Amtrak

I looked forward to a relaxing day aboard a train from Boston’s Back Bay station to Albany, New York and then a sleeping car to Cleveland, Ohio after a long but productive week visiting clients. I was not disappointed.
I booked the Amtrak tickets online. Their website is kind of clunky and the information about the amenities aboard the trains limited. An upgrade is in order. A handful of short videos that shows riders what to expect would go a long, long way to improving the experience.
Train 449 from Boston to Albany was superb. A few passengers continuing via sleeper car were pulled aside and seated in what seemed to be a business class car near the front of the train. Maybe that was included in the price of the ticket but, if so, that wasn’t obvious to me when I purchased the ticket and it wasn’t indicated on the printout of the ticket.
Seating was incredibly comfortable. Tons of leg room — far more than you get when flying first class — and plugs and free wifi throughout the train. Being able to stand, walk around, and visit with friends make for a pleasurable, stress free experience. The conductors were friendly and clearly had a passion for rail.
Upon arrival in Albany we moved into the nice, clean station for maybe 30 minutes while the train was reconfigured. I heard that the train from Boston is literally merged with the train from New York and the combined train then continues west to Chicago with stops in a handful of cities including my destination of Cleveland.
The sleeper car was great as was the sleeper car attendant, Alfred. He was friendly, eager to please, and seemed to really enjoy making the travel experience a pleasure for the riders. The cabins was roughly four feet wide, eight feet long, and 10 feet high. There were two seats, a sink, and a toilet. The seats converted into a single bed and a second single bed lowered from the ceiling with the end result being like a bunk bed. Alfred did a nice job of showing me the various amenities and talking through what I could expect after I boarded and then converted my seats into the bed when I was ready.
Dinner in the dining car was included. There were roughly 10 tables with each setup for four passengers. No reservations were necessary. You just showed up, were seated, ordered, and your cooked-​to-​order meal then served. I was traveling alone and so could have been seated with others if there wasn’t room but I ended up alone at the table. That was fine with me as I was in the midst of watching a movie on my laptop. There were some other tables were strangers shared a table and every single one of them seemed to enjoy the experience. Lots of laughter and friendships made.
I wouldn’t hesitate to repeat the experience. It was fun, relaxing, and a great experience.

Wow, the Acela has really improved since it first started operating. I rode it from Boston to NY Penn on a beautiful sunny clear afternoon last week. Got a regular ticket (not first class) for only $ 115, and I can’t imagine any way the first class could have been any more comfortable than my seat was. I always ride in the first car because it’s the least full. I always try to sit on the coast side when traveling southbound and inland side traveling northbound (that goes for the entire Northeast Corridor). My favorite thing about Acela now is the very detailed trip-​tracker map you can follow on your laptop or tablet. Wifi included and two plugs for charging. I applaud Amtrak for making improvements to this train … it’s really a pleasure to ride now.

In general, I will always opt to take the Amtrak over buses or planes to travel in the Northeast, so if it weren’t for the incident I had below, this would be a ⁴⁄₅. I haven’t had issues with delays though sometimes the bathrooms reek of urine by the time the train hits New York.
I recently forgot a baggage on train when it got to South Station, and luckily the bag was found and returned to me. I was really happy about that, but also dismayed to find the bag completely rifled through, with several items — gifts I got from the holiday, chargers, leather gloves, a bra (?!) — missing. Because I got off at the terminal stop there’s almost no chance that another passenger did this, and not a member of their staff over the 2 days it took them to tell me the bag was at South Station.
So, thanks but seriously, give your staff some ethics training.

Absolutely worst customer service
Employees are terrible. Not sure how they screen employees here but they might want to pay a little more to get decent people. Woman and man checking tickets outside the door were rude

I am writing this as I ride on the Boston-​DC train #163 with my husband and two kids under age 5. We have been kicked out of the quiet car which was a hassle for us but I guess it made sense for them. We continued our ride in the café car where we were told we can make as much noise as we can, and even though we weren’t given any more trouble about our noise level, the same employee that got us out of the quiet car kept warning us about feet off seats, kids off tables (my son was leaning over to give his brother a bite of his muffin), etc. We felt like preschoolers! Amtrak just killed like 10 people and they should be thankful we are still giving them business, no? I am giving two stars because I have travelled quite comfortably with Amtrak on my own before but this time I am having to deal with more than just traveling with small kids.

