Acela seating chart

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Aug 27, 2002
Messages
7,023
Location
Chicago
I recall looking at a PDF last year when I booked seats on Acela business class. This document was helpful. I am struggling to find this document. I am hoping someone on here will know where to find it. Google did not help.
 
Googled it with the "images" option and found it:

http://www.trainweb.org/tgvpages/images/acela/layout.jpg
Doesn't show the seat numbers, but they start at 1AC and 2AC at the bathroom end, with the next row 3AC/DF, etc.

You might also get a map with the "View/Edit my Seat" button, but I can't try that without a reservation number.
 
Last edited:
This was very helpful. The problem with the edit my seat map is that it does not show window alignment. Your diagram does. Thank you.

This diagram assures me of getting full window seats. Your information about starting from the bathroom end to count rows was invaluable.
 
Last edited:
An easy way to do it also is to count an even number of rows from the last "table" row facing forward. Tables have the full window.
 
I'm booked on Acela first class car 1 seat 4f NYP - WAS. Bucket trip 🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️ yay. So anyway, is this a good seat location? I like the single seats. How can i make sure I'm getting a forward facing seat. Are there better views off one side or the other. tia
 
Last edited:
Now on the scenery question, I'm not sure it's great on either side, I've made the run so many times I rarely look. Many years ago (summer of 1966) my mom was sick, in those days, young kids were not even allowed to visit in the hospital, and my father worked nights, so I would be shipped off during the week to an Aunt and Uncle in Baltimore, back home for weekends. I guess PRR didn't care about all the unaccompanied minor stuff we have today. So most trips were train, with a few by car (relatives took me, we didn't have one). But crossing the Delaware River I had to look at the bridge with the sign Trenton Makes The World Takes (my mother used to tell me stories about living in DC during WW2 working for the War Production Board and how she could take the train to come back to NYC and visit her family and loved to see the bridge.)
In 2003 I took her to Baltimore for a memorial service for her brother in law in Baltimore. Acela F/C. Made sure I pointed out "her bridge"
 
NYP - WAS Scenic highlights. Going southbound ("West"):

On the right side, crossing the Delaware River after passing the Trenton station is the road bridge with the "Trenton Makes, the World Takes" sign.

On the left side (looking SE) right before you get to Philadelphia, you cross the Schuylkill River. Nice view of the river, Fairmount Park and the Philadelphia skyline.

On the left side, about 2-5 minutes south of 30th St, there's the car barn for the SEPTA trolleys, in addition to the Kawasaki cars, there are usually the rehabbed PCC cars parked there, too.

On the left side, crossing the Susquehanna River between Perryville and Havre De Grace, one can see the upper Chesapeake bay and the hills of Elk Neck. On the right side is an upstream view of the Susquehanna and a view of the US 40 highway bridge.

On the left side at the Martin airport MARC station, there's the Maryland Air National Guard base, which has C-130s and A-10s parked out in view of the train.

Right before the Union Tunnel leading to Baltimore Penn Station, there's a good view of the Johns Hopkins medical complex and in the distance, the downtown Baltimore skyline.

Right before the BWI station, if you pass through right before twilight, one can sometimes see deer along the left side of the tracks. Right after the station, on the right and left sides, there's a marshy area where you can sometimes spot various birds.

Right before you get to Washington Union Station on the left, there's an REI store (the largest on the East coast) in the former Uline Arena (Washington Coliseum) building. This is where the Beatles played their first American concert in 1964.
 
Now on the scenery question, I'm not sure it's great on either side, I've made the run so many times I rarely look. Many years ago (summer of 1966) my mom was sick, in those days, young kids were not even allowed to visit in the hospital, and my father worked nights, so I would be shipped off during the week to an Aunt and Uncle in Baltimore, back home for weekends. I guess PRR didn't care about all the unaccompanied minor stuff we have today. So most trips were train, with a few by car (relatives took me, we didn't have one). But crossing the Delaware River I had to look at the bridge with the sign Trenton Makes The World Takes (my mother used to tell me stories about living in DC during WW2 working for the War Production Board and how she could take the train to come back to NYC and visit her family and loved to see the bridge.)
In 2003 I took her to Baltimore for a memorial service for her brother in law in Baltimore. Acela F/C. Made sure I pointed out "her bridge"
That's a great story 😥 and sounds like you put alota miles on them steel wheels. Thank you for your reply, and insight. Any opinion on seat 4f in first class Acela. Particularly windows like full window/ partial or obstructed window. Thanks
 
Back then the trains had names, and we were pulled by a GG1.
Of course, I've gone a few times since then, but it has mostly been amfleets and AEM-7s with numbers not names with an occasional Acela (not first class thrown in) I've settled (sadly perhaps) into the laptop/internet lifestyle on the train now.
 
