Chicago Metropolitan Lounge

[tim49424]

I just booked a trip to Maine today and talked to the agent about the rumor regarding coach passengers being disqualified in the new ML even if they had arrived same day on a train with a sleeper reservation (which is going to be my return trip via LSL connecting to the PM). She said I would have access. I stressed to her that I'd heard this was going to be new policy once the new ML opens not current. She put me on hold so she could check with her supervisor. When she came back, she again said I'd have access and there is going to be no policy change. I'm still not convinced, however, if I get turned away, I'll just buy a day pass to the legacy lounge.

 

[TylerP42]

I have received word the policy will be changing, and amtrak.com will be updated when the time comes around.

With all due respect to you for relaying it, if the source for that was the same person who blatantly misstated the present policy, it's still just rumor to me.

That was from a different, extremely reputable source. Like in charge of that kind of stuff

And on top of that they just fired a bunch of Central Division Management folks.. So let's not rush to conclusions right now...

Trust me I know about it.

 

[Durham57]

What are the policies for Acela Club Lounge in Washington, D. C.?

 

[Ryan]

https://www.amtrak.com/station-lounges

 

[zephyr17]

I still put it in rumor category. As to further misquoting the policy, that could not have been policy since 1971, since they didn't have first class lounges in 1971, they started opening them in about 1990.

 

[TylerP42]

I still put it in rumor category. As to further misquoting the policy, that could not have been policy since 1971, since they didn't have first class lounges in 1971, they started opening them in about 1990.

My separate source is a director.
(Not the one who said 1971)

 

[dlagrua]

I read the opening post and the way I see it; if you hold a sleeper ticket on any train for a given day at CUS, the ML must let you in. Why should it matter if you arrived at the station the same day by Amtrak coach, taxi, bus or car? The fact that you present a valid sleeper ticket at the front desk should be your entrance pass.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I read the opening post and the way I see it; if you hold a sleeper ticket on any train for a given day at CUS, the ML must let you in. Why should it matter if you arrived at the station the same day by Amtrak coach, taxi, bus or car? The fact that you present a valid sleeper ticket at the front desk should be your entrance pass.

If you're LEAVING in a sleeper, yes, you have access to the lounge. The question is if you ARRIVE in a sleeper and then either are leaving by coach, taxi, bus or car.

 

[Ryan]

I read the opening post and the way I see it; if you hold a sleeper ticket on any train for a given day at CUS, the ML must let you in. Why should it matter if you arrived at the station the same day by Amtrak coach, taxi, bus or car? The fact that you present a valid sleeper ticket at the front desk should be your entrance pass.

You should read some of the posts in between as well.

 

[Palmetto]

The rumors are true. I talked to a source, said "it's technically been policy since 1971, we just were nice about it". So, if you are in a sleeper and connecting to coach, even if it is, say, a 1,000 dollar roomette from Flagstaff to CHI, but you want to take coach to, say, Springfield, you cannot use the lounge. You must be departing in a sleeper or business class.

This what happened to me at Penn Station. Arrived on 97 from Miami and was continuing on to Boston in biz class.

 

[jis]

However Club Acela does not allow Business Class passengers to use it. You got to use it because you arrived by Sleeper. The access to Business Class passengers is only at lounges other than Club Acelas. There are way too many Business Class passengers on the NEC to accommodate them in any Club smaller than a middle sized auditorium. Remember every passenger other than First Class passenger on an Acela is a Business Class passenger!

 

[Palmetto]

However Club Acela does not allow Business Class passengers to use it. You got to use it because you arrived by Sleeper. The access to Business Class passengers is only at lounges other than Club Acelas. There are way too many Business Class passengers on the NEC to accommodate them in any Club smaller than a middle sized auditorium. Remember every passenger other than First Class passenger on an Acela is a Business Class passenger!

So the answer there is: establish business class lounges at major stations on the NEC! Including Providene, Stamford, Newark, Trenton, Wilmington and Baltimore.

 

[PVD]

What woild be the business case that could made to spend lots of money to provide a perk that would likely have little effect on NEC market share? Who makes up the B/C cohort, and are they likely to be at the station for an extended period of time before or after their trip, and would this additional perk increase B/C take rate or allow fares to increase to the point that the added costs are covered? If not, why would you do it Some of the stations share services with other carriers, they may not have the extra room available in a practical location. I'm not sure Amtrak owns Stamford, It might be CT or MNRR.

 

[Palmetto]

I think the business class cohort is quite varied on Regionals, at least from my observation traveling on them.

As far as being at the station for an extended period of time before or after the trip, I suppose the same objection could be used for Penn, Philadelphia and Union Station as well.

In my own mind, I've told myself that Business Class is not worth the extra expense in the Northeast Corridor given the current "amenities" There is absolutely nothing outstanding about the accomodation; free soft drinks are two cars away; it's often sold out and very crowded. So the business case is if you're going to ask people to pay extra, the experience should be comfortable and enjoyable. Just think United, American, Qatar.

Probably premium coach would be a better tag for the service in its current offering. Then offer lounge accomodation for Acela First and Business, the AGR Select folks, and those wishing to pay a charge for a one-time entry. At American, there's an upsell opportunity as soon as you put your credit card into a kiosk to check in. At $50.00 a throw, I'm willing to be they do okay on that offering.