Took the Northeast Regional from NYC to Hartford CT and back and enjoyed the ride. Amtrak is a lot quicker on the east coast than the snails pace trains on the west coast.
Advice on the dining car? Get some food BEFORE you get on the train. The dining car is expensive with limited options. They should save gas and increase passenger area by eliminating the dining cars (yes that should upset some rail fans)…
The quiet car apparently has to be defended. While trying to sleep in it sure enough some lady with an annoying yankee squelching voice like from NAW JAWSAY answered her phone and started jabbering away making everyone visibly agree that someone needed to backslap the bitch. Finally a guy stood up and yelled «Hey lady, this is the quiet car, get off the phone or go to another car.» So she did. And then 5 minutes later answered another call, started yaking away again and the same dude stood up and yelled «Hey bitch! Give me that phone because I’m gonna break it!». She then went to another car.
So, eat before you get on and stay off your god damned phone in the quiet car!

Review of Amtrak NorthEaster train from BOS to NYC.
By far, the best way to go from BOS to NYC. Sure buses are cheaper, but Amtrak offers more room, open cars, dining options, very comfortable seating, work table/​tray, and more. Do yourself the favor, and go by train.
Con’s to the trip are few but include multiple stops at stations along the way, but that’s really about it. Some of the cars may not be plush or have tables for group work space, but they’re decent none the less.

Going from Boston to NYC was a little longer than I expected, about an hour delay total to reach Penn Station from South Station. The train departed on time but we had several delays along the way, likely because of the snowfall. The door got stuck on part of the trip so it was rather cold in the car I was ridding in plus it was packed so there was no room to sit elsewhere.
The ticket taker, seemed to have a bit of a problem when I asked how many more stops before Penn station (the speaker in the cabin was broken) so I had to ask the guy to repeat himself which he clearly did not like.
Next trip, I will likely pay for the ‘upgrade’ and see if I can have a bit of a better experience as there will be a need to do the Boston to NYC trip again before heading back to Atlanta. Flying is too much of a hassle (cab (s), security, delays, etc…) for such a short trip so I am really hoping to make the best of a train ride.

I’ve taken it to New York multiple times from Boston. The station in boston isn’t anything special, but the service is always pretty good. I really like Amtrak and think it’s relatively inexpensive (with promo codes/​coupons). Plan ahead of time and it’s a whole lot less expensive ;)

Book out your trip like, 3 months in advance to get the best rates.
If you only see a single Amtrak on the tracks, and your train is soon, that’s yours. Feel free to mill about sketchily outside near your train til the conductor lets you file on.
Amtrak kicks the arse of riding buses.
Can’t beat the bar car, either!

I sometimes love amtrak, and other times hate it! When heading from Boston to other cities, it is mostly on time at South Station/​Back Bay! However, coming back from NYC or PVD is an entirely different story. They might be delayed by 100% of the time it takes you to get to your destination. Meaning, I’ve had to wait for close to an hour in Providence for the train to get there.
I love what they have done with the application! You can buy tickets, scan them, and earn rewards, all linked to the app. I suggest signing up for amtrak guest rewards and catch their deals. You can also use your points to travel with them.
Amtrak is clean, fast, and. for the most part. reliable.

***Amtrak is a great way to travel on the East Coast as it provides quick ways to get from Boston to New York as well as from New York to Baltimore (as well as many other destinations); while you do not really save much money traveling via Amtrak over an airplane, it is just as fast (since you do not have to go through security) and you typically do not have to worry about unexpected delays; the train ride is also more comfortable and offers free Wi-​Fi to make the trip go faster; another big plus is that this Amtrak takes you right to Manhattan (Penn Station), which none of the airports offer***
I am not sure what the parking situation is at this Amtrak station.

