When heading to NY, you really can't beat the Acela Express. True, it costs about the same as a flight, and takes a bit longer (but not much, when considering getting to and from the airport), but it drops you right in midtown at Penn Station, has comfortable seats, WiFi, and power outlets. Sure, you can't stream much video or music, but you generally can't do this on shared WiFi anyway. Also? There is a bar. And a quiet car, if being next to people making noise makes you stabby. Upgrade to first class, and get a free "meal," but also free booze along the way. read more

I gotta give credit where credit is due. Octavia and Eddie were our attendants on 2158 from NYC to Boston and they were amazing! They made out first Amtrak experience amazing read more

If I could zero stars, I would. We took an Amtrak train for a school trip from Lansing to Chicago, a normally 3-4 hour trip. It took 9. Not only did we miss our dinner reservations, the entire trip was ruined due to all of the rescheduling that had to be done. All the company would do to make amends was to hand out free water and cheap snacks. So far there has been no mention of refunds, though I doubt that the company would ever do that, regardless of the 5-1/2 hour delay. UPDATE: there was no refund. The return trip lost electricity and we were left without air conditioning for an hour and a half in a completely full car on a 75 degree day read more

"We'll have to wait until the power comes on, but it won't be more than a minute after that." I was in the café car heading from Boston to NYC this morning, and had just ordered up a sausage, egg, and cheese for breakfast. It's been a long time since I took the train and I forgot how Euro it makes me feel. The ding of the microwave cut my dreams of northern Italy short and the friendly cashier handed over the perfectly wrapped Jimmy Dean breakfast Sammy. "It's hot" she said. My brother was with me too, and ordered the same thing. Plenty of booths were open in the car, so we set up shop somewhere near Kingston, R.I. and took in the sites of the coast, the sounds of the train, and the pungent smells of the sausage. My god it smelled outrageous. Crossing into Connecticut, the sun was strong and illuminated the contents of my now unwrapped breakfast. Inside, a disturbingly well proportioned biscuit, egg, sausage patty, and cheese slice sat in all its glory. Piping hot and oh so fragrant the temptation was overwhelming. I dove in. Soft but firm, like a Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpet with more salt. Yes I was starving, and my strike zone was huge, but I can say without hesitation that this particular sandwich was absolutely delicious. This sandwich was constructed in Illinois, or so it said on the wrapper. How they crafted 4 individual ingredients to be the exact same circumference, to the mm, I'll never know. About the same width as a tennis ball, I am certain I could slide four, maybe five if I press, of the sandwiches into an empty tennis ball can. Half way through, I was impressed with how well everything stayed together, no mess, a perfect snack for a train. At just under $5, I couldn't have asked for more. Had I not been fighting motion sickness from traveling backwards and smelling sausage this entire time, I would have ordered up another. In short, I can recommend the SEC Sammy on the Amtrak train. read more

Tickets for the 6:45 pm train on Friday night to NYC. Train doesn't actually arrive until 7:45. No one tells us why. Show a little empathy when dealing with people who are attempting to reach a destination by a certain time...and they are confused, stressed, and feeling like you don't give an effin' damn because you decide that you have better things to do while sitting on your ass behind the counter...and basically tell them that. Ugh. Waste of money. read more

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! read more

Amtrak offers two trains out of South Station: Regional Service (to/from Washington via New York and the once a day train to/from Chicago) and the Acela (also known as the "fancy" train). The duration of each trip is about the same (3.5 hours for the Acela, and 4-4.5 on the Regional), but the service is worlds-apart. I've been fortunate enough to take the Acela First Class (the rest of the train is Business Class), which included the following highlights: - Access to the Acela Lounge, a nice pre-waiting area with snacks and beverages away from the hordes of other passengers (essentially, Amtrak's answer to the Admiral's Club) - Priority Boarding - Deluxe leather seating, either in 1 or 2 seat configurations (I secured a single seat row) - Gourmet meal (I had a salmon lunch with risotto) - Open bar Service was exquisite and it was a nice way to travel to New York for my birthday. They were quite generous with the drinks, too, and I felt no pain very quickly. There's no shame in drinking at 11 AM! My experiences on Acela Business Class and the Regional have both been extremely positive. My favorite part of train travel is avoiding security lines and wait times at the airport, the fact that I can use my computer (the Acela now has Wi-Fi), and the total trip time is still less if you consider everything it takes to board a plane. Plus, there are usually no delays due to weather (except under extreme conditions). While the bus is the cheapest way to go, and flights might be less "travel" time, trains are a beautiful way to experience the trip. For a good discount on trains, check out the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) for an ongoing 10% discount on the Regional and that discount on Acela (which almost NEVER has discounts) on weekends only. It's $35 a year and you'll make it back in 2-3 trips. The biggest tip I can impart is book early! Oh, and join Guest Rewards to earn free travel. If you really travel a lot, also get the Chase card. read more

