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Business Insider
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
I've spent 95 hours on Amtrak trains in 5 different classes, from coach to a bedroom. The best deal was a premium cabin.
Over the past four years, I've spent roughly 95 hours crisscrossing the US on Amtrak trains, and each time, I've had a different experience. I've lounged on a couch in a private bedroom with a full bathroom, transformed two seats into a bunk in a 20-square-foot cabin called a roomette, and received complimentary meals in the dining car on overnight trains. I've also saved money in coach and upgraded to business and first classes on shorter rides. In total, I've sampled five different booking types on seven trains from the Northeast to the Southwest. Of all the booking types I've sampled, one offers the best value. Here's a breakdown of the five seating types on Amtrak trains and which premium seat is most worth the upgrade. In 2022, I spent $120 on a two-and-a-half-hour ride in business class on Amtrak's Acela train from Baltimore to New York regular Amtrak trains with several coach train cars, the Acela fleet has only business and first-class Acela is also faster than Amtrak regional trains. My trip from Baltimore to NYC was 20 minutes shorter than it would have been on a regular Amtrak train.A few months later, I booked a 10-hour ride on an Amtrak Maple Leaf train from NYC to Niagara Falls, New York. I paid $168 for a business class seat, which was $100 more than a coach booking on the same tickets included one plush seat with extra legroom and a complimentary drink. A representative of the train line told Business Insider that business-class perks on all Amtrak trains also include fully refunded rides if they're canceled before departure and a 25% point bonus on Amtrak Guest business-class seats were wider than the ones in coach, but they weren't significantly more comfortable, in my opinion. The ticket did not include a meal or in-seat service like the higher-tier the bookings didn't have as many perks as I expected in a premium I wouldn't upgrade to business class on most Amtrak trains, I would still book a seat on the Amtrak Acela train again. I think it's worth paying a little extra to save time and arrive at my destination sooner than I would on a regional train. The Acela train is the only Amtrak train with a first-class seating car, according to Amtrak's website. I took it from NYC to Baltimore in a New Yorker, part of the allure of a first-class ticket for me was having access to Penn Station's Metropolitan Lounge, a quiet waiting area for select Amtrak customers with comfortable seats and free passengers and those traveling in roomette and bedroom accommodations get in for free on the day of their trip, while business-class passengers can pay $50 to access the traveling from Philadelphia, Boston's South Station, and Washington, DC, also has access to a lounge. But there are 10 other stops on the Amtrak Acela that don't offer this seats are slightly larger than business-class seats, although I found them to be just as stiff. The first-class ticket also comes with a complimentary meal and in-seat service. According to a press release, the train's menu got an upgrade in 2023 in collaboration with STARR Restaurant first class had more perks than business class, comfort on the ride is the most important thing for me when traveling by train. And while the first-class seat was larger than the business-class seat, it wasn't comfortable enough to make the upgrade worth I couldn't help thinking that splitting a private roomette with a friend might be even cheaper (more on that later). I've taken two overnight rides in Amtrak's roomette accommodation — a private cabin that's around 20 square feet. I'd booked an Amtrak roomette before, so I knew what to expect when I entered the 23-square-foot space — two seats facing each other that formed a lower bunk by night, a pullout table between them, and another bunk that pulled down from had been nearly four years since my last overnight Amtrak ride, and as soon as I sat down, I could tell the seats were newer and far more Amtrak spokesman, Marc Magliari, told Business Insider that the entire Superliner fleet was getting an interior refresh, and 76% of them — including my ride — had already been updated."The seats have the same frame, but the cushions are new, and there's more lumbar support in this current seat cushion design than the old seat cushion design," Magliari said. "If you see gray, vinyl seating, then you know that you are in a fresh room."The vinyl felt much smoother on my skin than the pilled, blue fabric seats in my previous Amtrak accommodations. The upgraded seat cushions weren't stiff like the old ones either. I thought the seats alone made the new Amtrak roomette cozier for a long ride. I paid $1,000 for a 30-hour ride in an Amtrak bedroom, which is similar to a roomette, but it's double the size — and price. In October 2021, I spent 30 hours in an Amtrak bedroom accommodation on a train from Miami to 40 square feet, the bedroom is the biggest train cabin I've booked. And I used the additional space to dance around and get my blood flowing throughout the there was plenty of lounging space — a couch transformed into a bed, another bunk pulled down from the ceiling, and a chair pulled out from the back wall. Beneath the wide window, there was a foldout table, room also had a feature I've never experienced on another overnight train — a full bathroom, including a shower, a toilet, and a wash basin on a wide vanity with three mirrors and ample storage for my own private bathroom made this one of my best overnight train experiences so far. And like my ride in the roomette, this ticket included meals. While I'd splurge on a bedroom for long-haul trips if my budget allowed, I think the roomette is the best deal Amtrak offers.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I traveled first class on Amtrak for the first time. The most luxurious perk wasn't even on the train.
