Amtrak Business Class Discussion - Which Routes, Consistency, Value, Etc.

[Morning Zephyr]

Apparently Amtrak is now assigning seats in whatever they pass off as "business class" in the NEC, which in reality is just a glorified coach. I was just assigned seat 2A for a trip in "business class" from NYC to Charlottesville. Considering that Amfleet cars have some seats next to a solid wall (no window) as well as many seats that just have a small bit of a small window, I am worried I am going to be stuck without much of a view. Are there any standards, or car diagrams, that show how these seats are situated relative to windows?

[Tadman]

Here are some half-decent seat diagrams, they don't have numbers, however. http://www.craigmashburn.com/amtrakcardiagrams.html

Also if you can change via the 1800 number, I would consider it. 2 is likely to be at the very end and it's best to sit in the middle for ride quality. It's not as bad an single-level cars where the bathrooms and luggage take up the ends of the cars, but in a superliner where seats/beds go right up to the bulkhead, the quality of ride in the center is noticeably better than outboard of the trucks.

[R36 Combine Coach]

Here are some half-decent seat diagrams, they don't have numbers, however. http://www.craigmashburn.com/amtrakcardiagrams.html

Isn't Amfleet II similar to Amfleet I business class (81500 series)?

[Tadman]

Out of my depth. I've only been on LD Amfleet business class a few times. I seem to remember an A1 as business class on Crescent. I was aboard WAS-NOL one year after thanksgiving and had to ride business class to somewhere in Virginia because someone short-hauled sleeper for a day trip.

[gokeefe]

If you don't like the one you have just ask to switch seats after the conductor lifts your e-ticket. I doubt they will be sold out.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[daybeers]

Apparently Amtrak is now assigning seats in whatever they pass off as "business class" in the NEC, which in reality is just a glorified coach. I was just assigned seat 2A for a trip in "business class" from NYC to Charlottesville. Considering that Amfleet cars have some seats next to a solid wall (no window) as well as many seats that just have a small bit of a small window, I am worried I am going to be stuck without much of a view. Are there any standards, or car diagrams, that show how these seats are situated relative to windows?

Here are some half-decent seat diagrams, they don't have numbers, however. http://www.craigmashburn.com/amtrakcardiagrams.html

Also if you can change via the 1800 number, I would consider it. 2 is likely to be at the very end and it's best to sit in the middle for ride quality. It's not as bad an single-level cars where the bathrooms and luggage take up the ends of the cars, but in a superliner where seats/beds go right up to the bulkhead, the quality of ride in the center is noticeably better than outboard of the trucks.

I would agree to calling the 1-800 number to make sure you have a window. The Guest Rewards number often has much better service if you are enrolled: 1-800-307-5000.

The Amfleets have been better maintained in recent months IMO with a new wheel profile that is much smoother. They're also much shorter and lighter than the Superliners or Viewliners so but it's always a better idea to be in the middle for noise/air disturbances from the end doors.

[Jeff Smith]

https://www.insider.com/amtrak-business ... 022-10?amp

Discussion by Amtrak blogger on whether her NYC - Niagara trip was worth an extra $100 over coach.

I paid $168 for a 10-hour Amtrak business-class ride from New York City to Niagara Falls. It wasn't worth it — next time, I'll stay in coach.
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Penn Station's Moynihan Train Hall has an exclusive lounge for Amtrak riders, but it's only free for first-class passengers. Business-class passengers may enter for a $50 fee.
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My seat was not assigned, but I snagged a spot in the single row.
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To get my complimentary drink, I had to go to the cafe car. I didn't see attendants checking in with passengers or delivering any meals or snacks.
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Amtrak issued the following statement in response to my experience. "We are constantly evaluating ways to improve the customer experience, including further differentiating the classes of service across the network. Customers will begin to see some of the changes this year."

[Railjunkie]

Been that way since I worked out of ALB as an LSA in '98 '99. The only difference now is no Times Useless or USA Today.