I usually make about 5 Acella round-trips per yer and it is definitely the best way to get from Boston to New York and back. You get a nice spacious seat with WiFi. There's no security lines. You get 3.5 relaxing hours to watch a movie or read a book. The cafe car food is not too expensive and surprisingly good. And the trains are usually on time - in fact, I've only had one delayed train in the past few years. However, the Amtrak employees are not particularly strong on customer service. Anytime I interact with them it feels like they are somehow giving me a favor of riding their train. Also, the process of boarding the train in NY can be somewhat stressful. They do not announce the track number until the last minute. And when they do, everyone rushes to one narrow escalator, forming a giant funnel-like line. So you only have about 5 minutes between the announcement and the departure to board the train. Everytime I feel like I'm about to miss it. read more

1.) Fix the tracks; 2.) Upgrade the tracks; and, 3.) Speed up the trains -- Aside from that, it's an all-around better experience than the US domestic airlines and the crotch-grabbing goons at TSA. read more

Gotta give some love to Amtrak - been travelling to Phila on business recently and airfares from Boston have been running around $1000. Amtrak was less than half, and when you calculate it all (timewise) it ends up taking me just slightly longer than a flight since no security, no delays, no 'check in an hour before', and it drops you right downtown (where you can rent a car, if you need one). I tend to ride first class, so you get decent treatment there too (and it's not much more pricey than the entry level business class). I get to work for the 5 hour trip - I don't feel cramped - and I don't have to worry about properly presenting my liquids and gels. after living in Europe for some time, I never understood why we couldn't make train travel work here - besides the fact that we are slightly bigger country I guess :) I like the fact that Acela is working - and working well - and around the same price I paid for the TGV a few summers back for a comparable length of trip. trust me, I won't use the train to go much further than Phila - but it's become my default for this trip - and I think it should be an option for you too read more

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. read more

My absolute favorite way to travel to NYC. Pros: quiet. fairly clean (except for the bathrooms), usually spacious, and no lines, no fuss, and most times, I get a whole row to myself. Cons: $$$ and the aforementioned bathrooms. no wi-fi. I love that I can get to Back Bay 10 minutes before the train leaves, and still be 5-7 minutes early. I love that it has electricity, a snack car (just in case), and that it lulls me to sleep in about 5 minutes. I LOVE LOVE LOVE that it doesn't matter if there is holiday traffic... I'll still get into town on time. I hate that the one time I needed the bathroom it was disgusting. (The bathroom on the acela was nice and clean though). I hate that there's no wi-fi. I hate that Amtrack costs 4 times the amount of a bus ticket. In other words, unless I win the lottery, I'll use amtrak during the holiday season to get to NYC. But otherwise.... I gotta go with Bolt. read more

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. read more

I am blown away by the horrible filth and smell from the bathrooms DC to Boston. I can not believe Amtrak does not service these facilities! An outhouse is a much better option than a "bathroom" on Amtrak. read more

