What is the difference between coach and business on Amtrak?

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.



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So what does business class offer over coach? Free nonalcoholic drinks, which may not total more than a few dollars in value. There's supposed to be more legroom, but Allie and Rob say it's the same seating on some trains. And there are upgrades on points, which can be worthwhile if you ride frequently.

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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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If you want to travel in style and comfort, with plenty of room to stretch out, gourmet meals, premium entertainment, and personalized service, then business class is definitely the way to go. But if you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, coach can still provide a comfortable and enjoyable flight.

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The Business Class car is the last car on the train and is configured with forward-facing seats and two conference tables with four seats each. All the seats are rotated by the train crew to face forward, except for the seats at the conference tables, which means you could end up sitting in a rear-facing seat.

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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.

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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.

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The best place to sit in Amtrak Coach Class is on the upper level. It's all about the view on the upper level. This is the biggest advantage of sitting in the upper level. You can also move from car to car more freely as there is access from each car on the upper level.

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Available for Business Class Customers on Select Departures From 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.

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The Metropolitan Lounge is available exclusively to Amtrak's Business Class, Sleeping Car, Guest Rewards Select Plus, or Select Executive members.

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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.

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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.

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So yes, business class does get its own bathrooms.

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Unlike many transportation options, traveling with Amtrak is twice as nice with our generous baggage policy. When you travel with us, you can carry-on two free pieces of luggage. Each item should not exceed 50 lbs. (23 kg) and needs to be 28 x 22 x 14 inches in size.

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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.

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If you're traveling in coach on some of Amtrak's long-distance train services, you'll now have the opportunity to use the dining car onboard. Coach passengers will now be able to enjoy full-fledged meals for an additional cost in the dining car, which was a beloved service removed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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