the lower level, follow signs to the 1, 2, & 3 trains.

If you are leaving from the hotel, walk out the main entrance, turn right and walk to the corner of 33rd Street. Turn right again and walk maybe a dozen steps or so and you'll find a subway entrance cut into the hotel building. Head downstairs and buy your Metrocards (the fare media needed for the subway, no tokens anymore).

This entrance lead you right to the 1, 2, & 3 trains. You'll want to catch a downtown #1 train, to its last stop in Manhattan South Ferry. Make sure that you sit in one of the first 5 cars of the train. This is very important, since due to the South Ferry station's design, the rear 5 cars never get into the station. They are stuck in the tunnel and the doors will not open.

Depending on which way you exit the station, the SI Ferry terminal will either be right in front of you, or right behind you. Walk to the upper level to board the ferry.

If you're interested, send me an email (just click the button below my post) and depending on just when you visit the city, I might be able to play tour guide and help you get to the ferry.

My goodness Alan, thank you for such wonderful directions to the SI Ferry. I like all the tips offered. Especially about the 5 cars in the tunnel. I never would have known and probably would have been stuck.

About the luggage, the kids and I have been debating about checking any luggage, just taking the max allowable to carry aboard. From what I saw on the web site of Amtrak, the Cardinal doesn't have checked baggage anyway. Am I correct?

We are packing lightly this trip as we learned about dragging around that luggage from our previous trip down.

I have the SI Ferry directions attached to our itinerary. Is it true that the trips to the Island run 24 hours? If so, do the subway cars run all night as well?

I will send an e-mail once we arrive, thanx.

Guest_bwilburn542004 said:

My goodness Alan, thank you for such wonderful directions to the SI Ferry.  I like all the tips offered.  Especially about the 5 cars in the tunnel.  I never would have known and probably would have been stuck.
About the luggage, the kids and I have been debating about checking any luggage, just taking the max allowable to carry aboard.  From what I saw on the web site of Amtrak, the Cardinal doesn't have checked baggage anyway.  Am I correct?

We are packing lightly this trip as we learned about dragging around that luggage from our previous trip down.

I have the SI Ferry directions attached to our itinerary.  Is it true that the trips to the Island run 24 hours?  If so, do the subway cars run all night as well?

I will send an e-mail once we arrive, thanx.

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Right now the cardinal dose not offer checked baggage. MTA NYC Transit subways run 24 hours aday but some services have modified routes and hours depending on the time of the day. The Staten Island Ferry has limited service around the clock, with more service during peak periods.

For more information on the staten island ferry go here. Or for information on the MTA NYC Transit go here.

Guest_bwilburn542004 said:

My goodness Alan, thank you for such wonderful directions to the SI Ferry.  I like all the tips offered.  Especially about the 5 cars in the tunnel.  I never would have known and probably would have been stuck.

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Well most times they do make announcements, but still it's hard to move from one car to the next while the train is moving. The conductor will be in the front of the 6th car, so you must be in front of him/her. You can usually see them stick there head out of a window when the train is in the station.

Guest_bwilburn542004 said:

About the luggage, the kids and I have been debating about checking any luggage, just taking the max allowable to carry aboard.  From what I saw on the web site of Amtrak, the Cardinal doesn't have checked baggage anyway.  Am I correct?

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The Cardinal does not offer checked baggage at present.

Guest_bwilburn542004 said:

I have the SI Ferry directions attached to our itinerary.  Is it true that the trips to the Island run 24 hours?  If so, do the subway cars run all night as well?

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The ferry does indeed run all night, however at a greatly reduced frequency. On weekdays they run every half hour, on weekends it's every hour. The subway also runs all night, after all NY is known as the City that never sleeps. Again train frequencies are reduced, but they do run.

However, won't you be fast asleep in the hotel during the night? I'm not sure that I'd recommend trying to do this trip at night. The view is much nicer during the daylight hours, at least IMHO.

Guest_bwilburn542004 said:

I will send an e-mail once we arrive, thanx.

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I'll be happy to try and help out if I can, but you'll have to give me more warning than that. As a computer consulant I can arrange my schedule, but I do need a few days warning. Especially since I'll be away for part of August and I'm not sure when you'll be here.

Thanks again all.

We had not planned on taking the SI Ferry trip at night, just curious about the trains running. Had heard the rumor as you well stated, Alan, that NY is the city that never sleeps.

Of course we would give plenty of advance notice for the directions. Just heard that my trip may be delayed until around spring break, we are short on teachers and school starts here Aug. 5.

I've learned a wealth of info from the forum and will keep in touch. I'm sure to have more questions about riding Amtrak and maybe info on other routes.

Another question concerning Club Acela, what is the difference if any between the Metropolitan and Club Acela?

I realized with all my replies I had not even logged in.

Originally all of the lounges were called Metropolitan lounges. However, with the arrival of the Acela Express trains, all of the lounges in NY, Philly, DC, and Boston were re-branded to Club Acela. Since most of the customers using these lounges ride Acela, at least when it’s running, this move made sense.

Otherwise, there are really no major differences between the amenities that one receives from one lounge to the next, regardless of the name.

Club Acela is the re-branded name for the former Metropolitan Lounges located along the Northeast Corridor. This change reflected Amtrak’s initial promotion of the Acela name which initially was to include all NEC services. Outside the NEC the lounges retained the original Metropolitan name.

Other than name, there are no fundamental differences between the Club Acela and Metropolitan lounges. While the NEC Club Acela’s may be more geared to the needs of business travel, all the lounges are quiet, comfortable hideouts from the hustle and bustle of the main terminal. At New York in particular the clean and comfortable restrooms are alone worth the price of admission.

By the way, does anyone know why Amtrak does not sell annual memberships? I would think they would be an easy sell particularly if they included reciprocity with Continental Airlines Presidents Club. Just a thought.