I traveled first class on Amtrak for the first time from Philadelphia to New York City. The Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge came with many perks including free snacks and comfy seating. I also enjoyed a complimentary meal and personalized service from a first-class attendant. I've never flown in first class — the closest I've come was a free upgrade to Delta Comfort Plus because all the basic economy seats were full. However, I got a taste of luxury with my first first-class Amtrak ride in February. Amtrak ridership hit record highs in the fiscal year 2024 with 32.8 million trips, a 15% increase from 2023. In a statement, Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said that the ridership record "shows that travelers throughout the US want efficient travel options, and we are committed to meeting that demand." I occasionally take Amtrak for medium-distance trips when I don't have access to a car, but I've always sat in coach. For my inaugural first-class trip, I paid $241 for a seat on an Acela train from Philadelphia to New York City, a journey that typically takes around 1 ½ hours. An Amtrak representative told Business Insider that first-class passengers "enjoy priority boarding, premium amenities, complimentary onboard food and beverage services, and privileged access to station lounges" across the US. Here are the most luxurious perks I enjoyed. When booking my first-class trip from Philadelphia to New York City, I was surprised to find that I could select my seat. When booking my ticket, a diagram on Amtrak's website showed the direction of travel so that I could choose a forward or backward-facing seat on the train. I chose to sit in 5F, a single window seat facing forward. An Amtrak representative told Business Insider that seat selection — which is not typically available for Amtrak coach seats — allows for "seamless boarding while taking the guesswork out of finding your seat." With my first-class ticket, I gained admission to the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in Philadelphia's 30th Street Station. Seven cities in the US have Amtrak Metropolitan Lounges: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, Oregon, and Washington, DC. Admission is included with a first-class ticket. In select locations, business-class passengers can buy a day pass for $50. The lounge featured comfortable seating, which can be difficult to come by in train stations. Train stations like Philadelphia's 30th Street Station and New York City's Penn Station don't have much seating available in the public waiting areas. In the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge, the armchairs and couches felt reminiscent of a hotel lobby. I spent nearly three hours there, and the time flew by since I had cushy places to sit and a decent WiFi connection. There was also a kitchenette stocked with complimentary snacks and drinks. A coffee machine produced espresso, iced coffee, and hot chocolate. A water dispenser also offered still, sparkling, and hot water. Insulated from the rest of the station, the lounge maintained a quiet, library-like atmosphere. Train announcements were displayed on information screens instead of blasting through loudspeakers, and people kept their conversations and phone calls at a respectful volume. The exclusivity of the space also meant it wasn't very crowded. First-class passengers could board their trains directly from the lounge through private elevators. Unfortunately, the elevator to my specific track was broken, so I had to join the regular boarding line outside the lounge. My first-class seat appeared wider than a coach seat. While the seat had more space to spread out with no seat next to it, I didn't notice a significant improvement in comfort. It felt more or less the same as the coach seat I'd sat in earlier in the day for my trip to Philadelphia, which had been perfectly comfortable. Almost as soon as I sat down, a first-class attendant came to take my meal order. Even though the trip was only scheduled to last about one hour and 22 minutes, it included a full meal from the first-class menu. Having someone take my order made me feel like I was at a restaurant and added to the luxurious experience. I ordered a roasted root vegetable salad, which tasted fresh and well-seasoned. The salad was a mix of arugula, spinach, purple potatoes, parsnips, chickpeas, tomatoes, and king mushrooms with a curry dressing. It came with a warm roll and a small tiramisu in a jar, and I enjoyed the meal with a glass of cranberry juice. I also got to eat my dinner with real silverware. The silverware was stamped with the Acela logo. After the meal, the first-class attendant came around and offered warm towelettes. The lightly scented, moist towelettes were a refreshing end to the meal service. I enjoyed the whole first-class experience, but the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge was my favorite perk by far. I generally agree with my colleague Joey Hadden's previous assessment of Amtrak's first-class experience: The perks are cool, but not necessarily worth the higher price tag of $241 for a one-way ticket. The first leg of my journey, from New York to Philadelphia, cost just $19 for a coach seat. If anything, the fact that first class doesn't feel like a significant upgrade is a testament to the comfort of Amtrak's coach cars. The one exception, in my opinion, is the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge. While I may not book an expensive first-class ticket again for a shorter trip, I'd consider getting a lounge day pass for the luxury of having a quiet, comfortable, well-stocked waiting area. Read the original article on Business Insider
