Amtrak Metropolitan Lounges

[jis]

The Washington DC Metropolitan Lounge (ex-Club Acela) will be closed from January 20, 2023 for renovation:

https://www.amtrak.com/alert/dc-union-station-metropolitan-lounge-renovation.html

 

[moosejunky99]

The Washington DC Metropolitan Lounge (ex-Club Acela) will be closed from January 20, 2023 for renovation:

https://www.amtrak.com/alert/dc-union-station-metropolitan-lounge-renovation.html

hopefully it is not for too long. I got a trip end of March going though Washington DC to Tampa and back to hold my bags to go to museums since i got 6hr going to florida and 8hr going back.

 

[joelkfla]

The Washington DC Metropolitan Lounge (ex-Club Acela) will be closed from January 20, 2023 for renovation:

https://www.amtrak.com/alert/dc-union-station-metropolitan-lounge-renovation.html

I hope it doesn't last more than a month or 2. The ticketed seating area out in the middle of the concourse looks cramped, crowded, and uninviting.

It would've been nice if, instead of a complimentary gift, they had cleaned up one of the vacant restaurant spaces for a temporary lounge, just for seating and restrooms.

 

[Cal]

Hopefully it's new look matches that of New York's.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Two questions:

Why does the announcement say “effective January 20, 2022”?

Will they still walk you to the Acela from the lounge up until January 20? I wanted to do an Acela trip from WAS to PHL in January—I had not decided on dates but this will narrow it down. Just want to make sure the lounge is open through January 19.

 

[jis]

Two questions:

Why does the announcement say “effective January 20, 2022”?

I suspect a typo. They have had quite a few of those in the recent slew of announcements, including trying to run train 22 from Roanoke to Washington DC!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Two questions:

Why does the announcement say “effective January 20, 2022”?

It's that time of the year...when we have to remember that the last digit (or two) of the year is changing.
I always put a sticky note on my checks with the new year on it to remind me for the first month or so. Of course, now-a-days I only write one or two checks a month.

 

[moosejunky99]

haha ya for sure.. i just notice the 2022 lol..

 

[Rasputin]

If, on the way out, I decide to go Coach to Chicago, will I be able to hang out in the 1st class Lounge in Boston if I have a sleeper ticket from Chicago to Seattle?

For passengers on the Lake Shore, I do not believe that you can use the first class lounge in Boston unless you are a sleeper passenger departing from Boston. Corrections would be welcome.

 

[zephyr17]

For passengers on the Lake Shore, I do not believe that you can use the first class lounge in Boston unless you are a sleeper passenger departing from Boston. Corrections would be welcome.

You can access the Metropolitan Lounges (anywhere) if you have a sleeper ticket the same day, irrespective of whether your sleeper is from that station. In this case, a sleeper on the Builder would be the next day and wouldn't qualify. Picking up a sleeper in Albany would qualify, though.

 

[TimePeace]

You can access the Metropolitan Lounges (anywhere) if you have a sleeper ticket the same day, irrespective of whether your sleeper is from that station. In this case, a sleeper on the Builder would be the next day and wouldn't qualify. Picking up a sleeper in Albany would qualify, though.

I SO appreciate the replies! I just talked to my friend in Seattle, and I think I will do last minute bucket checks tomorrow morning, call AGR, and book it! Depending on buckets, I may have enough points for the whole deal - but if not, coach for one night (on the way out) is fine.

David

 

[mgkeihl]

For passengers on the Lake Shore, I do not believe that you can use the first class lounge in Boston unless you are a sleeper passenger departing from Boston. Corrections would be welcome.

I rode coach from Rochester to Chicago and was able to use lounge with my sleeper connection to Seattle. Same coming back.

 

[Rasputin]

I rode coach from Rochester to Chicago and was able to use lounge with my sleeper connection to Seattle. Same coming back.

You are talking about the lounge in Chicago, correct? As I understand it, if you are departing Chicago as a sleeper passenger or arriving in Chicago as a sleeper passenger, you can use the lounge there regardless of how you are traveling on the rest of your trip.

 

[jis]

You are talking about the lounge in Chicago, correct? As I understand it, if you are departing Chicago as a sleeper passenger or arriving in Chicago as a sleeper passenger, you can use the lounge there regardless of how you are traveling on the rest of your trip.

