jonldn

I am travelling with my Mother and Father (both seniors) my sister and her daughter (11) on the Acela Express from NYC Penn to Boston on 12/23 - I understand from speaking with Amtrak that although we have guaranteed seat - they cannot reserve seating which seems to mean we cannot guarantee sitting together!


Anyone got any tips/advise - we will also have luggage with us - at least 4 suitcases

Any advise - as always most welcome

Rgds from a chilly London!

John

almesq

As you say, you are guaranteed a seat, but not a particular seat. The trains often get crowded, the best you can do is try to get seats together, and if you can't find any, you could always ask others to move. There's really not much else you can do.

Anonymous

You will have better luck if you do NOT stick together when boarding, or even when approaching the gate/escalators. Send the fittest person or two on ahead to move forward through the cars looking for 4 seats together. They then save them until the slower folks catch up. Since there are 5 of you, you won't sit all together anyway.

The only other advice I can offer is: Next time, don't bother paying extra for the Acela, it really doesn't save you that much time over some of the regular trains.

EmilyC

I have noticed that if you have redcap service they seem to take you down to the train area before the actual track is announced. This might give you a head start. Let's see if anyone agrees with this. At Penn Station, they don't announce the track of your train until a few minutes before you board. However, the folks that have redcap service always seem to get there first

MikeT

Thing working in your favor:

- seniors get to board first.

- a lot of people get off the train (and get on the train) in NYC, meaning there will likely be a number of empty seats in NYC, although many will fill up.

nytraveler

If you have luggage - more than a carry-on you can easily trot with - you may want to find out if there is some way you can use the handicap elevator to get down to the trains. Otherwise you may have trouble on the escalators - which are not very forgiving.

Note that the trains will be VERY busy then - and when they're crowded people (many college students going home for vac) will literally run down the escalator and through the train to get seats. This is not helped bythe fact that the track is usually announced only about 10/12 minutes in advance.

Since the train will be (I assume) coming in crowded from DC the chances of there being 5 seats together open when you board is quite slim. I would settle if you can get even 2 together - not look for 5 and end up with all singles.

GoTravel

Emily, the reason they don't post the gate until you board is because the don't know which track they are puting the train on until the very last minute.

Anonymous

Actually, the reason for keeping the gate a secret is so that the passengers who are disembarking (coming in from DC, in this case) don't get trampled; they are given a chance to clear out before the departing passengers approach the train. When I take the train from DC to Boston, there's always a very long stop (15-20 minutes) in NYC, because of this 2-phase arrival/rdeparture system. Without it, somebody would end up on the neighboring tracks, I'm sure, having also been part of the crowd departing Penn!

jonldn

thanks for the replies - question! would we be better off flying? its sounds like a bit of a scrum to me .... ok for my sister and I but with our parents being seniors I am a bit worried!

Thanks again

MikeT

For the cost you are probably paying to take Acela, you could likely get a similarly priced flight

Anonymous

Flying would entail getting to and from both airports as well as arriving at the airport in advance and dealing with excruciating security -- in other words, would take as long and probably be even more hassle. As others have mentioned, your seniors can probably get preferential boarding in at Penn Station.

nytraveler

Well, all th choices NYC to Boston - plane, train, bus or car) all take about 4 hours (the planes takes solong because of the trek out to the airports, security lines etc.)

Personally, I almost always drive - for me the cheapest and the fastest (I live uptown for an easy scape - and don;t drive exactly the limit). Five people is an awkward # though - you would need some sort of van to drive - so perhaps not a great idea.

And flights will be packed on 12/23 - although I believe for the hourly shuttle they still just roll out another plane if the first one fills completely.

How spry are the seniors? And what mode are they most comfy with?

nytraveler

Sorry - also are you already staying n the city? Just coming in that day??

crys

I just made this trip with my mother, who gets around very poorly. We used the porter, who helped us board early (and handled the luggage). It's worth the tip (I gave $10 for his having handled 3 pieces of luggage--including a large one with a handle that had just broken--and helping my mother.)

mclaurie

I have only driven, but I wonder for the 5 of you whether you might just as well either take a bus (Greyhound or Peter Pan) or just take the regular amtrak train rather than the Acela. From what I've read here from other posters, the time saving on Acela doesn't really affect the NY to Boston route, more the DC to NY route I think. I don't know what the price difference is.

kybourbon

Another option would be the Chinatown busses (Fungh Wah, Travel Pack, or Lucky Star) for $15 a person one way ($30RT). www.chinatown-bus.com for schedules and busses to other cities(D.C., Philly, etc.).

spring212

Another option is the Limoliner, an upscale bus (coach)that offers reserved seats. I've seen advertised fares of $69 one way. I have not had occassion to use them myself so I can't vouch for the "luxury service" they offer.
Website: www.limoliner.com

rb_travelerxATyahoo

I too was going to suggest bus, especially Limoliner if you were already willing to pay the $$ for Acela.

If the train you're on is coming from DC to Boston, one tactic worth considering is for two of you to start from Newark instead of NYC. When the large group exits at NYC, they would be able to "stake a claim" on seats closeby. I'm not sure how well you'll get five togeather.

If your train originates at NYC, I agree that using the Redcap would be the best way for preferential seating.

jonldn

Dear All

Thank you all for your suggestions! most welcomed.

I will report back how we got on and any tips we gathered!

Rgds

John

MikeT

I don't know why, is someone is prepared to take the train, one would suggest taking the bus. You aren't going to be able to get 5 seats together on the bus and do you really want to drag elderly people into the bowels of Chinatown to ride one of those ludicrous Chinatown buses that are all the rage?