This review will be both for the Acela Express First Class; since I am not sure where to Unilocal this. As a release I have actually never taken Amtrak Business Class or Standard Seat non Acela train.
Environment:
I have mixed feeling about the First Class on Acela when compared to flying. The main reason is because the train tends to vibrate and the your plate and utensils while slide back on the tray. The vibration gets really really annoying especially when trying to enjoy a wine and your glass is moving across the table. The train is very quite though and QC15 clear any remaining ambiance. The seats are very comfortable and wide. They are upholstered in blue leather and have good recline. The leather is in good condition and the windows are large. AC adapters are present which is excellent. On a plus side the First Class car was pretty much empty. The over heads also have ample room to fit a Tumi Alpha Continental Carry On or even larger. It does not seem as if Amtrak is policing the hand luggage policy. The bathroom is large and well lit, but really needs to be inspected and cleaned more often. Not to be picky but the first class bathroom shouldn’t have used towels on the counters and the trash overflowing.
*Also not a problem on my ride since the carriage was pretty much empty, but the original seat I decided to sit in had coffee spill marks and crumbs all over the carpet. Amtrak should take a bit more time tidying the train after each run. This could have caused some issues if the train was full.
Food:
The food was good and very similiar when compared to United’s trans con flights in United First. The best part was getting a proper sized wine glass not one of dinky tiny sample glass when you fly.
I was pretty full so order some light cheese and crackers. The crackers were packaged and the cheese was served at an appropriate temperature and had a good texture and color. As mentioned the tray tends to run across the table because of the trains vibration. A possible solution could be using a dinning table cloth as the airlines provide. It was nice to receive proper metal utensils and quality dinning linen.
Service:
5 of 5 for service. The cabin attendant was excellent. She personally introduced herself to each passenger which was about 5 and took our orders. Routinely made rounds and refiled the wine. Amtrak is not stingy at all in this area. I think by the time ended I was clearly buzzed. Thank goodness I was taking a cab at my destination. The happy cheer personality and service attitude seemed truly genuine throughout the journey
Other:
As a whole I was pretty happy, but for the price paid I might consider Acela Business Class on my next trip.

Bad customer service — STILL, after all these years.
But — if you need to get back home to Connecticut from Boston (after flying into Logan like I did) — it’s a lot better than Greyhound, and is one of your only options.
The trains out of Boston are ALWAYS crowded, so grab a seat fast — as it’s first come first served.
TIP: leave out of South Station (if you can), as opposed to Back Bay — as you’ll get first dibs on the seats that way.
The Acela is way overpriced — don’t bother.
Go with the local runs — as the service is just as lousy (either way), and you’ll get to your destination not all that much faster, anyways.

If you’re booking from outside the US, don’t bother. The website requires you to enter a Zip Code. If you don’t live in the states you obviously don’t have one. You can try 90 215 like I did, but I had no luck.
The train was on time and clean but only 3 stars coz I had to call and book when in the States.
** hopefully the web site and the app is now fixed… If so if give 4 stars

I love trains (Sheldon and I would get along very well I think!). Now, I’m not talking about Metro… No no, I don’t care about those. I’m talking about the regional ones that travel interstate.
We took the Acela Express from Boston to NYC and the ride was so cool. I like how they have a compartment near the door for you to store your luggage. There’s free Wi-​Fi, which is always a winner. It’s also very spacious between seats so you really feel comfy in your seats.
The train was really clean and the bar at the back is great if you want to grab a drink or some food.
Our train was on time and the ride was pretty quick although I wouldn’t have cared if it took a bit longer though because the view was very nice.
I’m definitely doing that again on my next visit and I might even do a night trip.

