Amtrak Acela

[mad_rich]

Does anyone have any experience with Acela?

They say I need to be at the station 'at least' 30 minutes before departure. That sounds like overkill to me.

I'm only traveling with small hand luggage, and I have tickets in Apple Wallet, but I think they have some sort of 'check-in' nonsense?

Baltimore - Philadelphia & Philadelphia-NYC.

Only reason I ask is that Penn Station in Baltimore doesn't look like the nicest place to hang out on a quiet Sunday at 8am.

 

[DanNCL]

Amtrak tell people to show up everywhere 30 mins before but that’s not needed on the Northeast Corridor, it’s only really needed for the long distance trains (particularly in the West) where they spend 20 mins putting people on different places on the platform grouped by destination before the train arrives, they don’t do that on the Northeast Corridor. You’ll not be denied boarding if you show up later, 15 mins is fine even at the larger stations.

My experience was with the Northeast Regional rather than the Acela but it’s the same process for both. At the larger stations they tell passengers to ‘check in’ and access to the platforms were controlled in a similar way to aircraft boarding, one or two people checking everyone’s documents as they walked onto the platform. An inefficient practice and pointless as you’ll have your ticket checked again once you’re on the train.

I seem to recall there’s a work around for the ‘check in’ process at some stations on the North East corridor, for example at New York Penn you can (or could) use the New Jersey Transit concourse to access the platform instead of the Amtrak concourse.
Unsure about Baltimore, but as Amtrak have their own dedicated platforms at Philadelphia I’d be surprised if there was any workaround there.

Amtrak don’t do it everywhere though, I recently travelled with Amtrak in California and was able to board like any other train at both Emeryville at Sacramento without any ‘check in’ performance.

 

[43096]

Amtrak tell people to show up everywhere 30 mins before but that’s not needed on the Northeast Corridor, it’s only really needed for the long distance trains (particularly in the West) where they spend 20 mins putting people on different places on the platform grouped by destination before the train arrives, they don’t do that on the Northeast Corridor. You’ll not be denied boarding if you show up later, 15 mins is fine even at the larger stations.

My experience was with the Northeast Regional rather than the Acela but it’s the same process for both. At the larger stations they tell passengers to ‘check in’ and access to the platforms were controlled in a similar way to aircraft boarding, one or two people checking everyone’s documents as they walked onto the platform. An inefficient practice and pointless as you’ll have your ticket checked again once you’re on the train.

The process Antrak have for boarding is utterly farcical, particularly on the North East Corridor. New York Penn in particular - where they 'call' the train way too late, make everyone queue up for an age and then try to board five minutes before departure (even for trains starting there). No surprise that timekeeping is so poor!

 

[Steve4031]

The last time I traveled through Baltimore, there was no extra "check-in process." You show up, wait for the track to be posted, and head down to the platform.

 

[Bald Rick]

Beware that the seats in 2+2 are not AB-CD, but (from memory) AD-HK or some such nonsense. I certainly had seat D as an aisle seat!

 

[mad_rich]

Thanks all. I suspected that 30 minutes would be overkill, but you never know.

AC - DF seats is what most airlines use for 2x2, so I guess that's what's familiar to their target market.

 

[cle]

Baltimore is fine to arrive 5 mins before and go straight to the platform. It's not dodgy inside the station, but there isn't tons of do.

NY Penn and Philly are places where you are kept upstairs (much more pleasant stations, platforms less so) and there is a ticket check often at the escalators, with the 'track' announced about 10-15 mins before. It's not Euston levels, but it's a bit annoying.

The worst is Newark Penn - terrible facilities and not always the same platform re waiting up top.

 

[mad_rich]

Another thing I've noticed with Acela is the fares are all over the place. The train I want from Philly to New York was $130 when I first checked a few days ago, $68 when I looked the following day, $112 a few hours later, then down to $90 and $270 now! All in the space of 72 hours.

I'd definitely be booking the flexible fare for a few $ more, and checking prices frequently. I've rebooked both trains several times.

 

[matt]

Another thing I've noticed with Acela is the fares are all over the place. The train I want from Philly to New York was $130 when I first checked a few days ago, $68 when I looked the following day, $112 a few hours later, then down to $90 and $270 now! All in the space of 72 hours.

I'd definitely be booking the flexible fare for a few $ more, and checking prices frequently. I've rebooked both trains several times.

If you book the non-flexible fare and the price goes down just use the live chat on the amtrak website and they will refund the difference.

 

[mad_rich]

That's useful to know, thanks.

