Favorite Way To Travel Along The NEC

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Which is your choice?

  • NE Regional Coach

    Votes: 8 21.1%
  • NE Regional Business

    Votes: 5 13.2%
  • Acela Express Business

    Votes: 5 13.2%
  • Acela Express First

    Votes: 12 31.6%
  • Quiet Car (All services)

    Votes: 8 21.1%

  • Total voters
    38
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You may want to be a bit more clear... a person's "favorite" way to travel the NEC may not be the way that they travel the NEC the most. Perhaps someone may enjoy leisure NEC travel on a weekend on the Acela, but for commuting purposes are only able to take the Regional during rush hour. ;)
 
I don't much care when I ride NEC, it's my connecting train that's the determining factor.

There's no "don't care" choice, yet if I don't vote on when, I can't vote on how.

So, I ride BC.
 
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For me, it is "none of the above." My favorite way to travel on the NEC, as defined by what I ride the most, is NJ Transit. Probably 90% of my NEC travel is from southern NJ to New York. Almost all of that is on NJT from Hamilton, not Amtrak from Philadelphia. NJT is a lot cheaper than Amtrak, and door-to-door, it is just as fast. Plus, I can simply buy a ticket and ride: no reservations, no rebooking to take an earlier or later train, no hassles.

Amtrak may be faster station-to-station and more comfortable, but with two of us traveling, it can easily cost $150 more. That $150 will buy nice dinner for two, even in Manhattan. So, the $150 in my pocket makes NJ Transit is my favorite way to travel on the NEC.
 
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Favorite way to travel on the NEC by Amtrak - Acela. Always take it if schedule works, unless of course I am going to the Keystone Corridor, in which case it is Keystone, or going beyond Washington DC southwards, in which case it is an appropriate Regional or an LD or semi-LD train.
 
I have been completely spoiled by acela first class. I had some free upgrade coupons I used on a trip in May and it was heaven. It is expensive, but I do think (depending on the price) that it might actually be worth the added expense, especially if you can use the club acela at your point of origin.

That being said, if I am going on a short haul (like from PVD - BOS) I won't bother paying the huge upcharge for acela. Coach on the regional gets me there in 40-45 minutes instead of $35 and is about 1/3 of the cost with a low bucket ticket. My H also commutes every weekday from PVD - BOS on the 66 and then the 175 home.

But if I am going any farther south than NYP I try to take acela whenever possible.
 
So, as I've been thinking of NE Amtrak Travel & thinking AGR Points, I guess I should definitely consider the Acela 1st class Was-Bos????

Thanx

RF
 
So, as I've been thinking of NE Amtrak Travel & thinking AGR Points, I guess I should definitely consider the Acela 1st class Was-Bos????

Thanx

RF
Yes it is worth it! Use ClubAcela! direct access to the platforms they board about 20 mins before departure. Although I should mention... If you want to walk a short distance at WAS and a long distance from the FC car to the BOS main hall, book one of the following: 2150 5am, 2154 7am, 2158 9am, 2160 10am, or 2164 12noon. With these trains the first class car is normally on the rear and the last car of the train. Short walk and WAS and a long walk at BOS. 2166 the 1pm train is a toss up with First Class. If the set was used from NYP or came from Ivy City earlier in the day FC will most likely be on the rear. If it was used from BOS or came from It will be on the front of the train. 2168 2pm, 2170 3pm, and 2172 the last AE to BOS at 4pm will have FC on the Front. 2172 is also the only northbound Acela Express train that stops at NLC. 2151 from BOS being the only SB AE stopping at NLC.

When traveling to RTE on AE I don't care where the FC car is front or back. I do perfer Front shorter walk to the staircase/escalator. When traveling back to PHL I love it on the back because the stairway with the escalator is close by. If I remember correctly 2 cars away. When on the front it's annoying to walk 4 cars to get to an escalator.
 
Trying to get a general idea of what and when people ride on the NEC.

Steve
Living in Miami, any chance I get to ride the NEC is my favorite time! Acela is my preferred train since there are fewer stops, especially compared to 66/67 BOS-NYP, but it gets pricey. NE Regional is fine by me any old day....interesting question.
 
My honest reply is "plain jane" Regional Coach, which has accounted for well over 95% of my NEC rides on Amtrak.

Acela FC is nice but too pricey, while Acela "Business" is probably less worth the extra money than Acela FC.

Regional BC is only worth it for across-corridor hauls to me, and even still, I've had decent luck finding BC cars pressed into Coach service, even a 2/1 car.

True that getting there is half the fun, but still its only half the fun, and when its coming from one's own pocket, I find I'm able to get more trips out of the Regional coach than the other classes of service.
 
So, as I've been thinking of NE Amtrak Travel & thinking AGR Points, I guess I should definitely consider the Acela 1st class Was-Bos????

Thanx

RF
Yes, definately consider FC, just once. I'm certain you'll enjoy it. I always do :)

Mike
FC on Acela is the way to go!! I only make it out to the Northeast Corridor maybe once or twice a year... if that... so I always treat myself and go First Class on the Acela. If I didn't live 700 miles away from the East Coast and rode the route more regularly -- I'd probably do something a little more economical.
 
So, as I've been thinking of NE Amtrak Travel & thinking AGR Points, I guess I should definitely consider the Acela 1st class Was-Bos????

Thanx

RF
Yes, definately consider FC, just once. I'm certain you'll enjoy it. I always do
smile.gif


Mike
FC on Acela is the way to go!! I only make it out to the Northeast Corridor maybe once or twice a year... if that... so I always treat myself and go First Class on the Acela. If I didn't live 700 miles away from the East Coast and rode the route more regularly -- I'd probably do something a little more economical.
LOL, I had to look at a map! For some reason I thought you were farther than that from WAS. You may be closer than me!!!

RF
 
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Trying to get a general idea of what and when people ride on the NEC.

Steve
Can anyone here explain why when you make a reservation online for the Northeast Regional, the AAA fare always comes out more expensive than the regular adult fare?
 
When I used to travel from NYP to WAS, I would sometimes like to experience a meal in the diner and the other amenities offered on the long distance services. So I would reserve a NYP to ALX ticket (was the same fare as NYPWAS), and enjoy the comfort of the legrest seating, the lounge car, etc., even though the trip took a bit longer.
 
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