This is a review for the Northeast Regional train from Boston South to DC (Not Acela). I went round trip.
Train there left on time, and arrive an hour late. This was apparently due to engine trouble. I did not notice anything wrong. But, stuff does happen…
Train on the way back was delayed… by 10 minutes, and arrived 10 minutes early.
The train itself is very clean, and, even though I went Coach, the seats were comfortable, and had a lot of legroom. I say this even though I am not a small guy by any means.
While business class does not have this, I was in the quiet car. This is great! Though I never flew, I heard lots of horror stories in relation to the noise. Here, I could listen to my music through cheap, m non-​noise-​canceling headphones, stare out the window, and not be disturbed.
Food is alright, good enough to get you through a long train ride, (they do take credit cards) If you want your own food… pack a lunch!
Bathrooms are pretty clean, especially considering this is a train, and everything that does in stays there (a little out of sight). They can be a little odor, but nothing too heavy, neither from fragrance in the blue water, neither from what people put inside it…
The only thing that was a little weird was that power kept going out somewhere around CT. However, doors, WiFi, some lights, and of course brakes, still worked. Aside from the lights, outlets, and AC turning off, you would not notice. Unlike in subways, there isn’t any rapid deceleration.
Also, trying to sleep in a coach class seat proved to be a challenge for me. But there were a lot of people in that train who slept just fine. (this was the trian headed back, one that left at 10 at night for Boston.

Traveling to Boston, I need to arrive at the South Station to be within walking distance for an appointment at The Harvard Club (two blocks away). The Amtrak website was down, I called the toll free number. Purchased my ticket, not problem. The ticket says «New York Penn Station to BOS (South Station).»
No, there is a problem! The train arrives in Boston at the BACK BAY STATION!?! Instead of a two block walk to my meeting, IT’S TWO MILES.
Standing in a snow flurry at 16 degrees was not my plan. I finally caught a cab and made it to my meeting in about 15 minutes.
The train was great, just not the toll free service. Cost me $ 12 for the cab ride.

The ACELA is the best way to get from Boston to NYC. It’s 4 hrs door to door and way more reliable than flying. Sure the flight is only an hour but, the cab to and out of the airports, the extra time to go thru security, and the potential for weather delays in winter, make flying a much more stressful and generally slower option.
IMPORTANT: Ride the Acela not the regular train. The Acela is a fast Business/​First only express train. Splurge on first class if you can, they feed you a better meal than you get on the plane. The regular train service is uncomfortable and slow.
The Amtrak staff is a mixed bag. You sometimes get great staff and sometimes some not so great Amtrak life timers.
A word of advice If this is your first time, don’t take the late night train into NY Penn Station, the NYP station turns into a hotel for the homeless at night and feels more unpredictable and scary than the rebel headquarters in the Terminator movies. This is not a good first impression of NYC to carry with you.

If you think that your trip on the Acela will resemble the urbane experience portrayed in current TV ads, as they say in Brooklyn, fuggedaboutit. After a 10-​year personal hiatus from Acela after experiencing far too many delays and having the locus of my business shift to the west coast, I gave them another shot a couple of weeks ago. I have a client in NYC.
I booked a seat on the 1:23 p.m. from Westwood/​128 — the first stop after departing South Station. It was a Sunday afternoon, but the train was already packed. I had to walk from the Quiet Car at the back of the train to the very first passenger car before I could find an open, front-​facing seat, trying to maneuver and not be run over by other passengers scurrying to do the same. While that was better than facing backward — which surely would have given me motion sickness — I was seated at a table with two people facing me. Uncomfortable.
The ride itself, once I settled in, was OK, but the car was very hot. The scenery was interesting; a mix of woods and coastline and urban decay, which I like. Penn Station was miserable. I emerged from the platform to be confronted with wall-​to-​wall people staring at the departures/​arrivals board. Exiting passengers had to literally push through the crowd to get out because no one would let us pass. Welcome to NYC.
Returning Wednesday on the 1:03 p.m. wasn’t much better. The taxi ride from E. 53^rd to W. 33^rd took 40 minutes. Once again there was a mad rush for seats once the track was announced and, once again, I got stuck at a table.
I’ll stick to the LimoLiner from the Back Bay Hilton or fly. The Acela is about the same price as JetBlue and a lot more than LimoLiner.
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