Oddly the non-flexible fare I booked on Northeast Regional a few days ago was supposed to come with a 25% cancellation fee (still cheaper to cancel and rebook) but they've refunded in full

 

[Route115?]

I haven't been there for several years so things may have changed, but Newark is the easiest station to use as Amtrak shares platforms with New Jersey Transit. Indeed, if you want to arrive early to stand on a platform & trainspot I would recomend that station. At Washington Union you have to queue to be admitted to the paltform shortly before departure.

 

[yorkie]

The process Antrak have for boarding is utterly farcical, particularly on the North East Corridor. New York Penn in particular - where they 'call' the train way too late, make everyone queue up for an age and then try to board five minutes before departure (even for trains starting there). No surprise that timekeeping is so poor!

Yes, I had the same experience; Amtrak are desperate to make people spend a lot of time queuing and hanging around and then wait until just before departure to let people access the platforms. It's not exactly a customer-oriented experience, and is the complete opposite of more civilised places such as Switzerland.

I get the impression that Amtrak is very much aiming its product at people who have no alternative but to use them; it's not designed to be an attractive product or to encourage people to travel with them again.

 

[43096]

Yes, I had the same experience; Amtrak are desperate to make people spend a lot of time queuing and hanging around and then wait until just before departure to let people access the platforms. It's not exactly a customer-oriented experience, and is the complete opposite of more civilised places such as Switzerland.

I understand why they operate as they do at New York for through trains that are calling - the platforms aren't that big, so you want people off before allowing people on. But there is no excuse for trains starting there to board five minutes before departure and the stock has been in for some time - no reason you can't allow boarding at T-20.

I get the impression that Amtrak is very much aiming its product at people who have no alternative but to use them; it's not designed to be an attractive product or to encourage people to travel with them again.

It's also an incredibly inefficient operation from a staffing perspective - at least to UK eyes. Not sure if that is Amtrak's decision (and not wanting to provoke the unions) or FRA mandated.

The thing is, if you can get used to the stupidities, it can be a fabulous experience on Amtrak, and a great way of seeing the country. Had some fabulous journeys on a recent trip - Chicago to Washington on the Cardinal and New York (late boarding of course!) to Albany on the Ethan Allen Express stand out in particular.

 

[williamn]

It often seems to me that Amtrak staff regard passengers as quite an inconvenience. It makes UK railways look like a customer service paradise.

That said, the scenery often makes up for it (though perhaps not on the NE corridor, though it’s still far preferable to flying).

 

[Krokodil]

It often seems to me that Amtrak staff regard passengers as quite an inconvenience. It makes UK railways look like a customer service paradise.

Then there's Via Rail in Canada who make Amtrak look good by comparison.

Considering the constant threats to Amtrak's budgets and lack of investment in infrastructure it seems incredible that they haven't looked at simple things like automated barriers for pre-boarding ticket checks, rather than doing them all manually. If the unions are the reason then I'm sure that the staff could be redeployed to more productive work to avoid redundancies.

 

[williamn]

Then there's Via Rail in Canada who make Amtrak look good by comparison.

Considering the constant threats to Amtrak's budgets and lack of investment in infrastructure it seems incredible that they haven't looked at simple things like automated barriers for pre-boarding ticket checks, rather than doing them all manually. If the unions are the reason then I'm sure that the staff could be redeployed to more productive work to avoid redundancies.

From my experience living in Canada I found Via staff to be wonderful. The change in mood (and food) on The Maple Leaf after the crew change is quite something.

 

[Beebman]

From my experience living in Canada I found Via staff to be wonderful. The change in mood (and food) on The Maple Leaf after the crew change is quite something.

Back in June visiting Canada I made my first-ever and so far only journey on Via travelling from Toronto to Montreal, and likewise I found the staff to be great and very attentive.

 

[cle]

I take the Empire route (HUD-NYP) every other week - staff are consistently great.

The entitled rep is for MTA; LIRR

 

[Krokodil]

From my experience living in Canada I found Via staff to be wonderful. The change in mood (and food) on The Maple Leaf after the crew change is quite something.

I was thinking more of the airport-esque experience at the station rather than onboard. Weighing bags, seriously? On top of making everyone turn up 30 minutes early and corraling them in the waiting room until the train has arrived.

 

[mad_rich]

Thanks for the advice. As @cle said, there's not much to do at Baltimore Penn station, but it's a pleasant waiting area.

Zero ticket checks on going down to the tracks.

-

On the opposite platform, the Cardinal to Chicago (24 hours away) was just about to board. A good reminder of just how big this country is (or just how slow its trains are!).

 

[43096]

I take the Empire route (HUD-NYP) every other week - staff are consistently great.

