Acela or other

[MiniMax]

We are going to travel from Washington DC to New York in July and would like to try the Acela Express that we've been hearing so much about on these forums, but I see that there are a number of choices on that route. There are also the Metroliner and Regional Service with only about a 30 minute difference in arrival times and a lot less expensive. We've been on the fast trains in France (TGV) so we have already had that experience. For a couple of sightseers, would you recommend saving the money and riding one of the other options or is the Acela really worth the extra $?

Happy railing, Gene

 

[battalion51]

Well ordinarily I'd reccomend the Acela, it is an amazing experience but there are a few reasons for your purposes where I would recommend a Regional train. First off you have already experienced the TGV's in France, which is almost definitely superior to Acela (don't get me wrong Acela is nice, but it isn't a TGV). Also, the time difference really isn't a major one between the Regional and the Acela on the WAS-NYP run. There is also the money issue, with the Regional being significantly cheaper. Finally, toss out the Metroliner since it uses almost the exact same equipment as a Regional and just offers limited stop service. You can get nearly the same amenities on the Vermonter as you can on a Metroliner. Not worth the $$$ in my mind for a Metroliner.

 

[Steve4031]

The above points are all valid. One reason why I might recommend the Acela is because I believe that the seats and equipment are significantly better than Amflleet cars on the other trains. Additionally, the windows on the Acela are much bigger, giving a better view of the scenery. There are some scenic spots on this route, especially between Baltimore and Wilmington.

 

[Trogdor]

Speed-wise, TGV is better than the Acela, but I found the Acela Express to be far more comfortable than the European trains I rode (which included the TGV, Eurostar, and a couple of SNCF Corail trains).