Business class = lounge access?

[Austruck]

I'm just confirming what I suspect is true: On my way south from Philly to Orlando, I waited for the Meteor in the private lounge in Philly since I had a roomette on the Meteor.

If I'm traveling back home, Orlando to Philly via roomette, and then have a 3-hour layover in Philly while I await my seat in Business Class on the Pennsylvanian, can I use the private lounge again?

I'm thinking yes, but figured this is the group to ask to confirm this. I seem to remember hearing a call for folks in Business Class for other trains while I sat in that lounge heading south last week... but I'm not sure.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Since you’re arriving in a roomette you have access to the lounge.

 

[cpotisch]

You will have access to the Lounge in Philly, but not for the reason you think.

Anyone with a same-day departing OR ARRIVING sleeping car or Acela First Class ticket, gets access to the ClubAcela lounges. A Business Class ticket actually does not automatically get you access to ClubAcela, though you can actually buy a day pass to the PHL or BOS (not WAS or NYP) lounge for $20.

So you will have access to the lounge that day, but because of your sleeper ticket, not your Business Class ticket.

 

[the_traveler]

As long as you’re either arriving OR departing in a sleeper, you’re entered to use the Lounge.

 

[Austruck]

Wow, I would not have guessed that, for that reason! But yay! My three-hour wait will be a lot nicer. 

So that means I may have actually  been hearing them call for Business Class passengers... but because they had previously come off sleeper cars? So they would call me as a Business Class ticket but not because OF the Business Class ticket?

 

[cpotisch]

So that means I may have actually  been hearing them call for Business Class passengers... but because they had previously come off sleeper cars? So they would call me as a Business Class ticket but not because OF the Business Class ticket?

I doubt it, considering everyone in the lounge waiting for a given train will get the track info and begin the boarding process, all at the same time. My guess is that you misheard and they were calling for First Class (that could mean Acela First Class or Sleeper passengers). It just wouldn’t make any sense to specifically call for passengers travelling in a class (Business Class) that doesn’t get access to the lounge in and of itself.

 

[Austruck]

It's entirely possible I misheard something. I wasn't listening for anybody but me being called. 

 

[jis]

Well the lounge would typically also have a bunch of people traveling in Coach or Acela or Regional Business Class who are there by virtue of their AGR Select Plus or Select Executive Status too.

I sometimes use my status granted access simply to use the lounge as a parking place for a while even when I am not traveling by train at all.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Well the lounge would typically also have a bunch of people traveling in Coach or Acela or Regional Business Class who are there by virtue of their AGR Select Plus or Select Executive Status too.

I sometimes use my status granted access simply to use the lounge as a parking place for a while even when I am not traveling by train at all.

True, but not a "bunch".   Plus, I would not think the Philly attendant would make a general PA announcement for what would quite possibly be a one-off traveler. 

 Matter of fact, there tends to be so few Silver sleeper class people in the Philly lounge, that the attendant would come to personally get them (and escort them to the correct elevator).

 

[jis]

I don't know of the situation in Philly since I have used that lounge exactly three times in my life.

I am more familiar with New York and Washington, which are very heavily used, and somewhat experienced with Boston, which seems to be relatively sparsely used. Maybe that is why they sell access passes to Philly and Boston and not for New York and Washington.

 

[Austruck]

True, but not a "bunch".   Plus, I would not think the Philly attendant would make a general PA announcement for what would quite possibly be a one-off traveler. 

 Matter of fact, there tends to be so few Silver sleeper class people in the Philly lounge, that the attendant would come to personally get them (and escort them to the correct elevator).

This is precisely what happened to me. I was the only person getting on a sleeper car on the Meteor in Philly that day so I got a personal escort. And the track area was completely deserted except for me. When the train arrived, I got all the personal attention of the sleeper car attendants, who helped get my suitcase across the gap and into my roomette. 

Such attention!