Acela

[Amtrak Watcher]

As I said elsewhere in this forum, I’m taking my first Acela trip next week; going first class between NYP, PHL, and WAS. What should I expect? Is it true that there is a separate waiting area for the Acela in certain stations? Is first class simply a service upgrade, or is it in a separate car?

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Well, congratulations! I will be making my first Acela trip in just under three weeks, as well. Thus, I do not speak from experience.

But yes, there are very nice Acela Lounges(also known in some places as Metropolitan Lounges) at each of the stations you mention. Free soft drinks, coffee, newspapers, perhaps donuts, nice lounging area, clean restrooms, phones, save environment. Very lovely.

The first class car is totally separate, those who have ridden will no doubt describe it in better detail than I could at this time.

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

In terms of the train itself, you should expect a very very smooth, quiet ride. I was amazed the first time I rode on the express. The cars are amazingly sleek and yes, there is a seperate car for first class on the Express. I cant remember wether it is placed at the front or the back of the train though.

 

[AlanB]

Amtrak Watcher,

First class is indeed a separate car and only passengers riding in First Class are allowed into the car. Seating in the car is 2 on one side of the isle 1 seat on the other side of the isle. This provides for nice roomy seats that are larger than the typical seats found on trains. Some seats face forward, while some face backward. There are seats that have tray tables and then there are seats that are adjacent to a real table that you can do work on.

The car is brightly lit and has very large oversized windows, at least by comparison to most train cars. Only a Superliner lounge or a dome has larger window.

Depending on the passenger load you will have either two or three attendants at your beck and call. They will provide you will newspapers, your meal and all drinks. Everything is comped, including the alcohol (as much as you can drink). You pay for nothing while on board, other than tipping the attendant as you leave (assuming that they did a good job). The menu typically includes three dishes, including one vegetarian dish along with a lighter choice in case you’re not too hungry.

Now there are indeed separate lounges, called Club Acela, that are located in Boston, Penn, Philly, and DC. I’m enclosing below, the blurbs that I have saved and use whenever I advise someone traveling in First Class on Amtrak.

As a first class passenger you are entitled to utilize Amtrak's first class Club Acela lounges. These lounges are a nice quiet refuge in the often-bustling train station. They have nice plush chairs, conference rooms, computer terminals, newspapers, TV's, free soft drinks, juices, coffee, tea and clean safe bathrooms. They also allow you to board your train before the rest of the masses.

Should you find yourself in Boston the lounge is actually upstairs above the ticket windows, the door is to the left of the windows and to the right of an information kiosk. There is a small doorbell to the right of the door. Just show your tickets to the attendant at the desk and you're in. They will announce when your train is ready.

The lounge in NY can be found to the far left of the NJ Transit ticket windows as you face them. Walk past the West Gate for tracks 7 & 8 on the left side of the escalator and you will see a sign on the corner of the wall. There is a doorbell to the left of two gold doors. Ring the bell and wait for the click to open the door. Note: In NY there is no pre-boarding ahead of the regular passengers, but they usually do announce your train in the lounge before they announce it in the main station. This means if you don’t dilly-dally, you can generally be near the head of the line at the escalator.

Down in Philly the lounge is again on the second floor, but the entrance is kind of hidden down a long hall in the corner of the station. Walk down towards gate 1 and you should see the hall leading to the stairs. Go up the stairs and ring the bell next to the door.

In DC the Club Acela Lounge is located behind the information kiosk, which is in the center of the waiting areas between gates D & E. There are two large wooden doors there, ring the bell to the right of the door and the attendant will let you in. Show your tickets and you’re in.

Have a great trip and enjoy!

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

What is an appropriate tip for one peson in Acela first class, assuming good service? What about Acela Business Class, any tipping there?

If I am on the one which leaves WAS at 1 p.m. gets to Boston would I expect both lunch and dinner?

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Three years ago I was on an Acela Regional and the trip was marred,in a sense, by so many standees(and I was in first class or whatever it was called at that time). I did not feel at ease to leave my seat for much of anything for fear somebody else would get it.

May I expect it to be better than that on Acela? I will be on the 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. northbound Aug. 11. . Southbound I will be Bos to NYC business class leaving Boston 1 p.m. .Aug. 13.

 

[AlanB]

Well appropriate is always a relative thing. I've seen people do nothing, I've seen others give a few bucks, and then I've seen people who gave more.

Normally one attendant stands on the platform by the door as passengers detrain both to help that process, but also to collect tips for the crew. Many will even carry you bags out to the platform for you, especially at the end point station. I'll usually that platform attendant tip five bucks, especially if I've consumed alcohol. I'm not saying that being drunk makes me tip more, but rather that I feel the attendant has had to do more work for me. Also if I were in a resturant, then my bill would have been larger. Therefore I tip the attendant more.