 

[shelzp]

I was just in the lounge and the woman at the front desk who gathered us to walk to the train (Capitol Ltd - on board waiting for departure) said it would be opening in June. She also said if you arrive in Chicago on a sleeper but are leaving in coach you will NOT be able to use the lounge unless you are otherwise qualified to enter.

Yes I heard them say that too and it was said with emphasis.

 

[IndyRacingNut]

I read the opening post and the way I see it; if you hold a sleeper ticket on any train for a given day at CUS, the ML must let you in. Why should it matter if you arrived at the station the same day by Amtrak coach, taxi, bus or car? The fact that you present a valid sleeper ticket at the front desk should be your entrance pass.

If you're LEAVING in a sleeper, yes, you have access to the lounge. The question is if you ARRIVE in a sleeper and then either are leaving by coach, taxi, bus or car.

This is what the lady at the ML told me as well. I had arrived in a sleeper on the SWC, but was leaving on the CL in coach.....She said they would not allow this past such and such date. (Guessing that's the date the new ML opens) Does this newly restrictive policy mean that they'll start serving Stella Artois on tap or something? One can dream, yeah?

 

[PVD]

I leave out of NYP, and will usually try for B/C if it is an Empire Service trip, the 2x1 split cars are really good. Of course I would like the extra perk. But in the airline world, passengers usually have a choice of airlines, with Amtrak, if they are traveling by train, they are the only game in town for most non commuter trips. The NEC already transports a very high percentage of the passengers between BOS-NYP-WAS (along with intermediate points) Much as I agree that passengers should enjoy a comfortable trip the business question still remains as to whether or not enough additional train rides will result from a higher level of service. If you increase ridership but not enough to pay for the better service, you have happier customers, but lose more money. That is very unlikely to happen.

 

[Palmetto]

So, maybe try something; SOMETHING. The present NEC business class product is really not up to snuff. Period. I'll say it again: call it premium coach.

It works fine in the airline industry, and there's no reason it can't on Amtrak, IMO.

 

[Durham57]

Acela Club Lounge in Washington, D. C.: Is it possible to pay a day fee to access the Acela Club? Will have traveled in sleeper accommodations for three days; overnight in Washington and leave next day in business class on a day train (no sleepers). Would like a quiet waiting area and Red Cap service to the train.

 

[PVD]

I don't disagree with you at all about the quality of the product. I feel the same way. But as long as they have a very high percentage of the ridership, and the Boston-NY Washington airline trip isn't any better, they have no motivation to change. It isn't even realistic to think about flying from most of the intermediate stations. Downtown to Downtown the train is very competitive timewise. Show up, get on, get off. Little if any TSA circus act. You can walk into a train station 15 minutes before the train leaves, board and leave. Try that at LaGuardia. They don't have any reason to try and do better. Why are they so anxious to do an Acela replacement? Because it is the direct competitor for business travel dollars. That is why 20 year old Acelas will be replaced, and 40 year old Amfleets will carry on. Savings on maintenance costs, and on electricity due to greater regenerative braking recapture will help pay for the ACS-64s

 

[tricia]

Coming back to the Chicago lounges....

It seems to me that the situation for LD riders in Chicago is different than elsewhere. Amtrak's limited routing requires a layover in Chicago for the vast majority of sleeper passengers heading from anywhere in the east to anywhere in the west (or vice versa). And the general-public waiting area there is akin to one of the circles of hell--not as bad as NY Penn perhaps, but still an unpleasant place to spend several hours. Making the required Chicago connection time reasonably comfortable for sleeper passengers (whether they're coming from a sleeper or going to one) ought to be more of a priority for Amtrak.

Instead, they've spent a large chunk of money creating a new space that's apparently intended to exclude many of their "first-class" passengers. What exactly is the point of that?

 

[MikeM]

Regarding Tricia's post above, the general waiting room really is an inner circle of hell. The space isn't horrible (just really bad!) but the SEATS! OMG, those seats belong in Guantanamo! No back support, supremely uncomfortable, etc. I've booked business class on one leg of a trip, a short sleeper accommodation during the day, anything to avoid those seats. If they're going to be more restrictive on lounge access, either they need to fix the general seating area (fixing the HVAC / drafts would be nice too) or else it'll be a major deal breaker for me and probably others...

 

[wwchi]

While I am more of a regular local business class rider and appreciate the use of the ML, I do think Sleeper passengers should ALWAYS have lounge access - either inbound OR outbound. Those sleepers are not cheap and the least they could do is give you access to the lounge.

 

[Palmetto]

Perhaps if Amtrak received enough complaints from sleeping passengers, the policy might be modified. VIA listened relative to the Park Car restrictions.

Would Amtrak?

 

[Lonestar648]

I agree, Sleeping Car passengers should have access whether waiting for or arriving on a Sleeper. The arriving Sleeper passenger's only connection available may be in Coach. Also, the Sleepers cost big money, so Amtrak should be enticing as many passengers as possible to use the Sleeper so all sleepers in/out of Chicago and other Lounge cities are sold out.