Business Class Amtrak – Nice, but is it worth the extra cost? Amtrak’s Acela Business Class Review from NYC to Boston
Liz Hund is a former TPG writer, covering everything from the latest deal to more in-depth guides with a focus on beginners.
Business Class Amtrak
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Nice, But Is It Worth The Extra Cost? A Review Of Business Class On Amtrak’s Acela, Nyc To Boston
Amtrak’s Acela will get you from New York to Washington, D.C. in just two hours and 33 minutes with its fast nonstop service, making it a business traveler’s dream. With stops, the 150 mph train takes two hours and 55 minutes to travel. It takes three and a half hours to get from NYC to Boston.
The Acela isn’t as fast as the high-speed trains that routinely crack 200 mph in Asia and Europe, but it’s a convenient and productive alternative to flying or driving.
In general, Acela offers hourly morning and afternoon service to business travelers between New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., as well as multiple convenient roundtrips between Washington and Boston. If your budget allows, this is a quick and convenient way to cross the Northeast Corridor.
Acela has no coach class, only business and first. Scott Mayerowitz, TPG’s Executive News Director, reviewed the premium option in April 2019. Since then, Amtrak has updated its interiors (planning to upgrade them further in 2021), so we thought it was time to check out the refreshed business-class product.
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In the past, Amtrak was a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, but unfortunately that relationship no longer exists. You can redeem points with the Amtrak Guest Rewards World Mastercard, but if you’re paying cash, be sure to use a card that earns 3x points per dollar spent on travel purchases, like the Chase Sapphire Reserve , or the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card . , which allows you to redeem Venture miles at a fixed rate against the cash price of the ticket.
I booked directly with Amtrak, making sure to log into my Amtrak Guest Rewards account to earn points for my trip.
Information for the Amtrak Guest Rewards card has been independently compiled by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
I booked my ticket from New York to Boston three weeks before the flight for $129 one way. I paid with the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and it earned me 258 Ultimate Rewards points thanks to 2x back on travel purchases. I also earned 323 Guest Rewards points because Amtrak gives travelers 2x points per dollar spent, plus a 25% bonus on business class bookings.
File:acela Express Business Class Coach.jpg
I have only one thought about New York Penn Station, and it was summed up in a tweet from a man of God:
This train station nightmare might be my least favorite place in the world. It is chaotic, dirty and very outdated. All I can think about in Penn Station is when I can get out of Penn Station.
I decided to make it less stressful this time, and that started with coming in earlier than I usually do.
My train was scheduled to leave at 11:10am, so I decided to arrive two hours early to get some work done and avoid my chaotic sprint to the platform. It was Saturday morning so I didn’t have to fight rush hour traffic – things were already looking up!
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I thought I could get a day pass to the Acela Club, but was disappointed to find out that I had to be a first class passenger or a United MileagePlus Club cardholder.
Doesn’t know that? Yeah, as someone who arrives at the station at the last minute, I’ve never given it much thought or research. I had just heard about day passes, but it turns out they are only available to business class passengers in Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Teenage mistake. (Still, I’m not missing much. The current, windowless Club Acela isn’t exactly a premium saloon; its future incarnation promises to be even better.)
After being denied entry to the empty lounge, I went to the common seating area in search of an electrical outlet. Outlets were few and far between. There was a plug in the first seat, but it was covered with tape. I made my way to the second seating area and was able to close both the outlet and the seat, but had to grab the plug while balancing on the umbrella in my bag.
Fortunately, the seating area wasn’t too crowded and I was able to enjoy my work time without neighbors. It wasn’t jam-packed, but it still was
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I was surprised that the internet wasn’t excruciatingly slow, even though I was mostly just typing. I was able to do what I needed to do.
As always, when the track was announced, everyone who was no longer in the air quickly flocked to the track. Nevertheless, I was down the escalator and on the train in about five minutes.
Acela train has two classes: first and business. First class passengers can pre-select their seats arranged in a 2-1 configuration. Business class riders don’t have that luxury; first come, first serve.
When I boarded, most of the window seats were already claimed, but I was able to grab a window seat with a table. Business class seats are arranged in a 2-2 configuration with a mix of front and rear seats.
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The leather looked better than when Scott reviewed the Acela first class. This is because the entire Acela fleet will be undergoing an in-house refresh in June 2019. The seats are as comfortable as they are wide and recline well.
Business class passengers have the option to purchase food and drink, although you must order from the on-board snack bar. The offerings weren’t anything special — Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches, I think — and I’d already had breakfast, so I wasn’t disappointed.
If you’re in the mood for a drink, the prices aren’t bad. Better than anything you’ll find at a bar in New York or Boston.
Acela business class does not come with any special amenities, but the train does offer free Wi-Fi and power outlets. Amtrak Wi-Fi gets a bad rap, but I was able to get by without any major connection issues. Things took longer than usual to load and I had a couple of minutes of downtime, but I was still able to do what I needed to do.
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As for the baths… well, let’s just say I was happy I waited until Boston. At first glance, it wasn’t that dirty, but it didn’t smell clean either.
Acela is an efficient way to travel between Boston and New York. It got me from Penn Station to South Station in just three and a half hours. However, I wouldn’t say it’s the most affordable at $129 one-way. If the trip was on my dime, I’d probably lean toward the $39 Northeast Regional economy fare. Regional takes about 30 minutes longer, but at a third of the price, it’s a win in my book. Other than the speed of the train and the upgraded seats, there weren’t any great amenities that set Acela business class apart from Northeast Regional for me. But no matter which train or cabin you choose, train travel is a great alternative to flying or driving, especially if you’re more aware of your carbon footprint.
Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed herein are solely those of the author and not of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Our points-obsessed staff uses multiple credit cards on a daily basis. Unless everyone on our team would recommend it to a friend or family member, neither would we at The Points Guy. Our opinions are our own and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by our advertising partners.
What It’s Like To Travel Business Class On An Amtrak Acela Train
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With international travel becoming more of a hassle than I’d like to endure, and with COVID-19 overwhelming many states’ hospital systems, I find myself making more domestic trips than ever before. When Amtrak ran a $34 round-trip fare sale between New York and Philadelphia, I jumped at the chance to make a quick weekend getaway. Less than an hour and a half
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