Amtrak Acela First-Class Review: Lounge, Food, Benefits

When booking my ticket, a diagram on Amtrak’s website showed the direction of travel so that I could choose a forward or backward-facing seat on the train.

I chose to sit in 5F, a single window seat facing forward.

An Amtrak representative told Business Insider that seat selection — which is not typically available for Amtrak coach seats — allows for “seamless boarding while taking the guesswork out of finding your seat.”

Seven cities in the US have Amtrak Metropolitan Lounges: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Portland, Oregon, and Washington, DC. Admission is included with a first-class ticket.

In select locations, business-class passengers can buy a day pass for $35 or $50.

Train stations like Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station and New York City’s Penn Station don’t have much seating available in the public waiting areas.

In the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge, the armchairs and couches felt reminiscent of a hotel lobby.

I spent nearly three hours there, and the time flew by since I had cushy places to sit and a decent WiFi connection.

A coffee machine produced espresso, iced coffee, and hot chocolate. A water dispenser also offered still, sparkling, and hot water.

Train announcements were displayed on information screens instead of blasting through loudspeakers, and people kept their conversations and phone calls at a respectful volume.

The exclusivity of the space also meant it wasn’t very crowded.

Unfortunately, the elevator to my specific track was broken, so I had to join the regular boarding line outside the lounge.

While the seat had more space to spread out with no seat next to it, I didn’t notice a significant improvement in comfort. It felt more or less the same as the coach seat I’d sat in earlier in the day for my trip to Philadelphia, which had been perfectly comfortable.

Even though the trip was only scheduled to last about one hour and 22 minutes, it included a full meal from the first-class menu. Having someone take my order made me feel like I was at a restaurant and added to the luxurious experience.

The salad was a mix of arugula, spinach, purple potatoes, parsnips, chickpeas, tomatoes, and king mushrooms with a curry dressing.

It came with a warm roll and a small tiramisu in a jar, and I enjoyed the meal with a glass of cranberry juice.

The silverware was stamped with the Acela logo.

The lightly scented, moist towelettes were a refreshing end to the meal service.

I generally agree with my colleague Joey Hadden’s previous assessment of Amtrak’s first-class experience: The perks are cool, but not necessarily worth the higher price tag of $241 for a one-way ticket. The first leg of my journey, from New York to Philadelphia, cost just $19 for a coach seat.

If anything, the fact that first class doesn’t feel like a significant upgrade is a testament to the comfort of Amtrak’s coach cars.

The one exception, in my opinion, is the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge. While I may not book an expensive first-class ticket again for a shorter trip, I’d consider getting a lounge day pass for the luxury of having a quiet, comfortable, well-stocked waiting area.