I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong. I thought it was a little more liberal than that. IIRC if you have a Sleeper ticket originating or terminating anywhere on that day, you can use the lounge on that day even if your arriving or departing the station where the lounge is located by Coach, presumably making a connection to the Sleeper segment. It is possible that you need to have both the Coach and the Sleeper segment on the same itinerary though I have not tested that, I have made such use at least once in the past and both my segments were on the same itinerary.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I've recently used the Boston lounge with a sleeper ticket from Albany. The same day rule seems to apply. The lounge is well worth some time, excellent photos.

And another vote for checking Albany-Chicago points rates. Often big differences from Boston-Chicago.

 

[joelkfla]

I've recently used the Boston lounge with a sleeper ticket from Albany. The same day rule seems to apply. The lounge is well worth some time, excellent photos.

And another vote for checking Albany-Chicago points rates. Often big differences from Boston-Chicago.

What photos? I don't see any photos here.

 

[Brian Battuello]

The Boston Metro Lounge is decorated with about 20 huge photos of the history of Boston trains and the South Station. Dates range from 1900 to about 1970 (very early Amtrak). A really great one of the Boston signal control tower in full operation.

 

[daybeers]

Here is some recent data on the lounges in BOS, NYP, PHL, and WAS:

 

[BlackDiamond]

I should note that when I took 449 (in roomette) from Boston a few years ago we were escorted from the Metropolitan lounge to the train ahead of the rest of the passengers.

 

[MARC Rider]

I should note that when I took 449 (in roomette) from Boston a few years ago we were escorted from the Metropolitan lounge to the train ahead of the rest of the passengers.

I took 449 in Business class and I take the Acela out of Boston a couple of times a year, and we not only get escorted, we get redcap service to haul our bags.

 

[Rambling Robert]

Yes, the Red Caps are on the main floor at BOS just below the Metropolitan Lounge (ML). Particularly ARRIVING in CHI I use a Red Cap because of the long walk through the station.

I’ve used money to get a day pass to the ML ($35 to $50) and also used 1500 AGR points for a ML day pass- it takes an hour or so for the AGR points to work.

I mostly like a place to store my luggage so I can explore the streets around the station during longer layovers.

 

[ashleyryan15]

Two questions:

Why does the announcement say “effective January 20, 2022”?

Will they still walk you to the Acela from the lounge up until January 20? I wanted to do an Acela trip from WAS to PHL in January—I had not decided on dates but this will narrow it down. Just want to make sure the lounge is open through January 19.

hopefully it is not for too long. I got a trip end of March going though Washington DC to Tampa and back to hold my bags to go to museums since i got 6hr going to florida and 8hr going back.

Per an email from AGR this morning:
The lounge will be closed for 10 days.
A temporary lounge will be available at Gate D, and the "complimentary gift" mentioned in previous emails will now be available from the CSR stationed at Gate D rather than the ticket office. Looks like the high spenders kicked off enough about it.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Per an email from AGR this morning:
The lounge will be closed for 10 days.
A temporary lounge will be available at Gate D, and the "complimentary gift" mentioned in previous emails will now be available from the CSR stationed at Gate D rather than the ticket office. Looks like the high spenders kicked off enough about it.

Thanks—I got that same email. A lot of fuss they made about it for just 10 days—I was assuming months! Although if they go as slow as they sometimes do when changing the engines at WAS, I don’t see how they’ll have time in 10 days to do more than put out the new “improved” treats.

 

[IAlam]

So I went to the temp lounge, unfortunately I forgot to get pics but it was basically just a. couple of sofas and a table with goodie bags. You also get 1500 points for signing in. Goodie bag was a bottle and some snacks. (Second bottle was from the person traveling with me.)

 

[joelkfla]

So I went to the temp lounge, unfortunately I forgot to get pics but it was basically just a. couple of sofas and a table with goodie bags. You also get 1500 points for signing in. Goodie bag was a bottle and some snacks. (Second bottle was from the person traveling with me.)

View attachment 31230

Nice looking bottles. They may be worth just a coupl'a bucks, but I'm jealous.