I had missed my train and I was unable to travel to NYC. Although Amtrak did warn me that I needed to contact them before taking the second leg of my journey, I was told I had to forfeit my ticket, What really bothers me is that they were not even able to give me a voucher to use later. I had to make a second call to a very cold sounding man who told me he had to follow "corporate policy" I can't understand why I was treated so inhumanely by this company, although my tax dollars are paying for it. In the past they have been kind enough to put me on another train when I missed it, but this time, I am out of luck! Why not make an exception to a rule when someone has been a loyal customer? I may as well take the bus, Time was when I bought a ticket on a bus or train, I could use my ticket any time. Now with some busses having stricter regulations, Amtrak thinks they can do that as well, which makes Amtrak a lot less valuable to me in the future. I believe they should consider making one-time exceptions to the rule, and allowing rebates when the WiFi was down the entire time on the Acela, for example. In other words, Amtrak is not perfect, either. To elevate my complaint I was told to write a a letter to Washington DC. One would think it would be far cheaper to refund my $58.00 than to have someone review and respond to this complaint. read more

Great service...Boston to NYC was quick and comfy. But Amtrak needs to lower its prices...with competition like Bolt and Mega Bus, there may be new alternatives. read more

I honestly couldn't believe how much room I had on this train. Took this to Albany over the weekend, and it was just so comfy. I don't know if I just got lucky, but for $19 I was able to get to Albany and didn't have to deal with the Greyhound crowd. I also got a seat with an outlet, so I was able to plug in the DVD player and chill for the 4 hours it took to get there. As a bonus, we got in 1/2 hour early! I also took it back to Boston and there was track work being done, which meant I had to take a bus. BUT, it was awesome because not only did we leave late, we arrived 1 1/2 hours EARLIER than we were supposed to! So I am a big fan of Amtrak as long as the prices are low. read more

Having commuted 5 days a week for 9 months between Mystic CT and Boston, this review is from a commuter view point. The 66 regional train will put you into Boston at around 8 AM if it is running on time, which it usually is, a delay of about 30 minutes is typical. about twice a month, there was a mayor problem and the train was over an hour late. It is also funny that the one day you are running late getting to the station is when the train is on time. In the morning the cars are quiet and the crew very friendly, the train will fill up when it gets to Providence with commuters. In the afternoon, the quiet car is a nice place to relax and read a book. The afternoon train is usually on time, but either the 5:35 (177) or the 6:40 (179) does not make all the intermediate stops, so plan accordingly. Some of the smaller stations in CT offer free parking. Overall, this was a good service. There are also other trains through the day. In my experience, the sunday night trains to Boston are usually late. Amenities: the seats, while not first class are comfortable enough in coach. While I never paid for a business class seat, we sometimes got to seat in business class cars due to overcrowding, and unless they have stewardesses putting grapes in your mouth, I would say it is not really worth it unless you are in a real long trip. Tthere are outlets in every seat. At the end of the day, it sure beat driving. read more

I simply can not give this train as many stars as most people here. I use this train frequently (maybe 6 times a year to go to New Haven). I do not use the Acella because I don't have the money to pay 290 dollars round trip to go somewhere that is a two and a half hour drive away! So I use the regular ol' Northeastern train which is still expensive, ranging from 80 round trip to 150 depending on when you take it/ hour far you buy your ticket in advance. The trains aren't bad (seats fairly comfortable) and he best thing I can really say for Amtrak is that the conductors are friendly. But it's pretty slow on it's journey to New Haven. Actually I don't think I've ever arrived at the time I was supposed to, its consistently 15 minutes late (JUST CHANGE THE EXPECTED ARRIVAL TIME THEN!) We always seem to be just stopped waiting for another train to pass or whatever. Last week it was actually delayed two hours because of problems with a bridge in the New London area- no, not necessarily their fault but just saying you can still experience delays and hassle even on the train. Recently I was unable to buy a ticket one-way ticket in advance online so I checked the price the night before. 42 dollars. I get there in the morning...68 dollars. So beware and definitely buy the damn ticket early. In terms of getting to New Haven the bus options are only 10-20 dollars cheaper and involve a transfer in Hartford and take an extra 1-1.5 hours. read more