Lucky you - that's one of my favourite rail journeys.

 

[mad_rich]

More fun with Amtrak today.

I ditched my $90 Acela ticket for Philadelphia-NYC because I wanted to travel a bit earlier, and spotted a Keystone Service for $17.

Dire warnings in the app and website that 'Keystone Service Reservations Required During Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Period'. I have a ticket for the 1155, but no seat allocation. Seemingly no way to do it online.

After a lot of Googling and calling Amtrak, it sounds like I do already have everything I need - it's kind of a counted place reservation, and the warning is to fend off people with flexible tickets from trying to board.

Whether I get a seat or not is a different question!

 

[AdamWW]

More fun with Amtrak today.

I ditched my $90 Acela ticket for Philadelphia-NYC because I wanted to travel a bit earlier, and spotted a Keystone Service for $17.

Dire warnings in the app and website that 'Keystone Service Reservations Required During Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Period'. I have a ticket for the 1155, but no seat allocation. Seemingly no way to do it online.

After a lot of Googling and calling Amtrak, it sounds like I do already have everything I need - it's kind of a counted place reservation, and the warning is to fend off people with flexible tickets from trying to board.

Whether I get a seat or not is a different question!

I thought that Amtrak only do seat selection on Acela and in business class on a handful of services.

 

[mad_rich]

I thought that Amtrak only do seat selection on Acela and in business class on a handful of services.

Yeah, there was no seat reservation, but during Thanksgiving week it seems you need a train reservation.

As it happens, the train was half-empty.

 

[Shinkansenfan]

Beware that the seats in 2+2 are not AB-CD, but (from memory) AD-HK or some such nonsense. I certainly had seat D as an aisle seat!

The Acela seat numbering was a marketing concept designed to compete with airlines operating in the Northeast Corridor (they tend to use narrowbody aircraft with 3-3 seating labelled ABC DEF).

With Acela, seats are designated AC DF with the marketing concept that unlike the airlines there is no dreaded middle seat (seats B and E).

I thought it was clever.

 

[Bald Rick]

The Acela seat numbering was a marketing concept designed to compete with airlines operating in the Northeast Corridor (they tend to use narrowbody aircraft with 3-3 seating labelled ABC DEF).

With Acela, seats are designated AC DF with the marketing concept that unlike the airlines there is no dreaded middle seat (seats B and E).

I thought it was clever.

Well I was not amused to find myself in an aisle seat when I had specifically booked D becssue it would be a window seat in 2+2!

 

[AdamWW]

The Acela seat numbering was a marketing concept designed to compete with airlines operating in the Northeast Corridor (they tend to use narrowbody aircraft with 3-3 seating labelled ABC DEF).

With Acela, seats are designated AC DF with the marketing concept that unlike the airlines there is no dreaded middle seat (seats B and E).

I thought it was clever.

Pehaps but it's also how airlines have labelled seats for a long time on airliners with fewer than 6 seats across.

That way everyone knows where they stand. Or rather sit.

I think in the 90's US Airways made a point of not selling the middle seats on their New York to Boston and Washington shuttles. Though seat letters weren't an issue because it was a turn up and go service and you picked your own seat once you were on.

Well I was not amused to find myself in an aisle seat when I had specifically booked D becssue it would be a window seat in 2+2!

I can see that. But of course almost all of the passengers will be used to air travel and would expect it to be that way.

(And that's presumably also why they tolerate being herded around at stations in a way that's foreign to Europeans).

 

[FormerBritInMe]

Well I was not amused to find myself in an aisle seat when I had specifically booked D becssue it would be a window seat in 2+2!

The app has a pictorial representation of the seats and you can change your seat at any time if a better seat is available. I have even done it while boarding.
Also note that there are both airline style and facing table seats. Personally I try to avoid the table seat and having to stare at a stranger for the entire trip. Fortunately in my last trip I got stuck at a table seat but the other side was occupied by a small dog in a carrier who was well behaved

Boarding at Philadelphia, they did a quick check of the tickets at the top of the escalator but we got down to the platform in plenty of time. Boston had no check, we just walked out to the platform. Although they are installing barriers at Boston so one will have to scan their ticket to get to the platform.

 

[AdamWW]

Personally I try to avoid the table seat and having to stare at a stranger for the entire trip.

I think a large proportion of the interesting conversations I've had with strangers on trains have been in the US.

 

[deep south]

We did Boston to Philadelphia on Acela in the summer, and used the skycap service to drop our luggage off so we could grab some food and drink for the journey. Very helpful and friendly staff, and we were escorted onto the platform early.
On train staff were also very friendly and helpful.