Acela First Class from New York to Washington

We catch the Amtrak Acela in First Class from New York Pennsylvania Station to Washington D.C. Union Station. We made the trip in January 2023.
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[@dennisforner6090]

I think Acela set the benchmark for high speed train travel in the USA. The NEC is fortunate in being owned & operated by Amtrak unlike the freight-owned lines. I can't wait to see the benefits of the major infrastructure expenditure & its replacement train. Seems all is good for train travel in the US.

[@TravelwithMark]

I've seen the new train sets in the yards at Philly. They're undergoing testing. I actually saw them on this trip but missed them with my camera. So hopefully it will be soon now. The limiting factor for speed though are the tracks. You can see on this trip that we approached 150 mph (240kph) because the track supported it. Outside of the NEC its a mess though. Seems like lack of staff is a major issue and service standards seem to be falling.

[@davidjackson7281]

Great Video. The Station Halls are very grand. The ride is America's fastest with Brightline coming up fast.

[@TravelwithMark]

Thanks David. I hope to do another video on Brightline when it starts the extension route.

[@davidjackson7281]

@@TravelwithMark I watched your nice previous Brightline video and look forward to watching your next one when Brightline hts a top speed of 125 mph. It's been testing at 130 mph.

[@kinyrutravel]

Good i felt very comportable your video

[@TravelwithMark]

Glad to hear that. Please subscribe to be notified of new posts

[@pattyjay9999]

Amtrak is not supposed to be profitable, it's a government service.

[@ljft4790]

My partner and I would like to use this from Washington to EWR in October. As we'll be flying out of EWR we'll have suitcases instead of "carry on"., but can't see anywhere to put the cases? Is there luggage space anywhere for a large case?

[@TravelwithMark]

You would be better taking one of the regular North East corridor trains, because a lot more of them stop at Newark Airport, and they have more luggage space. The Acela has some space, but it is more oriented towards business travelers with only carry-on luggage. The North East Regional is only slightly slower, and there is usually a business car compartment. All the business class gives you though is free non-alcoholic beverages.

[@mattboney6284]

I'm European and I see so much potential in train travel in USA... I don't understand why there isn't already a massive high speed rail lines network. And it would be very good for the environment as well.

[@TravelwithMark]

Distance and population sparsity. But you're right in that it could be so much better. Check out my Brightline videos. Brightline West has broken ground now and there's talk of a high speed link between the major cities in Texas. I'm in Mexico this week and rode the Tren Maya between Cancun and Merida. They've done a great job, and there's no real reason the US cannot do it.

[@pattyjay9999]

What app were you using to measure the speed?

[@TravelwithMark]

The app was just called speedometer, but it seems to have stopped working for me now

[@cats0182]

For me, the ONLY way the cost-premium for either ACELA class of service makes sense is a train than makes far fewer stops between NY & DC than the regular NEC trains.

[@TravelwithMark]

Different people have different cost tolerance and comfort tolerance levels. There were a number of empty seats throughout this trip, so perhaps most people see it as an over-priced luxury. I used an upgrade certificate which is a great perk from the Amtrak Guest Rewards program.

[@ccmgoalie35]

Is it just one alcoholic drink now in sept 2021 and before alcohol was unlimited

[@TravelwithMark]

Yes, one free and you pay for each one after that. The meal is free.

[@ccmgoalie35]

Wow interesting did ny to Boston and back had 5 beers each way included but still can’t wait to take another Acela trip hopefully south this time

[@michaelroark3263]

Just for the record Amtrak traverses North Jersey not South.

[@davidhutchinson5233]

Personally, I don't care how much the train is anymore. Air travel is a joke. The aggravation alone is mind numbing. Check in lines, rude people, a complete violation of personal space when you go through the checkpoint....and the seats and spacing are so tight anymore. I remember traveling as a kid in the 70s and planes were spacious. The train on the other hand is just so relaxing. You get to decompress a bit. Hence the reason I won't fly anymore.

[@TravelwithMark]

I agree, on these shorter routes. Unfortunately for the longer routes train travel is not a viable option though, even if you have the time. The cost of a cross-country ticket is astronomical.

[@mikec2012]

What if you want to go overseas? Or to any foreign lands?