Vermonter Business Class and Meals

shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
GAT

GAT

GAT
AU Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
625
Location
San Francisco
I'm taking the Vermonter both ways in mid-February and, a while back, some of you advised me to book business class, which I did. Some also said that BC seats were not pre-assigned. However, I'm a little confused given what Amtrak's Vermonter website says, to wit: "All Business Class seats on all trains are reserved." But aren't ALL coach sets reserved, whether BC or not? Perhaps a little deception in Amtrak's marketing? It sure would be nice if I could get a pre-assigned seat for such a long trip, especially since I'll be travelling with a friend.

Second, the website indicates the train has a "Snack Car." Is this like the one I experienced on the San Joaquin a couple of years ago, or is it a little classier? I'll be about nine hours aboard (11:18 - 9:16). I can get by lunch by having a big breakfast before entraining, but what kind of "dinner" can I expect?

Notwithstanding, I'm really looking forward to the trip north in the winter!
 
George said:
I'm taking the Vermonter both ways in mid-February and, a while back, some of you advised me to book business class, which I did. Some also said that BC seats were not pre-assigned. However, I'm a little confused given what Amtrak's Vermonter website says, to wit: "All Business Class seats on all trains are reserved." But aren't ALL coach sets reserved, whether BC or not? Perhaps a little deception in Amtrak's marketing? It sure would be nice if I could get a pre-assigned seat for such a long trip, especially since I'll be traveling with a friend.
Click to expand...
There is a big difference between assigned and reserved. Assigned means a specific, certain seat, 2B, 3A, etc. Reserved means you are guaranteed to have a seat in Business Class, not a particular one. First come first served. They won't sell more tickets than they have seats. They are advertising exactly what they offer.
 
MrFSS said:
George said:
I'm taking the Vermonter both ways in mid-February and, a while back, some of you advised me to book business class, which I did. Some also said that BC seats were not pre-assigned. However, I'm a little confused given what Amtrak's Vermonter website says, to wit: "All Business Class seats on all trains are reserved." But aren't ALL coach sets reserved, whether BC or not? Perhaps a little deception in Amtrak's marketing? It sure would be nice if I could get a pre-assigned seat for such a long trip, especially since I'll be traveling with a friend.
Click to expand...
There is a big difference between assigned and reserved. Assigned means a specific, certain seat, 2B, 3A, etc. Reserved means you are guaranteed to have a seat in Business Class, not a particular one. First come first served. They won't sell more tickets than they have seats. They are advertising exactly what they offer.
Click to expand...
Understood. I suppose they say the same thing about coach, so my point was, why bother saying it at all. Surely they won't sell more tickets than they have seats (or, megawd, would they?).
 
George said:
MrFSS said:
George said:
I'm taking the Vermonter both ways in mid-February and, a while back, some of you advised me to book business class, which I did. Some also said that BC seats were not pre-assigned. However, I'm a little confused given what Amtrak's Vermonter website says, to wit: "All Business Class seats on all trains are reserved." But aren't ALL coach sets reserved, whether BC or not? Perhaps a little deception in Amtrak's marketing? It sure would be nice if I could get a pre-assigned seat for such a long trip, especially since I'll be traveling with a friend.
Click to expand...
There is a big difference between assigned and reserved. Assigned means a specific, certain seat, 2B, 3A, etc. Reserved means you are guaranteed to have a seat in Business Class, not a particular one. First come first served. They won't sell more tickets than they have seats. They are advertising exactly what they offer.
Click to expand...
Understood. I suppose they say the same thing about coach, so my point was, why bother saying it at all. Surely they won't sell more tickets than they have seats (or, megawd, would they?).
Click to expand...
There are a few trains in the system that have unreserved coach. You could end up standing all the way! Business class is always reserved.
 
George,

The snack car is just that...snacks. Everything will be a microwaved option (i.e., burgers, veggie burgers), aside from the occasional cold sandwich or salad. So, your dinner options will be a bit limited. I usually bring a sandwich on-board with me for dinner from the local subway or whatever joint happens to be convenient. You will be able, however, to get complementary non-alcoholic drinks with your business class seat.

Enjoy your trip. The business class seat is worth it alone!

-Sav
 
MrFSS said:
George said:
MrFSS said:
George said:
I'm taking the Vermonter both ways in mid-February and, a while back, some of you advised me to book business class, which I did. Some also said that BC seats were not pre-assigned. However, I'm a little confused given what Amtrak's Vermonter website says, to wit: "All Business Class seats on all trains are reserved." But aren't ALL coach sets reserved, whether BC or not? Perhaps a little deception in Amtrak's marketing? It sure would be nice if I could get a pre-assigned seat for such a long trip, especially since I'll be traveling with a friend.
Click to expand...
There is a big difference between assigned and reserved. Assigned means a specific, certain seat, 2B, 3A, etc. Reserved means you are guaranteed to have a seat in Business Class, not a particular one. First come first served. They won't sell more tickets than they have seats. They are advertising exactly what they offer.
Click to expand...
Understood. I suppose they say the same thing about coach, so my point was, why bother saying it at all. Surely they won't sell more tickets than they have seats (or, megawd, would they?).
Click to expand...
There are a few trains in the system that have unreserved coach. You could end up standing all the way! Business class is always reserved.
Click to expand...
One such in CA is the Surfliner. It is unreserved in coach. It is possible (though not likely) that you may have to stand all the way from Santa Barbara to San Diego! However, Business Class on the Surfliner is reserved!
 
