1st class seating while waiting for the train?

[inspiration100]

I remember when I was in Washington DC, we had first class seating while waiting for the train. It was VERY nice, free soft drinks, good seats for waiting etc.

Question, does the Seattle train station have the same for sleeping car passengers? Is it very nice?

Thanks!

 

[JayPea]

I remember when I was in Washington DC, we had first class seating while waiting for the train. It was VERY nice, free soft drinks, good seats for waiting etc.
Question, does the Seattle train station have the same for sleeping car passengers? Is it very nice?

Thanks!

No, the Seattle train station doesn't have a first class lounge like Washington DC. The last time I was there, all they had was rock hard seats and vending machines. They are in the middle of a long refurbishing process in Seattle, and while there is no lounge there, perhaps the accomdations are a bit better.

 

[darien-l]

Here's a list of cities with first class lounges:

Boston (South Station)

New York

Philadelphia

Washington, DC

Chicago

Miami

New Orleans

Portland, Oregon

Raleigh

St. Paul/Minneapolis

 

[inspiration100]

Thanks alot! Question answered. JayPea, yeah I know those seats are terrible. I'm actually in Kent Washington so very close to Seattle, I have just never gone first class from Seattle before.

 

[JayPea]

Thanks alot! Question answered. JayPea, yeah I know those seats are terrible. I'm actually in Kent Washington so very close to Seattle, I have just never gone first class from Seattle before.

I live near Spokane and in a few weeks my uncle is flying into Seattle from Chicago, and I'm taking the Empire Builder from Spokane to Seattle to meet him there and then we're going back to Chicago from Seattle on the EB. So I will in the near future be experiencing those hard seats and vending machines. :lol:

 

[yarrow]

does anyone know if the restoration of king st station will include a first class lounge?

 

[frj1983]

does anyone know if the restoration of king st station will include a first class lounge?

I don't think so, at least not according to this story:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transportati...mp;searchdiff=2

 

[yarrow]

Thanks alot! Question answered. JayPea, yeah I know those seats are terrible. I'm actually in Kent Washington so very close to Seattle, I have just never gone first class from Seattle before.

I live near Spokane and in a few weeks my uncle is flying into Seattle from Chicago, and I'm taking the Empire Builder from Spokane to Seattle to meet him there and then we're going back to Chicago from Seattle on the EB. So I will in the near future be experiencing those hard seats and vending machines. :lol:

at least first class passengers have their own door to pass through to get to the train from king st station

 

[had8ley]

Here's a list of cities with first class lounges:
Boston (South Station)

New York

Philadelphia

Washington, DC

Chicago

Miami

New Orleans

Portland, Oregon

Raleigh

St. Paul/Minneapolis

Miami and New Orleans are listed as "private waiting areas" for first class passengers. Miami is a winner and New Orleans is not much except for a coffee pot, TV and a couple of couches. It used to be very crowded when 20 or more people were in there waiting on #1 or #2 and the Crescent or City (or a combination of all of the above when #1 and #2 went to or originated in Orlando and Miami.) Personally, I consider Boston as the nicest of all the lounges. There is even a board meeting room and it is very spacious. Chicago can be a zoo especially in the evening hours. I've fled the CUS lounge to the Great Hall just to get away from the over crowded conditions. St. Paul is just basically an add on to the front of the station with no amenities except for a TV. The ticket agents are very accommodating in St. Paul. Amtrak has tried to give their first class passengers a little breathing room. The Acela passengers are paying dearly for the privilege~ especially those in first class. I've yet to see Philadelphia but others on this list say it is a good lounge also. It's on my list of things to do on Amtrak.

 

[battalion51]

The Miami Lounge is pretty decent. It's a definite plus for passengers if the train will leave late, as they will give First Class passengers food to munch on while they wait for the train to come down from the yard. The Club Acela's are really First Class joints, never had a complaint with any of them.