[Greg Moore]

I've always wondered why the lack of newspapers?
Is it because the Times Useless is to cheap to deliver them, or because the car attendant doesn't want to deal with them? (I realize it's a bit more complicated now that most business class cars have no operating cafe, but even then, put a pile IN the business section).

It seems to me from the TU's point of view, the cost of a few hundred extra newspapers a day to what I'm guessing is partly their target demographic, is miniscule.
My guess is Amtrak doesn't want to have to deal with putting them out, or worse, cleaning up after them.

But I tell you, especially when I was taking the LSL more regularly, it was nice to wake up to a newspaper, local or otherwise.

[Red Wing]

I remember that you used to be able to read behind the paywall while on Amtrak wifi.

[Railjunkie]

I've always wondered why the lack of newspapers?
Is it because the Times Useless is to cheap to deliver them, or because the car attendant doesn't want to deal with them? (I realize it's a bit more complicated now that most business class cars have no operating cafe, but even then, put a pile IN the business section).

It seems to me from the TU's point of view, the cost of a few hundred extra newspapers a day to what I'm guessing is partly their target demographic, is miniscule.
My guess is Amtrak doesn't want to have to deal with putting them out, or worse, cleaning up after them.

But I tell you, especially when I was taking the LSL more regularly, it was nice to wake up to a newspaper, local or otherwise.

Back in the day it was pretty easy if starting out of Albany just grab your stack of papers and place one on each seat and be done with it. Return trains out of the city people generally had a Post or Daily News with them. Now its hard to find a paper on the train. Had an engineer who would meet the inbound and sweep the trains of the morning papers and make up complete ones for himself, not just one of each but multiple. He would then leave some incomplete papers in the crew room in NYP and finish making the rest up traveling north again leaving the incomplete papers in the ALB crew room. Aaahh the good old days when it truly was the land of misfit and broken toys.

When I was working a regular to Rutland I had a regular that rode business class every Sunday night RUD NYP he would order an Old Grand Dad and a hot dog fire up his Dell and do the weeks NYT crossword puzzles. If they were easy enough he would tackle the USA weekend edition puzzle. Have them done sometimes by Rhinecliffe but never later than Harmon.

The TU these days focuses more on its online circulation then it does the actual paper which I think is true of most newspapers these days.

[Jeff Smith]

Not much meat here to be honest, but I wanted to link the picture. Which route is this? I'm guessing either Coast Starlight or Pacific Surfliner, but I suppose the Downeaster is a possibility: Timeout

Is it worth it to upgrade your Amtrak seat from coach to business class?

Almost immediately upon booking an Amtrak ticket, you're emailed an offer to bid to upgrade your seat from coach to business class. While it's fun to think you could get a better ticket by just bidding a few more dollars, you might want to first investigate the difference between the two classes on the specific train you're taking. For some trains, the difference is worth it; for others, decidedly not. This couple, Rob and Allie from Grounded Life Travel, put together a video that breaks it down across a handful of Amtrak trains. And you'll be surprised to hear that they say, "The first thing you need to know is that coach class is the same on most Amtrak trains." And that, in at least one instance, coach is preferable!

For instance, on the Downeaster in New England, they reveal that coach class seats are actually more updated than business, so it's better to stay in coach.

On the Northeast Regional, they say the two classes are "the exact same," and that business class is basically "coach class with free drinks." However, the vibe in the two can be very different, with riders engaging in meetings on the train and working on their computers in business class, while in coach there were a lot of families and college students.
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[STrRedWolf]

Not much meat here to be honest, but I wanted to link the picture. Which route is this? I'm guessing either Coast Starlight or Pacific Surfliner, but I suppose the Downeaster is a possibility: Timeout

There's a key clue under the photo:

Photograph: Courtesy Amtrak | First class seats on Amtrak

It's the Acela, ether 1 or 2. No other line has First Class.

[Jeff Smith]

That's assuming the authors know that first and business class are different, but yeah, I missed the fact that it's probably Acela. Avelia, I'd say, as when I recently rode the Acela, I don't recall red seats.

[CSRR573]

Definitely an A2, the current acela is that mainly drabby blue