Now on the scenery question, I'm not sure it's great on either side, I've made the run so many times I rarely look. Many years ago (summer of 1966) my mom was sick, in those days, young kids were not even allowed to visit in the hospital, and my father worked nights, so I would be shipped off during the week to an Aunt and Uncle in Baltimore, back home for weekends. I guess PRR didn't care about all the unaccompanied minor stuff we have today. So most trips were train, with a few by car (relatives took me, we didn't have one). But crossing the Delaware River I had to look at the bridge with the sign Trenton Makes The World Takes (my mother used to tell me stories about living in DC during WW2 working for the War Production Board and how she could take the train to come back to NYC and visit her family and loved to see the bridge.)
In 2003 I took her to Baltimore for a memorial service for her brother in law in Baltimore. Acela F/C. Made sure I pointed out "her bridge"
I remember seeing the "Trenton makes..." sign on that bridge, and I wondered just what it was that Trenton was so known for making?
(I kind of hope it was bridges) ? :cool:
 
Trenton was a major manufacturing center in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. One relic of that era is the slogan "Trenton Makes, The World Takes", which is displayed on the Lower Free Bridge (just north of the Trenton–Morrisville Toll Bridge).[96] The city adopted the slogan in 1917 to represent Trenton's then-leading role as a major manufacturing center for rubber, wire rope, ceramics and cigars. It was home to American Standards largest fixture factory
 
I'm booked on Acela first class car 1 seat 4f NYP - WAS. Bucket trip 🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️ yay. So anyway, is this a good seat location? I like the single seats. How can i make sure I'm getting a forward facing seat. Are there better views off one side or the other. tia
Just be aware that 4F doesn't have the whole window. 5&7F do. 7F was always my first choice.

First class is normally the first car of the train going to DC. Unless the trainset is turned for some reason. Which happens on occasion.
https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/onbo...ds/seating-accommodations/seat-selection.html
if this is correct, it says 4F is turned so it always faces forward.

Correct.
 
Just be aware that 4F doesn't have the whole window. 5&7F do. 7F was always my first choice.

First class is normally the first car of the train going to DC. Unless the trainset is turned for some reason. Which happens on occasion.


Correct

I'd watched some videos and thought that's what I saw. Thanks for the confirmation. My trip is early next year so I'll change that now.🙂
 
Hi all! I'm taking my first Acela First Class trip soon, and I just want to confirm what I think is the case about seating. I'm booked in seat 12A, going northbound, in Car 1. Two questions: 1, I'm fairly sure this is a good seat for windows (which I definitely want, as I'm hoping to get a sunset over the LI Sound) - can anyone confirm that? Second, if the car is listed as "Car 1", does that actually mean that it is the first car? Because seemingly on the Amtrak site (Amtrak Seat Selection), the layout shown (16A at the front for direction of travel, facing backwards) implies the last car. Thanks all for your help!
 
Hi all! I'm taking my first Acela First Class trip soon, and I just want to confirm what I think is the case about seating. I'm booked in seat 12A, going northbound, in Car 1. Two questions: 1, I'm fairly sure this is a good seat for windows (which I definitely want, as I'm hoping to get a sunset over the LI Sound) - can anyone confirm that? Second, if the car is listed as "Car 1", does that actually mean that it is the first car? Because seemingly on the Amtrak site (Amtrak Seat Selection), the layout shown (16A at the front for direction of travel, facing backwards) implies the last car. Thanks all for your help!
Car numbers are painted on the cars and therefore can be on either end. Some, if not all, stations have markings on the platform letting you know where each car stops.
 
Car numbers are painted on the cars and therefore can be on either end. Some, if not all, stations have markings on the platform letting you know where each car stops.
Thank you! And therefore I can safely assume 12A is a good window seat, as it is two behind a forward facing table seat, right?
 
Are Seats 3A/3C good on the Acela?
I like seats a bit isolated from people. I figure the less people around me, the less chance of having some noisy and ill-mannered folks. Here is the seat map:

1701800933307.png
 
Back
Top