Specific features vary by route, but Business Class includes extra legroom, a wide and comfortable seat, and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages (not offered in Acela Business Class).
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There is more room in the business class car along with free non-alcoholic drinks. Other perks include Amtrak points bonus and reserved seating on some routes (no reserved seating in coach cars). The train car layout is also slightly different in business class vs coach class.
Amtrak Acela's business class tickets offer more plusher, wider seats than you'll experience in coach, but do not include a meal or in-seat service like first-class, roomette, and bedroom accommodations do.
Available for Business Class Customers on Select DeparturesFrom Monday through Friday, customers in Acela Business Class on select departures will have the ability to purchase exclusive new food items, wine by the glass, beer and other alcoholic beverages directly from a roving cart.
An Amtrak revenue management specialist told Trains last year that Business Class on the Auto Train had the effect of raising coach fares to the point where the company was losing business, so reservations agents had to “manually” override the yield management system to lower the price points.
Seniors, families with small children, active military, disabled in wheelchairs or walkers, and business class have boarding priority on Amtrak. In the larger stations, they will reserve a separate waiting room with more seating available.
Reclining, cushioned leather seats provide an extra comfortable ride. There is also added legroom, so stretch out and relax. Because Business Class is located at one end of the train, there tends to be less foot-traffic, resulting in a more private setting.
The average Amtrak Coach seat measures 23 inches in width (compared to around 17 inches for airplane equivalent seating) with exceptional legroom and the ability to recline for an even more comfortable sleeping position.
Amtrak offers Wi-Fi onboard 29 of its 39 trains, which accounts for the vast majority of annual ridership. Most service is concentrated on the East Coast, Great Lakes, and some parts of California.
You can upgrade your seating from Coach to First Class and Business Class seats on Amtrak.com, through our mobile applications, at a staffed station or over the phone at 1-800-USA-RAIL.
You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars. Personal food and beverages are allowed in the upper level of Superliner Sightseer Lounges.
Sitting in the café car for the entire ride is totally acceptable. If you purchase sleeping accommodations (roomette, bedroom etc.), your meals are in included in your ticket.
Room to RoamInstead of being confined to a cramped, uncomfortable seat for your entire trip, a train lets you get up to stretch your legs and walk around to other parts of the train. That's not even an option when you fly, ride a bus or drive a car.
In almost all cases, Amtrak seats are not assigned. The exception is Acela Express route seats and business class seating on the Northeast Regional, Carolinian, Palmetto, and Vermonter. Otherwise, Amtrak has a first-come, first-serve seating policy for coach seats.
2. Comfort: Train travel tends to be more comfortable than air travel, with more legroom, spacious seating, and the ability to move around freely during the journey. Trains also have larger windows, allowing passengers to enjoy scenic views during the trip.
There are many reasons for this. There is limited service between cities (Amtrak says it runs 300 trains with about 87,000 passengers per day), freight is often prioritized over passenger service in the U.S., and trains and facilities are often outdated.