Boarding Acela in WAS

[Shortline]

Leaving a conference in WAS next week to shoot up to NYP for a meeting before taking the Crescent back to BHM. Never been on an Acela train before, I try and avoid the Northeast, so this will largely be a first. Do they early board FC from the Club Acela, or would it be best to just go to the track listed?

 

[OBS]

They early board from FC lounge...

 

[the_traveler]

If you go to the track boarding gate, you will be boarding at the same time as all the rest of the passengers. If you’re eligible to use the Club Acela (Acela First is 1 eligibility), I would use the CA. (BC on Acela DOES NOT get you into the CA!)

 

[Shortline]

Thanks, ok, will go to Club Acela then. I am in first class, so might as well utilize it. Thanks!

 

[districtRich]

Redcaps will come through the lounge first and board people who request assistance, and then you can just keep an eye on the status board by the East door in the lounge. It should have the Acela train listed and as soon as it says Boarding there's a quick rush from the lounge out that door to the track to board. If you're traveling alone and want one of the single seats you can walk fast towards the train if you don't want to tip a few bucks to the Redcap

 

[Shortline]

Thanks, yes, I would prefer a single if possible. I had read that Acela was now offering reserved seats, and you could pick ahead of time, but not on my train apparently. Guess that's only on certain trains.

 

[districtRich]

Thanks, yes, I would prefer a single if possible. I had read that Acela was now offering reserved seats, and you could pick ahead of time, but not on my train apparently. Guess that's only on certain trains.

Yeah that's only certain trains for now. If you have a bag you can always ask for Redcap assistance but I've never had an issue just hussling out to the train by walking faster than others to get a single seat although it really depends on what time of day and day of the week it is too. There are a lot of regular first class riders who take the popular evening trains and are buddies with the Redcaps and just follow them out or go out early and are never called on it.

 

[daybeers]

If you've never been to the ClubAcela in WAS before, just a note that you need to use the right hand set of doors, and need to press the lighted doorbell next to them to release the electromagnet on the door. I was there last week and it seems that's a new change from a couple of months ago.

 

[the_traveler]

It has always been that way. (At least for many years.)