 

[Rafi]

Here's a list of cities with first class lounges:

Boston (South Station)

New York

Philadelphia

Washington, DC

Chicago

Miami

New Orleans

Portland, Oregon

Raleigh

St. Paul/Minneapolis

Miami and New Orleans are listed as "private waiting areas" for first class passengers. Miami is a winner and New Orleans is not much except for a coffee pot, TV and a couple of couches. It used to be very crowded when 20 or more people were in there waiting on #1 or #2 and the Crescent or City (or a combination of all of the above when #1 and #2 went to or originated in Orlando and Miami.) Personally, I consider Boston as the nicest of all the lounges. There is even a board meeting room and it is very spacious. Chicago can be a zoo especially in the evening hours. I've fled the CUS lounge to the Great Hall just to get away from the over crowded conditions. St. Paul is just basically an add on to the front of the station with no amenities except for a TV. The ticket agents are very accommodating in St. Paul. Amtrak has tried to give their first class passengers a little breathing room. The Acela passengers are paying dearly for the privilege~ especially those in first class. I've yet to see Philadelphia but others on this list say it is a good lounge also. It's on my list of things to do on Amtrak.

I was pleasantly surprised with the Philly lounge when I stopped in there early this past spring. It's on the second floor overlooking part of the waiting area in the main station, and is really tucked away so that you'd never really know it was there unless you knew where to look. It's very long and narrow, and has similar amenities to the other NEC lounges. It's a shame it's not used more; ever since the Three Rivers stopped running, the Philly lounge is used primarily for Acela First Class passengers and the occasional LD passenger on the Silvers, Crescent, and Cardinal.

For my own part, when the lounge attendant asked me which train I was taking for the lounge check-in, I took great pride in revealing that I was transferring to the NJ Transit train to Atlantic City (I'm Select Plus and was arriving on a Regional from Baltimore); the confused look she gave me was priceless, followed by a mumble of "well, you know we don't announce that train up here, sir."

-Rafi

 

[AlanB]

Personally, I consider Boston as the nicest of all the lounges. There is even a board meeting room and it is very spacious.

I agree that Boston has the nicest lounge that I've ever seen. Amtrak did a great job of mixing modern with the old station. My second favorite is Philly's lounge.

That said, all 4 Club Acela's have meeting rooms. And those rooms are often rented out.

 

[chucklehead]

No, the Seattle train station doesn't have a first class lounge like Washington DC. The last time I was there, all they had was rock hard seats and vending machines. They are in the middle of a long refurbishing process in Seattle, and while there is no lounge there, perhaps the accomdations are a bit better.

your right, its a dump.

 

[Grandma B]

Club Acela's are really First Class joints

I'm so happy to hear that, since we are traveling NYP to WPB with sleeping accommodations in November.

 

[AlanB]

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QUOTE(Grandma B @ Sun, Sep 2, 2007, 07:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Club Acela's are really First Class joints

I'm so happy to hear that, since we are traveling NYP to WPB with sleeping accommodations in November.


Just in case you don't know:

The lounge in NY can be found to the far left of the NJ Transit/Amtrak ticket windows as you face them. Walk past the West Gate for tracks 7 & 8 on the left side of the escalator and you will see a sign on the corner of the wall. There is a doorbell to the left of two gold doors. Ring the bell and wait for the click to open the door. Note: In NY there is no pre-boarding ahead of the regular passengers, but they usually do announce your train in the lounge before they announce it in the main station. This means if you don’t dilly-dally, you can generally be near the head of the line at the escalator.

 

[Grandma B]

This means if you don’t dilly-dally, you can generally be near the head of the line at the escalator.

Do they take into consideration, "seniors" are a bit slower moving? :lol:

 

[AlanB]

B)-->

QUOTE(Grandma B @ Sun, Sep 2, 2007, 07:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This means if you don’t dilly-dally, you can generally be near the head of the line at the escalator.

Do they take into consideration, "seniors" are a bit slower moving? :lol:



Sadly, no.

But if you ask for a red cap, then you don't even have to wait in the line at all. The redcap will come and take you and your luggage directly down to the train, by passing the line. Of course you will have to give him/her a bit of a tip, but it might well be worth it.