Getting three seats together...

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Joe

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[SIZE=10.5pt]We haven't been on Amtrak in a long time and I had some questions that hopefully someone can help with. I just wanted to know the best way to get three seats together (at least two and the third at least in the same car). We (myself, wife and son) are going from Newark Penn Station to Baltimore Penn station on Friday, September 18th. .I have the option of purchasing tickets at the Triple A rate on the Northeast Regional for train # 137 for $207.90. The other option is train # 55, "The Vermonter" at 7:03 P.M., but it will be an additional $90.00 ($297.00 total one way for 3).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Is the extra money worth the different train?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]More importantly, which train would give us the best chance to have our seats together?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Return Trip:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Coming Home on Sunday, September 20th, morning. Choice of train number 164 at 10:08 a.m. or train number 154 at 11:04 a.m. Both are $207.00 for the three of us, and again, more concerned with at least two seats together and the third at least in the same car.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]If anyone can help I would appreciate it.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Thank you[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Joe[/SIZE]
 
I would think that if all three names are on the same reservation, you are likely the conductor will put you in the same car. Not sure if you are going to have all three of you sitting next to each other on a Friday. For a trip from Newark to Baltimore, I would not pay the extra cost. Others who ride the NE Corridors will likely chime in here with more accurate evaluations of these trains.
 
Because the coaches are 2+2 Three across a row is pretty tough at an intermediate stop on a Friday. Most conductors I've seen do a decent job of at least clustering families together, not always in the same row, age of children is taken into consideration, young children need to be with a parent, older children not usually as important. The earlier trains on a Sunday aren't as bad, they can get pretty full later. 164 starts in Virginia, 154 I believe originates in DC for whatever that is worth.
 
If you're getting on in Newark anyway you might want to consider taking NJT into New York and getting on Amtrak there. I'd think you'd have a better chance of getting three seats together there and you can always get off in Newark on the return trip.
 
Traveling in the NEC, the Conductor is not going to be involved with your seating. tp49 gave some excellent advice for beginning your journey if getting seats together IS IMPORTANT. These trains will be very full on a Friday. Also, absolutely take the cheaper train on Fri. Train #55 has only 4 coaches and you won't get 2 seats together, let alone 3.

Returning on Sun. morning, the earlier you start your journey, the less crowded the train will be. HTH

ETA, Boarding in Bal, position yourselves towards the front half of the train, because in Wash. DC people will pile in to the rear as that will be the first cars they come to...
 
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Railroad Bill said:
I would think that if all three names are on the same reservation, you are likely the conductor will put you in the same car. Not sure if you are going to have all three of you sitting next to each other on a Friday. For a trip from Newark to Baltimore, I would not pay the extra cost. Others who ride the NE Corridors will likely chime in here with more accurate evaluations of these trains.
Click to expand...
In the NEC, the conductors do not sort or direct passengers prior to boarding. The train pulls in, the doors open, you get on and look for seats.
Getting seats together on a Friday night at Newark may be a bit problematic. I would suggest boarding the train toward the front or back. Those boarding at New York tend to come down and go in the first open door, this filling the middle of the train first. The ends of the train probably have the best chance for open seats. One end of the train will have the Business Class car. The location of that car should be announced at the station. Whichever end has the Business Class car, head the other way. If the Business Class car is announced at the front of the train, set yourself up toward the rear.
 
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You are correct that the conductors don't do the kind of seat routing that happens on the MD and LD trains, but I give them credit for helping out families with children on many trips I've taken. I have to compliment them for trying, I've been on some NEC trains with one conductor, one a/c and lots of passengers.
 
As I mentioned in a similar thread about 3 seats together from New London to somewhere south of New York, check out the cafe car, you may be able to sit at a booth, and in fact if you see a booth with just one person at it, you can take the other 3 seats (just not the booth marked reserved for crew). On the NEC the cafe car booth seating is open, and you don't have to buy anything at the cafe counter.

All NEC trans are "reserved" as in you must make a reservation in advance, but the seating is open, and not assigned.

The conductor can assist as to which cars have more seats available than others and I agree with a prior poster for the 1st leg of your trip consider taking a short NJT hop to New York Penn,

and board your train there.

Ken
 
I suppose we could ask Amtrak to post a link to AU on their ever more confusing homepage. But it seems to me like this sort of answer should come directly from the horse's mouth. Even US airlines can tell you with a fair amount of accuracy what to expect in Business class and yet Amtrak cannot? That seems like a simple fix that is in no way dependent on anyone outside of Amtrak itself.
 
If the state sponsors a train (say the Adirondack) and decides to add a Dome Car or Parlour Car and call it BC, Amtrak has no say in it. Amtrak is not paying for the train. Tell me one route that UA, AA or DL operates and is sponsored by the state, where they call the seats in the rear of the plane with a 30" pitch a First Class seat? :huh: However, NYS could call the Dome BC if they paid for the train!
 
Where is this 30 inch first class seat you're talking about? The fact that business class changes from route to route doesn't prevent Amtrak from explaining what you get on each route. The repeated claims that Amtrak is helpless to clarify what business class means because the big bad sponsors prevent it from explaining anything to the customers is absolutely ridiculous to me. Who on earth is benefiting from business class being a vague roll of the dice? The passengers? The sponsors? The operators?
 
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