And how have I never reviewed Amtrak? I just saw a really negative review by someone whose train got cancelled during the blizzard. A cancellation during a pretty frigging huge snowstorm when staff is likely minimal seems a little unfair. My take is more like, yeah, when I was a kid in the 80s we had some terrible delays, often in awful conditions,* but that since then I've ridden a fair amount along the NE Corridor and can't recall even a serious delay on any of my trains in the past 15-20 years. I like the rocking motion, pushing the button with my foot to open the door, and staring out the window at the southern New England seacoast. That said we took it to Buffalo for a Pats game once, and the train on the way back was delayed by six hours because CSX controls the rails, and their freight gets priority over passenger service, but the takeaway for me there was to avoid that route. I also had to wait for around six hours in San Francisco for the train to Portland, OR, which was kind of irritating but I was just wandering around the West Coast for a week and had books, so no big whoop... plus that train is a big double-decker, and the delay meant waking up to dawn in Northern California, coffee and breakfast in big, comfy, swivel chairs in the bay-windowed cafe car taking in the beauty of southern Oregon, and lunch in the Cascades (in such a chair). Darling, you simply MUST do lunch in the Cascades! *In fairness, the main part of said conditions was being forced to ride in the smoking car with my mother--even though I explained to her that we could ride in the non-smoking car, and she could just go back to the smoking car when she needed a puff, then come back and not be in that awful stink-pit. Y-U-C-K! And this from a guy who likes hacking a butt now and then! read more

First time riding a train and it went well. Arrived at Boston South Station and was issued a ticket from the ticketing agent. The station is nice with an abundant food court and monitors everywhere. Almost missed my train because I was too busy yapping on the phone to a friend about people lining up on the tracks. After hanging up and checking the monitors, realized, hey! those people are taking the same train as me and it's about to leave! Made it onboard with less than a minute to spare. Coach seating is ample big. Much better than flying. Free wifi and AC plugins on the Acela Express. What was really nice was that when we approached my stop, the conductor stopped by my seat and reminded me that the next stop would be where I was getting off. Fantastic service! read more

This review will be both for the Acela Express First Class; since I am not sure where to yelp 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. read more

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I have taken the Aclea to Boston at least a 1/2 dozen times. It's a wonderful way to travel to NYC. The seats are roomy, you have an outlet, you have a huge overhead bulkhead for your suitcase carry on, and the gentle rocking of the train is very relaxing. If you like to relax and read a book put you cell phone on silent mode and go into the quiet car. It's usually like a library in there. (no cell phones allowed). The snack car serves beer & wine. Compared to flying it's way better of an experience. The only negative item is the price. expect to pay $88 to $120 a ticket one way to/from NYC. It's great for a rare trip but if you make frequent trips the bus is cheaper. read more

$300 + to travel from Stamford to Rte 128 on a Sunday morning? Assigned seating is a joke. When I got to my seat, someone was sitting in it. Conductor told me to sit wherever I wanted. . Where should I sit in the age of Covid? i told him the rules are Amtrak's not mine. They assign the seats. He told me there's something wrong with the app. Sorry. Not my fault. Your job to fix it. Come on! Trains are great. Being a conductor is a cool job. Try doing it. read more

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. read more

I take Amtrak every other weekend. Last March, I broke my wrist. At first, I was able to receive assistance with lifting my bag by being placed on the train a bit earlier. A few weeks later I was told to wait and that there were conductors and staff on the train to help me. There was NO ONE on the train to help. I left my bag in the area for those with disabilities. The employee who told me there were staff on the train to help was sitting down and leaning back with legs spread wide open while saying this to me. For the first time, I was VERY DISAPPOINTED in your customer service. read more

Been on Boston - NYC acela express 3 times, twice first class, once business class. Don't remember what 'business' class was like, that was many moons ago. First class is decent really. Decent food, decent seats, decent service. I think most importantly, if you were to add up travel time between Logan-Boston and JFK/EWR-manhattan, the acela express is awesome. If you're used to travelling on a larger jet however, the comfort onboard the train is rather lacking. Travelling on the acela between BOS and NY is like travelling on a plane with constant little turbulence for 3.5 hours... Despite this I do think this might be the best way to go unless of course you have someone to chauffeur you to and from the airports, priority check in and all that. read more