There are instances where they will oversell a train, hoping that there will be no-shows. There are times where you can have some folks sitting in the lounge because there are no coach seats available. I believe in general they don't oversell Business Class and the definitely don't oversell First Class.
 
battalion51 said:
There are instances where they will oversell a train, hoping that there will be no-shows. There are times where you can have some folks sitting in the lounge because there are no coach seats available. I believe in general they don't oversell Business Class and the definitely don't oversell First Class.
Click to expand...
I am not sure if its a problem of people with commuter passes riding on trains or them overselling the train, but I have absolutely been on NEC trains (from Boston to Philly, that is what I ride to visit my parents) over the holidays with absolutely NO empty seats and people standing or being forced to sit in the lounge. Technically those are all reserved coach trains, but again, there are definitely commuters on these trains and thus they don't have reservations for a particular train and are allowed to ride on any train between the city pairs.
 
Good call. That's definitely a factor I didn't account for. I kind of forgot about those passes. Oops. :eek:
 
Thank you all. I'm certainly glad I booked BC! Now I'm wondering what the chances will be of getting two seats together for the ride north. I see the Vermonter originates in DC, but I suspect most people will be getting off in New York, leaving lots of empty seats. Is this a reasonable assumption, especially on the Friday of a long weekend? (Feb.12) I think I'd better scout out Penn Station a day before we leave (have never used it). Does anybody have any recommendations on how to be first in line at Pennsy for a business class seat? With a BC ticket, can I use the Acela lounge, and would that be a good idea?

As for meals, it sounds like the "snack car" is just that. That's what I experienced on the San Joaquin a couple of years ago, and it wasn't bad. However we were going south in the summertime at lunchtime, and the hotdogs and beer were pretty refreshing. But I was hoping for a bit more going north in the winter in the cold at dinnertime.

Thanks again for all your comments.
 
It probably will empty out in NY. I don't think you'll have any problem finding 2 seats together. And even if you do, you can move - you're not "stuck" in that one seat for the entire trip. For example, if the other person in your row gets off in NHV, you can switch seats in NHV. ;)

BC will not get you into the CA, unless you have a pass or are Select+!

The cafe car on the Vermonter is not like on the SJ at all! It is not even in the same league!
 
Your best bet to ensure two seats and be first would be to obtain a redcap. They'll get you down before the crowd, giving you a better chance at two seats together. It'll cost you a tip, but I'd say that it's probably worth it.
 
George said:
... what kind of "dinner" can I expect?
Click to expand...
I had a memorable dinner aboard the Vermonter last fall. I probably shouldn't tell this story, since it likely was against company policy and all, but here goes.

The cafe attendant that day was a colorful character, kept us entertained all the way from WAS to Essex Junction with stories, advice, and jokes appropriate and otherwise. About two hours south of Essex, he let it be known that he would be calling ahead to order carryout - we could choose Italian or Mexican. He passed around tattered menus from both places. Several crew and passengers took him up on it.

When the train stopped at the town that is about an hour south of Essex Junction (I forget the name of the town), a waiter from the Italian restaurant across the street hurried over to the platform with all the meals. Then an announcement, "The cafe car will be closed for thirty minutes.", and we all dug in.

It was a case of being in the right place at the right time. Had we not been hanging out in the cafe car all day, wouldn't have had a good hot meal aboard the Vermonter. And I felt just a tinge of guilt at being part of the in-crowd, while all the other passengers finished up their microwave hotdogs.

Most of my Amtrak trips have been aboard Silver Service trains, but that Vermonter ride was one of the more enjoyable and memorable I've taken so far.
 
When the train stopped at the town that is about an hour south of Essex Junction (I forget the name of the town), a waiter from the Italian restaurant across the street hurried over to the platform with all the meals.
Click to expand...
Looks like it would have been either Randolph or Montpelier-Barre (unless it was at an unscheduled stop).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
SCrails said:
The cafe attendant that day was a colorful character, kept us entertained all the way from WAS to Essex Junction with stories, advice, and jokes appropriate and otherwise. About two hours south of Essex, he let it be known that he would be calling ahead to order carryout - we could choose Italian or Mexican. He passed around tattered menus from both places. Several crew and passengers took him up on it.
When the train stopped at the town that is about an hour south of Essex Junction (I forget the name of the town), a waiter from the Italian restaurant across the street hurried over to the platform with all the meals. Then an announcement, "The cafe car will be closed for thirty minutes.", and we all dug in.

It was a case of being in the right place at the right time. Had we not been hanging out in the cafe car all day, wouldn't have had a good hot meal aboard the Vermonter. And I felt just a tinge of guilt at being part of the in-crowd, while all the other passengers finished up their microwave hotdogs.
Click to expand...
Wow, I have always been in BC in full view of the stack bar area, and I have never heard or seen anything about the Vermonter picking up 'take out' dinner at any of its VT stops.

BTW, could the station in question be White River Junction?
 
Definitely Randolph. You've got a Chinese place and Italian place that is regularly ordered from.
 
the_traveler said:
George said:
the_traveler said:
The cafe car on the Vermonter is not like on the SJ at all! It is not even in the same league!
Click to expand...
Good to hear that. At least, I hope you mean it's in a bigger league!
Click to expand...
I wish! :rolleyes: Vermonter is AA baseball, while SJ is major league baseball!
Click to expand...

That amazes me! From where I sit (SF) the SJ goes nowhere (i.e Bakersfield - Please don't get upset, Kern County) ;) I've not yet ridden the Vermonter, but I just assumed it would be classier, being in New England and all..............That being said, there's some pretty scenery on the SJ - at least in the Delta.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The real trouble with SJ trains is that there are too many Californians on them! :lol: New England is a whole 'nother world in comparison! I like any train (Big surprise!) but the ride seems a little more layed back North of NYP compared to the California rat race! (That's not to say that California isn't cool, it is!) :cool:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top