I traveled in business class on Amtrak's high-speed Acela train and thought it was worth the $120 price tag

The reporter rode in business class on an Amtrak Acela from Baltimore to New York City.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderI booked a business-class ticket on an Amtrak Acela train from Baltimore to New York City in 2022.For $120, I sat in a business-class window seat with a tray table, footrest, and a café car nearby.A ticket for the high-speed train cost me more than a regular Amtrak, but I'd do it again to save time.Amtrak's high-speed Acela train is about to get a big upgrade. A new fleet launching on August 28 will be faster and more modern than the current cars. This news has me thinking about the first time I booked an Amtrak Acela ticket.Acela is an Amtrak express train on the East Coast with only business and first-class seating. I rode it for the first time in 2022 from Baltimore to NYC. The trip took two hours and 25 minutes — about 30 minutes faster than a regular Amtrak train.Two weeks before my trip, I booked a standard, business-class Amtrak Acela ticket for $120. According to a search on the company's website, a coach ticket on a regular train booked two weeks in advance might cost between $30 and $70.I thought booking the Acela option was worth paying extra for a quicker journey.I got to Baltimore's Penn Station at around 3 p.m. for my 4:29 p.m. train on a Tuesday.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderIt was my first time leaving from Baltimore's Penn Station, and I couldn't find any outlets to charge my phone, so I picked up a puzzle book from the newsstand inside to pass the time.At 4:15 p.m., I descended to the platform to wait for my train.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderThe train arrived three minutes late at 4:32 p.m. I boarded immediately, ensuring I was in the business-class car.As I boarded the train, I noticed that the seats looked larger than those on other trains I had been on.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderA representative for Amtrak told Business Insider that seats in business class are 20 inches wide and 26 feet deep.I had plenty of legroom and a few amenities in my window seat.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderThe Amtrak rep said that seat pitches in business class are 42 inches.There was a reading light above me, a tray table in front of me, and a footrest beneath me. There were also two power outlets on the wall next to my seat.I got a little hungry, but there was no food service in business class, so I made my way to the café car.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderThe café had tables and stools, but I decided to take my food back to my seat.I spent about $6 on a plate of cheese and crackers.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderThe café car menu had a wide variety of options, from salads and sandwiches to cheeseburgers and hot dogs, but I wasn't that hungry, so I got a cheese and cracker plate for $5.75.It was decent and filled me up for the price.Overall, my business-class experience on an Amtrak Acela was decent and affordable.Joey Hadden/Business InsiderI'll probably take an Amtrak Acela next time I travel around the Northeast because I think it's worth paying a little extra to save time.And I can't wait to try the next generation of Acela trains.Read the original article on Business Insider

Comments

Business News

City's mass transit cuts foreshadow possible similar moves by other agencies

ABC News

My mom was my best friend, so it made sense for me to quit my stressful job so we could spend the last few months of her life together

about 1 hour ago

Trump again calls for FCC to revoke ABC and NBC licenses

NPR

Comments

Business News

City's mass transit cuts foreshadow possible similar moves by other agencies

New memoir by CBRE’s Stephen Siegel an entertaining look at powerful NYC dealmaker’s career

Tesla rejected $60M settlement before losing $243M in deadly Autopilot crash case

Today’s Wordle #1529 Hints And Answer For Tuesday, August 26th

The Title Of “Best Player Without A PGA Tour Win” Is Up For Grabs

The Denver Nuggets Had The Perfect Off-season

5 Talking Points From Real Madrid’s Start To The Season

How To Solve Today’s NYT ‘Pips’ For Tuesday, August 26th

Netflix To Become Home For 2026 World Baseball Classic In Japan

My mom was my best friend, so it made sense for me to quit my stressful job so we could spend the last few months of her life together

Trump again calls for FCC to revoke ABC and NBC licenses

Swimming pool closures put children ‘at risk of drowning’

Food inflation jumps to 18-month high as chocolate and butter prices rise

Business rates ‘double hit’ to cost English firms £2.5 billion next year

Support for electric vehicle mandates softening in B.C., poll suggests

Chocolate and butter prices help drive food inflation to 18-month high

Korean Air to buy more than 100 Boeing jets after Trump meeting

Trump Says He Is Removing Lisa Cook From Federal Reserve Board

Swimming pool closures put children ‘at risk of drowning’

Business rates ‘double hit’ to cost English firms £2.5 billion next year

Food inflation jumps to 18-month high as chocolate and butter prices rise

Brazil's government says it will buy some domestic products hit by Trump's tariffs

House Committee Subpoenas Jeffrey Epstein’s Estate For ‘Birthday Book’ Allegedly Containing Trump Letter

Forbes Asia 100 To Watch 2025

Newcastle Spirited In Defeat As Isak To Liverpool Transfer Saga Rumbles On

3 reasons everyone is talking about an AI bubble

Cracker Barrel responds to criticism of new logo, says 'old timer' will stay on menus and road signage

Why Netflix could one day get into the theme park business &mdash; and why it hasn't so far

Labubus are a billion-dollar bubble ready to burst

Looming end of U.S. ‘de minimis’ tariff exemption ‘catastrophic’ for B.C. business

Canada seeks free trade pact with South American bloc Mercosur in new talks

Southwest Airlines' new policy will affect plus-size travelers. Here's how

The share of Californians in unions holds steady as nationwide numbers continue decline

State Farm's handling of fire claims draws rebuke from state lawmakers

New restaurant Derby Club set to launch next month in iconic spot of former Neary’s

CBS looks to hire ‘ombudsman’ as part of Trump settlement — here are the hours and what it pays

Auto safety regulators probe 1.4M Honda and Acura vehicles over engine failures

Customers rip Cracker Barrel for lame apology over controversial rebrand: ‘Kicked Uncle Herschel to the curb’

Why A-List Service Providers Are Going Into Retail (And Winning)

NBA Free Agents' Unexpected Availability Could Lead Him To The Knicks

Lisa Makes Radio History — Again — With Her Newest Superstar Collaboration

Everything To Know About ‘My Life With The Walter Boys’ Season 2

'KPop Demon Hunters' Nears Netflix Record—As It Makes Soundtrack History

Rose Breaks Her Match With Lisa On One Billboard Chart

Judge Temporarily Blocks Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s Deportation To Uganda, Report Says

James Johnson Still A Free Agent, Pacers May Not Be Able To Fit Him In

Epstein Accuser Virginia Giuffre’s Posthumous Memoir Is Coming Out—What To Know About Her Life And Death

Trump Seen With Bruised Right Hand Again—Here’s Everything We Know About The Condition

President Donald Trump Wants To Rename DoD To The Department Of War

Danish energy giant Orsted plunges as Trump pulls plug on Rhode Island wind farm project

Dr Pepper owner's £13bn swoop on European coffee firm as it bids to take on Nestle

Asda crowned Britain's worst-performing major supermarket as chairman sets out revival plan

Reeves tax raid sends prices rising at the fastest pace for more than a year

Reeves MUST change course and give business a break, says MAGGIE PAGANO

The US Navy is building out its ability to run missile-attack drills as threats to the fleet rise

I traveled in business class on Amtrak's high-speed Acela train and thought it was worth the $120 price tag

Business deals born at Burning Man, from Google's CEO hire to an investment in drones

OpenAI execs can't stop talking about not having enough GPUs

Canada-U.S. trade talks to resume after Ottawa removes some counter-tariffs

Alberta seeking public input in establishing nuclear power industry

Why Netflix could one day get into the theme park business — and why it hasn't so far