This is the first time I've ever had to write in to a company about such a poor experience. For the last 10 years, I've been using Amtrak to travel between Chicago and Detroit for holidays, family & friend's events, and vacation. Each year, their services have declined. Their prices have become ridiculous. I used to be able to purchase a round trip ticket for under $100; that now seems impossible even when booking months in advance. Luckily car rentals and flights seem to be more affordable and better equipped with higher quality accommodations. Second, their employees are as lost and frantic as their customers. When arriving 20 minutes early for my train, one of them permitted me into the waiting room. Another yelled at me (quite embarrassingly) to not sit down, but to get in line for boarding. Then another (right in front of the second employee) told me not to wait in line or even in the waiting area, and walked me back into the central station and told me to wait there... thankful I went back up to ask and the last two employees were both mistaken - general boarding already started and I was about to be the last to board Finally, and this is something that hasn't changed since my first train ride with them, their trains are freezing! Every time I'm on, people are covered with blankets and hoodies, even in the middle of summer. Nothing like going to spend time with loved ones and getting sick along the way. When I reached out to Amtrak about my experience and made suggestions, I was dismissed. In today's day and age of customer experience, I will not be surprised to see this company decline even further. They've lost me as a customer - I'm only writing this in hopes that other potential customers realize that there are other transportation options that are much more affordable, comfortable, convenient, and have higher quality staff. read more

My son (!4) and I rode the Acela to NY for a quick day trip. I was in Boston for business and he had come along. I grew up in NYC and we had to take the opportunity to go to NYC even for just 6 hours. We are also big train fans (we once rode the California Zephyr from San Francisco to Denver) so taking the Acela was a must even if all we did was turn around and come back. We were staying in the back Bay and could have gotten on there but we wanted to start from the beginning and make sure we got a good seat for the trip. When heading south to NY sit on the left side so you can see the shore when it's possible. The train itself is very cool looking and the interior has a business jet feel. Big comfy seats and lots of room and wifi and power at each row. I download an app for my iPhone that showed our speed. The stretch between Boston and Providence is the quickest. We hit 150 for a bit. In a plane you have no concept for how fast thou are going at high altitude. But in this train going even 135 feels really fast. There are many business people and they talk on the on the phone (a lot!) so if you want quiet sit in the quiet car. Cafe car has standard Amtrak fare so if you want something better get it at the station. Bathrooms are nice and big. Our train to NY arrived 30 minutes late so my son and I really had to book it to Yankee Stadium so we didn't miss our tour. Our return train later that night (7PM) was also late arriving from DC but it managed to arrive at Boston Back Bay on time. I really didn't care that it was late as we were on an adventure together. It was all part of a really memorable trip my son and I will cherish for many years. read more

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I recently took the Amtrak Northeast Regional train between Boston and Providence. I was pretty impressed...the train was exactly on time going both directions, and it was a comfortable ride. Previously, I've had much worse luck with timeliness when using Amtrak in the Chicago area. I would definitely take Amtrak again to get to Providence and other nearby locations. However, I think I'll stick to the buses for travel between Boston and NYC just because of the extreme cost difference. read more

I'm a fan of trains. I'm a huge fan of mass transit. Amtrak isn't the cheapest option, but I like it still (when it is cheap enough, that is). Boston - Philly was my trip on the regional, and it had like 20 stops. The seats were roomy and each seat had 2 plugs. Not sure if there was wifi in the coach cabin, but I tethered my phone, so I had internet. The ride was great, and I feel as if I can do work there now, so I may travel on the train more during work hours, which is a huge benefit. You don't have to be in the station hours before (like an airport), but the ride is long (6 hours Bos - Philly). I feel like it beats driving because I hate that drive, and with it being about $30 more each way than driving, I'll probably take the train more often. read more

It's OK. great if you're living on the Red Line. For Orange Line dwellers, take Back Bay station going out towards NYC, but it's awkward and horribly smelly. In that comparison, the Amtrak station on the Orange Line is 'the pits' but the South Station Amtrak station is relatively good (but IMHO dismal). read more

