Amtrak Veterans...a few questions...

[Beanie]

Can someone please explain the difference between Unreserved Coach, Reserved Coach and Business Class?? The cost of Business Class for one leg of the trip brings the cost of the ticket up $120.00, so I am wondering what this is? Does it include anything? What about the Unreserved or Reserved Coach? What is the difference between those??

Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[shoes99]

Business class is similar to first class, as it has its own reserved car, nicer seats, and it is located next to the cafe car and beverages are usually included in the price of the business class ticket. There is very little foot traffice back and forth.
Reserved coach, your place on the train is reserved, but not your seat. On long distance coach trains some people take two seats, so on a busy train, its hard to find a seat, or seats next to each other for a family. It depends on the destinations. I am familiar with NJ-Metropark to Bos-Backbay, and NJ-Metropark to Washington DC.
Only took the Auto train to Fl, and it was ok. Each of us got a 2 seat row so we could stretch out in coach.
My nephew got to college in Boston, so my sister usually pays the extra for business class when he wants to study and be in a quieter rail car for the trip back to school.

 

[Beanie]

Thanks, shoes99, I appreciate the response~!

 

[DC7800]

Some Amtrak trains are reserved while a few operate unreserved. The exact same passenger cars (and hence the accomodations) are used on both (with very rare exception). To confuse the issue even more, the coaches used on most long-distance trains in the Eastern U.S. (ie, those to/from WDW) are virtually identical to the cars utilized on the reserved/unreserved trains in the Northeast (anyone with a knowledge of railroading can point innumerable differences, but the average passenger would probably swear it's the same car). The number of seats per car may differ, but all are light-years above anything seen on a plane or bus.

However, no Amtrak long-distance train is unreserved. You can, though, generally make a reservation even minutes before train departure. Most trains in the Northeast Corridor (Boston to D.C.) are also reserved. Anyone with a valid ticket can travel on one of the unreseved trains along this route, though standees are often a real possibility (not a problem on the reserved trains).

Business class is indeed a added-class accomodation (not worth it, IMHO). First-Class on a long-distance train refers not to coach, but to the sleeper accomodations. Acela Express (different from Acela Regional) does offer a First-Class ticket for a first-class experience (and price) on a third-class trainset (mechanically speaking, anyway). Unless you want the 150-mph Acela experience (fastest train in North America), any "conventional" train will do.