NYC Penn Station to Washington, DC Union Station -- least busy time to travel

[Seb]

I will travel between NYC and DC round-trip over the next couple of weeks. I have some flexibility as to the exact time of day and even day of week that I travel. I would appreciate feedback as to when the train may be the least crowded. I would also consider paying for a higher class of service, either, say, business class on the Regional train, or springing for the Acela, if that will help to avoid crowds.

I regularly rode Amtrak between NYC and DC prior to the pandemic. My sense was that Saturdays were probably fairly light in traffic / people. And then maybe for weekdays late morning or early afternoon on Tuesdays and Wednesday, and maybe Thursdays (at least earlier in the day)?

Appreciate thoughts from those who may have ridden this route recently. Thank you.

 

[railiner]

Usually, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning are slow times for most modes of transportation...

Your comment on weekday times seems valid.

One other option, since you mentioned you would pay for a higher class, is a private roomette on a long distance train...

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The trains are only 50% full, if that, right now due to COVID since Amtrak is only selling 50% of the coach seats. You won’t have to sit next to anyone, unless you have a travel companion (and want to sit next to him/her )

 

[seb]

Usually, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning are slow times for most modes of transportation...

Your comment on weekday times seems valid.

One other option, since you mentioned you would pay for a higher class, is a private roomette on a long distance train...

I had no idea a private roomette would be an option, but it seems that a train going from NYC to Miami has a roomette option! I think it would work perfectly. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as if there are any trains on the return trip that have roomettes, though. My sense is that they simply don't exist over the next week to 10 days, it's not that the roomettes are sold out.

In any case, thank you so much for the excellent suggestion, railiner!

 

[railiner]

I had no idea a private roomette would be an option, but it seems that a train going from NYC to Miami has a roomette option! I think it would work perfectly. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem as if there are any trains on the return trip that have roomettes, though. My sense is that they simply don't exist over the next week to 10 days, it's not that the roomettes are sold out.

In any case, thank you so much for the excellent suggestion, railiner!

You're welcome. The reason you can't find the return trains, is they are operated "Discharge of passengers only", north of Manassas, Va...
So unless you want to first go down there to board them, you will only be able to use them southbound...