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. read more

Horrible customer service and a miserable riding experience. I tried an Amtrak route from Eugene OR to San Jose CA. The train was dirty - the bathrooms unacceptably so. The food offered on board was of worse quality than packaged convenience store food. The seats were not comfortable enough for their intended use (overnight rides). Our return trip was delayed repeatedly, and due to the uncertainty we ended up needing to rent a car and drive overnight to get home. I have still never received a refund for this awful experience. I cannot speak to other routes, but I would not recommend the Amtrak Coast Startlight to anyone for any reason, and will never use Amtrak again. read more

Great ride all around - service, comfort and relaxation. Train was a bit late - just got to read longer. read more

I need to use a walker for distances. An Amtrak employee in Boston saw me approaching the train and instantly offered to help me board the train, found me a "disability" seat and made sure I was comfortable. When my train left New York, a conductor asked if I needed any assistance, either right then or when I reached my destination. As a result, he carried my bag and walker off the train when I got off and offered to walk me to the elevator, which was quite a distance. All the Amtrak people were very pleasant and accommodating. This wasn't my first Amtrak trip and I won't hesitate to use it again when necessary. It's great to know that my disability won't stop me from travelling! read more

Vomiting On An Amtrak Makes Me Feel Young Again No offense, Amtrak, but you're not the ideal place for a bone-crushing hangover. Case in point - this past Sunday when I dragged my weary body out of my friend's comfy NYC bed at 9:15 am to catch the 10am Amtrak like a good Patriots fan who wanted to be back in Boston for the 4pm game - which incidentally turned out to be Snoozefest 2008. Congratulations Matt Cassel, on boring the snot out of me. But I disgress. Amtrak - I've long admired your blue and silver coloring, not to mention the way I often get not one but TWO of your chairs by putting tons of trashy magazines on the chair next to me and glowering at anyone who eyes my second chair, aka my future tiny bed. I love to pretend I'm sleeping when the conductor announces that we all need to free up the chair next to us for the people getting on at the next station. But this day in particular, getting two chairs was a life or death situation because my Amtrak trip was better known as a countdown to a vomit explosion. Amtrak, you didn't do much for me on this fine New York morning. As your cars started chugging down the tracks, my stomach turned in that old familiar last-night-i-did-100-shots-and-now-i-have-three-mysterious-bruises kinda way. I stood up, spreading my crap all over my two chairs as thoroughly as possible. Your bathroom was at the other end of the traincar - it looked so far away. Faces were a blur. I kept repeating to myself "I cannot vomit in the middle of this traincar, I am 26 years old." Everything was spinning, and tears came to my eyes, but not the tender kind. The kind when your body is about to reject every iota of liquid inside it. Slamming the sliding door to the bathroom behind me was like 100 Christmases and birthdays all at once. I fell to my knees on your dirty bathroom floor and then - sweet, sweet vomit. Amtrak, you must have been thinking of me when you designed this spacious bathroom. It was so large that when I was done vomiting I could sit on the floor with my legs fully stretched out. The toilet paper was at eye level when you sit on the floor and I was able to wipe my face with minimal effort. But the sink - so tiny! How could you expect me to wash up effectively with a timed release of water that lasted for only two seconds?! And the smell...the only thing worse than the smell of vomit was the natural smell of this bathroom and the vile blue cleaning product that washed my vomit away, probably onto some unsuspecting animal crossing the railroad tracks. Sorry I covered you in vomit, small animal. I can only give you two stars, Amtrak, because this is a story about vomit. When I graduated college, I was fairly convinced I would never again puke in someone's mode of transportation. But you have proved me wrong. Your moving and shaking brought me back to those carefree days when I would shamelessly puke in cabs and then yell at the driver for throwing me out on the street. Thank you for that. I feel like a kid again. I returned to your bathroom two more times that morning to reprise the experience. I'll never be the same again. So the next time you're boarding an Amtrak and you're looking at a young woman faking sleep who is staunchly unwilling to give up her extra chair, just think: she is probably doing you a favor. She is likely covered in a thin layer of vomit and train-bathroom-floor filth, too ill even to delight in one of your world-reknowned Amtrak pizzas. read more