It of course also comes back to service. I've been known to only give 2 or 3 bucks if I can't find an attendant when my drink runs out. On the other hand I've had a few crews that wore out the carpet coming by to check on me and my fellow passengers, they've garnered ten bucks from me.

Now I've never actually gone all the way from DC to Boston, so first off you probably want to consider a little more than 5 bucks for a tip for that crew, again consider the service too.

It is also my understanding that you are indeed entitled to two meals for a journey of that length. I'm not 100% sure, but I suspect that you will see a lunch menu for the first leg to NYP and a dinner menu for the second leg to Boston.

There is no one to tip if you are riding in Business Class as there are no car attendants in those cars. If you head to the Bistro car for a snack, then you might want to tip that attendant, much like you would in any Amtrak snack/lounge.

Next, there is no comparison to regional service from the Acela Express service. Unless there have been problems on the corridor, the Acela Express is never oversold. Everyone is guarenteed a seat. In first class you should have no problems whatsoever, especially if you leave a book, hat, or other object in your seat.

In Business class, just try not to leave your seat at a station stop, although even here, generally if you leave something in the seat then you are safe.

 

[battalion51]

When I rode Acela last year I didn't get exemplery service from my First Class attendant. After we had our meals and drinks in front of us, that's the last we saw of them. I had to go hunting for another Pepsi, which I shouldn't have to do (fortunately it was on the counter in the kitchen area). It all depends on service. First class attendants automatically expect tips, they earn tips they aren't part of buying a ticket.

 

[Amfleet]

I'm quite surprised actually that First Class Acela and Metroliner cars don't have attendant call buttons like on airplanes and in Superliner Sleeping Car rooms.

 

[AlanB]

I'm quite surprised actually that First Class Acela and Metroliner cars don't have attendant call buttons like on airplanes and in Superliner Sleeping Car rooms.

Well with only around 30 passengers or so, call buttons aren't really needed. If the attendants are doing their jobs properly, then you don't need to call them. If they are not doing their jobs, then a call button isn't going to make them do their jobs.

I've seen someone ring the call button multiple times in a sleeper before and get no response from a lazy attendant.

A call button is just one more electronic component that can break down and need repair. So in a car that you can't really hide from the pax anyhow, it's really just a waste of money to install them.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Viewliners have call buttons, too, in fact all sleeping cars have always had them. Pre-Amtrak lounge cars did sometimes have them also. Especially if a car was combination sleepr-lounge, like 6 double bedrooms--lounge,a fairly common model. Since one attendant tending to drinks and bedrooms both, a call button was especially needed.

Whether pre-Amtrak parlor cars had them(the closest thing to first-class, club class, etc today)I actually do not rmember. I did not travel in too many of them. Such equipment has always MORE(but not exclusively) a N.E. corrider thing.

I have a favorite pre-Amtrak memory in which my mother and I were in a full-length tavern lounge(not connected with a sleeper). A cute little kid had discovered the call button and was ringing away on it....everybody, inluding the attendant was amused, because the joke was on the kid's father. He had no idea what was happening, or where the ringing noise was coming from, that it was his own kid...he finally caught on and put an instant stop to it.

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

I remember seeing some kind of "Acela Only" gate in the middle of the NYP hall facing the New Jersey Transit windows with a lady checking tickets. Do Acela passengers go through their own gate to the train?

 

[Amfleet]

I remember seeing some kind of "Acela Only" gate in the middle of the NYP hall facing the New Jersey Transit windows with a lady checking tickets. Do Acela passengers go through their own gate to the train?

That might have been the Club Acela lounge. This lounge is for First Class and Sleeping Car passenger who are arriving and departing on Acela Express, Metroliner, or long-distance trains.

 

[Amtrak Watcher]

Yes, I know where the Club Acela Lounge is at NYP; just to the left of the New Jersey Transit windows. The "Acela Only" portal (or whatever it is) I'm trying to clarify faces the New Jersey Transit windows and is almost the full distance across the hall (diagonally) from the Club Acela lounge.

 

[AlanB]

There are two main waiting areas with seats at Penn. The first is almost directly opposite the NJT tickets windows. This is a general waiting area for anyone holding Amtrak tickets or NJT tickets.

Then to the left of that, as you are facing the waiting areas, is a Acela Express only waiting area. Anyone holding an Acela Express ticket (Business Class or First Class) is welcome in this area. However there are no refreshments available, no exclusive restrooms, no TV's, and no computers available in this area. They also do not have any special pre-boarding privledges from this area.

This is not a boarding area, merely a waiting area. You will board through one of the normal gates that all passengers board.

So as long as you are holding a first class ticket, you might as well take advantage of the better Club Acela lounge.

Ps. The A/C is also much better in the lounge than it is in the Acela waiting area.