Reservations needed for Amtrak - NYC to Boston?
 

Travelling from NYC to Boston via Amtrak next Wed. Are reservations needed for the morning trains? Are business class seats worth the extra $44 for 2 people? Thanks for your help.

It would be wise to purchase your tickets online in advance. In my opinion, business class seats are not worth the expense for a pleasure trip (unless you need electricity for a computer etc.).

I'd strongly recommend advance purchase. Business class seats are good if you need peace and quiet or if the train's economy seats are unreserved (the Amtrak web site will tell you which trains are and which aren't) in order to guarantee yourself a seat. Some of the trains originate down in Virginia, so if you don't get either a business-class seat or a seat in economy on a train that has reserved seating (it's not a specific seat, but you know what I mean) you could find yourself standing up the whole way.

A morning train shouldn't be standing room only, but anything's possible.

(In April I boarded an afternoon train in Williamsburg to go to NYC and it became SRO in Baltimore, but the crowd eased in Philly and everyone found a seat.)

We live on the West Coast so, by no means am I any expert on Amtrak routes on the East Coast. However, we did travel on Amtrak last month from DC to NYC. I received a good tip here on Fodor's that was quite useful.

Try to find a train that originates in NYC when choosing your time. On the Amtrak website it will list the train numbers for the destination you have chosen. Clicking on the number will pull up additional information about that train. If you can find a train that originates at NYC Penn Station traveling to Boston, you will be entering a train that is empty at your departure point. That said, you will have a much better chance of choosing your seats and shouldn't have a problem getting seats together, even with unreserved seats.

Realize, too, that Amtrak boards families with young children first and then all passengers traveling with a Senior citizen discount next. Getting a ticket for a reserved train, only guarantees you a seat (it does NOT put you in an assigned seat), not necessarily a seat next to your traveling companion or even in the same train car.

Our family of four chose a train originating in DC and had no problem with seats on our unreserved train.

In NYC they don't board seniors/kids first. Everyone just rushes on when they announce the track. It's best to wait on lower level for the announcement, so you don't have to fight your way down the stairs with hundreds of other people.