One day Acela pass?

[iowa train fan]

Any ideas, when we take the train this summer we would like to have access to the lounge at the NYP station in New York City. I could use 5000 AGR points and buy 5 passes but we will probably never use the other four or at least not within one year. Is it possible to but one and trade AGR points, maybe 1000 points. I hear the NYP lounge is not the greatest, is it even worth it. It would be nice to have somewhere nice to wait until the train comes. Thanks as always for any advice

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

This was several years ago, but when I could use my extra ClubAcela pass, I gave it away to a member here.

Also, if you need only one, check out eBay. They are auctioned off there sometimes.

 

[the_traveler]

Are you departing on a sleeper from anywhere (say WAS) that same day? If so, you do not need a CA pass at all. You are allowed to use it anyway!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I hear the NYP lounge is not the greatest, is it even worth it.

Considering what a dump the rest of NYP is I think I'd go with the lounge. Unless you enjoy dingy underground shopping malls with disgusting restrooms.

 

[PRR 60]

I hear the NYP lounge is not the greatest, is it even worth it.

Considering what a dump the rest of NYP is I think I'd go with the lounge. Unless you enjoy dingy underground shopping malls with disgusting restrooms.

Maybe that is the plan. Make Penn Station so bad that even a mediocre lounge seems great by comparison.

 

[afigg]

I hear the NYP lounge is not the greatest, is it even worth it.

Considering what a dump the rest of NYP is I think I'd go with the lounge. Unless you enjoy dingy underground shopping malls with disgusting restrooms.

The regular waiting area at NYP is adequate in my experience. Unless I was going to be stuck waiting at NYP for hours or needed to store my luggage in the Acela lounge for an extended period, I would not bother spending 5000 AGR points just to spend a little while in the lounge. The restrooms in the Amtrak area at NYP were rebuilt a couple of years ago, they are better, although it took very little time for people to start messing them up. I've seen far worse public restrooms or facilities.

 

[VentureForth]

I found Club Acela in NYP to really be no different quality wise than at WAS or CHI. It's comfortable with pretzels, soda & coffee available. When I was in NYC over the May 5th weekend, I spent about 2 hours in there charging my batteries (both on my phone and physically). After getting kicked out at closing time around 10 PM, I wandered the city again until 4 AM. Hung out in the general waiting area from 4-6. Not near as comfortable. No way to nap in those seats (though plenty of folks didn't seem to have that problem).

 

[stntylr]

A couple of years ago a fellow AU member sent me for free a lounge pass that he had that was about to expire. Maybe someone will offer you one for free.

 

[Bob Dylan]

I hear the NYP lounge is not the greatest, is it even worth it.

Considering what a dump the rest of NYP is I think I'd go with the lounge. Unless you enjoy dingy underground shopping malls with disgusting restrooms.

True this!!!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

The regular waiting area at NYP is adequate in my experience. Unless I was going to be stuck waiting at NYP for hours or needed to store my luggage in the Acela lounge for an extended period, I would not bother spending 5000 AGR points just to spend a little while in the lounge. The restrooms in the Amtrak area at NYP were rebuilt a couple of years ago, they are better, although it took very little time for people to start messing them up. I've seen far worse public restrooms or facilities.

I'd say I've seen worse transit hubs than NYP, except that I haven't. Even Heathrow is nicer, and that's really saying something.

What makes the restrooms disgusting is that the paper and soap run out, nobody refills anything, New Yorkers don't bother to aim or flush, and nobody cleans up the mess.

I wonder what is the cheapest sleeper ticket ex-NYP you can buy? Maybe that would work out better for the OP?

 

[VentureForth]

I was wondering why they started kicking out NJT passengers at around 5 AM. A bunch of cops and Amtrak personnel were checking tickets, and at first they were only looking for vagrants. But then around 5:30, they came through again and kicked out all the NJT pax. The waiting area clearly says Amtrak AND NJT. I'd be really hacked off if I was dozing and they woke me up and told me I had to leave.

 

[iowa train fan]

Thanks you to all, we have never been to NYP and I wish we could avoid it, sounds like a real first class operation. Either you pay an arm and a leg for the pass or you sit in filth for awhile. We could take the train from Philly to NYP and then switch to the Adirondack but that does not solve the issue of NYP. We have no problems with 30'th street station in Philly, how does that compare with NYP?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I've not been to NYP, but have been to 30th St Station numerous times. It's a beautiful station. There are probably pics in the AU gathering forum (gathering VI) since the gathering was in Philly last year.

 

[benjibear]

Philadelphia is 100 times better than New York.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Philadelphia is 100 times better than New York.

That's an understatement.

Even with the little things. Philly always has a plentiful supply of snacks. I joke that every time someone takes one, the attendant rushes over to replace it. At NY's, the attendant puts out like 5 snacks, which get quickly grabbed up, and doesn't put any more out for another hour.

 

[PRR 60]

Philadelphia is 100 times better than New York.

That's an understatement.

Even with the little things. Philly always has a plentiful supply of snacks. I joke that every time someone takes one, the attendant rushes over to replace it. At NY's, the attendant puts out like 5 snacks, which get quickly grabbed up, and doesn't put any more out for another hour.

I think the "100 times better" applied to the station, not the lounge, since the OP will not be able to use the lounge.

If the wait is just an hour or two at NYP, it is not that bad. You can walk around a bit, explore the NJ Transit and LIRR areas, and then kill some time in the Amtrak seating area. There is a Starbucks nin the LIRR section, and that could kill a little more time. Penn is a great people watching location, That can be entertainment in and of itself.

 

[benjibear]

Philadelphia is 100 times better than New York.

That's an understatement.

I was trying to be kind to kind to New York.