7 replies to this topic

[CCC]

   Today, I saw a sign in Boston South Station advertising that Business Class passengers can buy day passes for Club Acela for $20 each. I haven't seen anything on the Amtrak website about this change.

[KevinKorell]

How nice, $20 to spend the day with our good friend Lynn.     Seriously though, I hadn't heard of this before, but I'd caution any user that any single entry into Club Acela is good for the day, whether it was by arriving or departing first class, or being Select Plus or Executive members of Amtrak Guest Rewards.  Also in other cities such as Chicago, Business Class passengers are being allowed in the Metropolitan Lounge now free of charge, or in the case of Chicago they can pay $20 (as can any passenger) to use the new Legacy Lounge. Perhaps Boston is trying to model itself after the latter.

[KevinKorell]

 

 

Philadelphia Offers All Business Class Passengers Club Acela and Priority Boarding Daily Passes

All Business Class passengers can purchase a daily access pass for ClubAcela at Philadelphia - 30th Street Station. The daily access pass costs $20.00 per day and includes priority boarding for all trains. The pass is valid for use at Philadelphia - 30th Street Station only.

 

ClubAcela at Philadelphia - 30th Street Station offers a comfortable, quiet atmosphere where passengers can wait for their trains or unwind after detraining. Additional features include:

• Priority boarding for all trains


• Comfortable, quiet lounge seating


• Internet work stations


• Fax and copy services


• Cable TV and complimentary Wi-Fi


• Complimentary refreshments


• 15-person conference room


• Attendant on duty

Daily passes must be purchased at Philadelphia - 30th Street Station, and are valid for use at Philadelphia - 30th Street Station only.

Cash and credit cards are accepted at the ticket office. Credit cards are accepted inside ClubAcela. For more information, speak with a uniformed employee at Philadelphia - 30th Street Station.

 

Sleeping car passengers, Acela Express First class passengers and Amtrak Guest Rewards Plus and Select Executive members will continue to have priority boarding and complimentary access to ClubAcela.

 

Reservations and information are available on http://amtrak.com/ , our free mobile apps and at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

 

Thank you for choosing Amtrak.

 

[KevinKorell]

 

Boston - South Station Offers All Business Class Passengers Club Acela and Priority Boarding Daily Passes

 

All Business Class passengers can purchase a daily access pass for Boston - South Station ClubAcela. The daily access pass costs $20.00 per day and includes priority boarding for all trains. The pass is valid for use at Boston - South Station only.

 

Boston - South Station ClubAcela offers a comfortable, quiet atmosphere where passengers can wait for their trains or unwind after detraining. Additional features include:

• Priority boarding for all trains


• Comfortable, quiet lounge seating


• Internet work stations


• Fax and copy services


• Cable TV and complimentary Wi-Fi


• Complimentary refreshments


• 15-person conference room


• Attendant on duty

Daily passes must be purchased at Boston - South Station, and are valid for use at Boston - South Station only. Cash and credit cards are accepted at the ticket office.

 

Credit cards are accepted inside ClubAcela. For more information, speak with a uniformed employee at Boston - South Station.

 

Sleeping car passengers, Acela Express First class passengers and Amtrak Guest Rewards Plus and Select Executive members will continue to have priority boarding and complimentary access to ClubAcela.

 

Reservations and information are available on http://Amtrak.com/ , our free mobile apps and at 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).

 

Thank you for choosing Amtrak.

[KevinKorell]

To Rick, I merged these threads since I didn't recall the earlier discussion in September.

But I wonder why if this was being offered in September, why did it take Amtrak until mid-December to announce it on their site?

[BillMagee]

As for Philadelphia, "priority boarding for all trains" is not possible unless they have the Club people go down to the platform, then the train pulls in, the club people board, and then they allow the lined-up masses to come down. That's not happening. In Philadelphia, Club will have priority access to the platform (in most but not all cases), but will be standing with everyone else when the train pulls in.

[KevinKorell]

Bill,

 

I think the point in PHL is that accessing the platform from Club Acela via the elevator, you are bypassing the inevitable long lines that form from the top of the stairs and sometimes extend back to the rear hallway by the bathrooms.  While sometimes a Club Acela patron arrives on the platform after they have let the queued people down, at least you have gotten there the easy way.

 

Regarding BOS, it's not happening there either.  That Club Acela is fairly remote from the stub platforms, so when one is sent down there, they are forced to line up with everyone else to be admitted to the platform.  The person working the roadblock there does not want to hear that you came from the Club Acela.   Ideally the Club Acela attendant should at least be walking people beyond the blocked platform, but that is not happening as the attendant never leaves the lounge.

 

So somebody who pays that $20 might possibly have a case of misrepresentation.... not that they can expect to collect their money back from Amtrak.

[KevinKorell]

I would think that the reason we don't see this for New York City is that Penn Station, by nature of the need for as many access and egress points as possible, has too many ways people can get to the platforms on their own. Somebody paying $20 to use Club Acela and be promised "priority access" would be "beaten" to the platform by somebody else in the know who simply goes down the stairs from the arrivals concourse or the NJ TRANSIT area.

Washington, like Boston, is much more controlled, with access from one side of the stub ended tracks. Washington has doorways that are blocked and can be locked to prevent anyone from going down beforehand. But Business Class passengers on the queue lines already are offered priority boarding along with those who are mobility impaired.