I've taken Regional (Business Class) once and Acela (First) several times, to both NYC and Washington DC. Amtrak service in the northeast corridor is nothing short of outstanding. There are quirks and tradeoffs to consider, but they offer varying levels of service (regional vs acela, coach vs business vs first) at varying price points that would suit most travelers. I would recommend the very small upgrade price for Business service on Regional for less-cramped quarters (if you're going Regional), fewer other travelers, and a generally quieter experience (yes, even compared to the quiet car). Regional service is definitely a good value, but if you want a First Class travel experience, you'll be hard-pressed to beat Acela First service. The lounges are okay, but at NY Penn, it is an absolute godsend on weekends -- the general waiting area is a complete zoo, so the lounge (available to Acela First and Amtrak elite-status passengers) is a nice respite. It's only marginally faster than a bus if traffic to NYC is light - but that's quite the risk, isn't it? Compared to flying (door-to-door, including security), Amtrak is far superior time-wise to most locations on the northeast corridor from Boston. First Class service on Acela includes at-seat hot-food and beverage (including beer, wine, and cocktail) service from (usually two) attendants in the First Class car. The menu choices are generally quite good (and include a veggie option) -- on par with what you'll get on a good first-class airline trip, without all the drama, cramped quarters, and hassle. The bathrooms are generally kept quite clean, and there are power outlets at the seats. (This is true in business class on Regional and Acela as well -- not sure about Coach on Regional). My Regional train did not have wifi service, but Acela has reasonably reliable wifi service. (Don't expect high-speed service, but it's definitely sufficient for reliable browsing and email if you're trying to get work done). The seats on Acela also offer a nice view with large windows. (Seats on Regional have much smaller windows). If you want a nice view of the coast, sit on what will be the south-facing side of the train (on the left if you're sitting facing the front of the train in Boston, on the right if you're sitting facing the front from DC or NY - if you're unsure, ask a conductor... they're usually quite helpful). My wife and I take this trip together, and it's quite pleasant to sit, share a meal (or two) with wine, watch the countryside fly by, and arrive pretty much right at our destination. This experience is incredibly tough to beat when you're leaving from Boston. People seem to sometimes get confused by the boarding process. It's basically first-come, first-served for seats as you board the train, so there's a line that forms outside south station. If you want earlier access to the line before your train's track number is posted, consider asking an Amtrak employee inside south station - they'll likely be able to tell you at least 30 minutes before the train leaves (and likely before the line has started forming). If you're going First Class on Acela, you'll get an opportunity to board before the general line is let through, but it is still first-come, first-served for seats in the First Class car. DO NOT stand in the general line if you've got a First Class ticket and boarding has been called (it will be announced early inside the Club Acela lounge, before the track is posted on the board in South Station). Rather than waiting in the line, walk past it to the Amtrak/Security staff at the front of the line, show them your First Class ticket, and board the train. (This is not clearly explained anywhere, but I had asked in the lounge my first time - again, the staff are generally quite helpful). Price-wise, you don't get gouged quite as badly for waiting to buy tickets closer to your travel date as you would with an airline, but you still get better prices if you book farther out in advance. Acela is not cheap, so if you're not sure if train travel is for you, perhaps consider a Business Regional trip first. read more

Four stars remains for Amtrak because there are little travel options as delightful as the act of arriving by rail, but it must be noted that their system for rescheduling a trip is archaic. Once you've purchased a ticket, you cannot simply re-book by phone or via the web, but only in person at the Amtrak ticket counters, where lines can be impossible long. Perhaps a fix is in the works for the near future, so until then please refrain from having any instances where you'd be in the position to change your ticket, as it's an aggravating process. read more

I actually have no complaints about my one ride from Boston to NYC. I boarded at 6:45 PM on a Monday. I don't think it was an Express but all the seats had a lot of legroom and the power outlets worked for me. It took about 4 hours to get to Grand Central and the ride was decently smooth. I just watched movies the whole time on my laptop. They also had a snack car which was decently priced.. $5 for a burger and a drink. read more