Acela Questions

[DragonLoaf]

I have the good fortune of having enough AGR points to provide my eldest son with 2 Acela Express First Class trips on his upcoming tour of prospective Northeast law schools. I have made the reservations, but have a couple of questions:

ClubAcela access is granted with a same-day First Class ticket. Does that mean he will have access only at the departing station, or is access granted at the arriving station with the ticket stub?

What type of food is served on the Acela Express? On a 6+ hour trip from Washington DC to Boston, how many meals will my son be served?

Thank you everyone for providing such a fine forum, and I appreciate any general advice regarding the Acela Express and Northeast Corridor travel in general that anyone may care to impart.

 

[AlanB]

Dragon,

He will have access to the Club Acela Lounges at both Washington and Boston. He'll show the ticket in DC, the stub in Boston. But again, that only applies to the day of travel. If he's coming home the next day on say a regional train, then he would not be able to get into the lounge by showing the stub from the day before.

The food served is better than one can buy in the cafe car, probably close to first class food on an airline. Everything is heated in a convection oven. Dinner is probably the best meal, and both breakfast and dinner have hot choices. Lunch in generally a sandwich or a salad.

Breakfast can be an omlette or perhaps a waffle, and there is usually a lighter choice.

Dinner could see a pasta choice, a beef or chicken choice, and possibly a fish choice. On a trip from DC to Boston, he'll get two meals one between DC & NY, another if he wants it between NY and Boston.

What type of meal is determined by the time the train departs DC for the first meal, and what time the train leaves NY for the second meal. A departure prior to and including 10:00 AM will see breakfast, a departure between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM will see lunch being served. And a departure time of 4:00 PM or later, will see dinner being served.

 

[DragonLoaf]

Thank you Alan for the detailed and informative reply. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!

I thought of another question I should have asked before. What are the tipping expectations on the Acela Express?

Thank you again!

 

[AlanB]

That depends on distance traveled, meals served, and the level of service. I typically start with the figure of $5 in my mind for a ride from NY to Boston or NY to DC. I've gone much higher when the crew has been great, my wine glass kept full and so on.

I've also gone as low as zero, when service was pitiful or the attendant never bothered to show up at the door as I was leaving.

 

[DragonLoaf]

Thanks so much Alan. That's in line with what I was hoping / expecting. You are a great resource.

 

[rmgreenesq]

That depends on distance traveled, meals served, and the level of service. I typically start with the figure of $5 in my mind for a ride from NY to Boston or NY to DC. I've gone much higher when the crew has been great, my wine glass kept full and so on.
I've also gone as low as zero, when service was pitiful or the attendant never bothered to show up at the door as I was leaving.

Alan:

Thanks for your insight into tipping on Amtrak's Acela. I have been so taken by the airline-like styling and theme of the Acela, I have adopted the standard airline tipping policy - I don't tip. Until this post crossed my monitor, It never even occured to me. It also must have never occured to anybody else, becasue (other than the tip jar for the cafe attendant) I've never seen anybody tip on the Acela. Even in the first class car, where the food is VERY airline like, and one of the two attendants are at the door, I've never seen anybody tip, and I never have.

Thanks for making me think about it. I'll be on the Acela next week to NY Penn. I'll keep my eyes peeled and wallet handy.

Rick

 

[AlanB]

That depends on distance traveled, meals served, and the level of service. I typically start with the figure of $5 in my mind for a ride from NY to Boston or NY to DC. I've gone much higher when the crew has been great, my wine glass kept full and so on.

I've also gone as low as zero, when service was pitiful or the attendant never bothered to show up at the door as I was leaving.

Alan:

Thanks for your insight into tipping on Amtrak's Acela. I have been so taken by the airline-like styling and theme of the Acela, I have adopted the standard airline tipping policy - I don't tip. Until this post crossed my monitor, It never even occured to me. It also must have never occured to anybody else, becasue (other than the tip jar for the cafe attendant) I've never seen anybody tip on the Acela. Even in the first class car, where the food is VERY airline like, and one of the two attendants are at the door, I've never seen anybody tip, and I never have.

Thanks for making me think about it. I'll be on the Acela next week to NY Penn. I'll keep my eyes peeled and wallet handy.

Rick

Rick,

Although I've seen a few people hand their tip over to the attendant while still in the car and approaching their destination, most people hand over the tip as they leave the train. That's one, although not the only, reason that the attendants stand guard at the door. I usually shake their hand in thanks, while palming the money.

 

[tj722]

That depends on distance traveled, meals served, and the level of service. I typically start with the figure of $5 in my mind for a ride from NY to Boston or NY to DC. I've gone much higher when the crew has been great, my wine glass kept full and so on.
I've also gone as low as zero, when service was pitiful or the attendant never bothered to show up at the door as I was leaving.

I've never tipped on the Acela express. I would say that the service provided is slightly less than I would get on an equivalent airline flight, and we're not expected to tip them.

In every time I've sat in First Class, the service was rushed (one time from NYP - WAS, we had our meals delivered to us before we even got to Newark!), and the attendants disappear after the meals. I have to hunt them down if I want another beverage or a bottle of water.

Maybe I've just been unlucky... I guess if I had stellar service, I might be inclined to *think* about tipping.

I will say that the food quality has been slightly above the quality of domestic first class airlines in the U.S., but that's not saying much.

 

[PRR 60]

I've never tipped on the Acela express. I would say that the service provided is slightly less than I would get on an equivalent airline flight, and we're not expected to tip them.

And, in fact, flight attendants are not permitted to accept tips even if offered.

While I sort of understand tipping a sleeping car attendant, I cannot understand tipping an Acela First Class attendant. Aren't they being paid to provide FC service? If they actually do their job, is that so extraordinary that you must reward them? These folks are not like restaurant wait staff. They are paid a living wage that is comparable to flight attendants. That should be enough

 

[battalion51]

I personally tip any time it's appropriate, and usually tip pretty heavily. There are many things that these guys will do that they don't have to do. I've had attendants that made sure your cup never ended up like the Sahara, get you your meal quickly, etc. The company pays the employees to make sure that service occurs, but not to exceed service standards. If someone goes above and beyond I'll reward them for that, just like you would at a resturant.

When I worked at Disney I was paid a "liveable" wage, but if a guest would offer me a tip I usually wouldn't refuse it (unless it was a service failure on the part of the company). However, if I would go out of my way for a guest, such as jump a car from my personal car, bring an item to a room (like a scooter), the tip shows that the guest realizes you are working hard and provides incentive to continue to provide superior service.

 

[Mike]

Maybe I've just been unlucky... I guess if I had stellar service, I might be inclined to *think* about tipping.

I've been riding the Acela bi-weekly for a year and a half now down to nyc from bos, and the service in First Class varies pretty greatly (sometimes even by the same attendant!). At first I didn't even know people tipped on the Acela, but then after a while I spotted people tipping as they left the train. I've usually tipped $5, though sometimes I'll tip $10, which I don't feel too bad about because other times I don't have small change to tip with at all.

I'll also just not tip if the service is bad, but I always make sure to give something when it's great. When you get lucky, you get the type of attendant who is constantly checking up and down the cabin to see if people need refills, and will bring out the food promptly. Although I've definitely seen the case where they get out your food ASAP and then disappear. Having experienced both extremes, I'd have to say you just got unlucky...Often times they're in the middle of the spectrum, and you just have to make sure you tell them you need another beer as they pass by clearing food trays, etc.