I will be going from Elizabethtown to Philly on June 13 for a quick evening trip. I am planning to take the Pennsylvanian (#42). I could also take a Keystone that leaves at 3:37, and gets into Philly just after 5:00. Which would be better? Both trains are "unreserved" but the Pennsylvanian makes fewer stops. Is Business Class worth the extra money?
ELT-PHL: Keystone or Pennsylvanian
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I would take the Keystone. It originates in Harrisburg and should be less crowded than the Pennsylvanian that come in from Pittsburgh. There should be lots of seats on the Keystone at E-Town. The Keystones are set up with half the seats facing forward and half backwards, but there should be enough seats to allow you to choose a forward seat, if you desire. The Pennsylvanian is sometimes crowded coming into Harrisburg, and could get even more crowded picking up the those boarding there. I took it once from HAR, and it was packed.
Both trains are typically on-time, but if there is a problem one of them, the Pennsylvanian would likely be it since it is subject to whatever could happen between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg. . Business Class is not a big deal. In my opinion, the Keystone is best bet.
If leg room is what you're after, then the Pennsylvanian would be your best bet. The train runs with a couple Amfleet II cars which have the legroom you see on the Long Distance trains, all for the coach price.
fairviewroad
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As a data point, the Keystone is scheduled to take a whopping four more minutes than the Pennsylvanian. The extra
stops don't add much time.
The entire trip is in the 90 minute range. I highly doubt legroom is going to be an issue for a quickie trip like this.
stops don't add much time.
The entire trip is in the 90 minute range. I highly doubt legroom is going to be an issue for a quickie trip like this.
Acela150
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Does it matter??
Barciur
OBS Chief
Well I personally pick the Pennsy whenever I can because I love to travel on the LD coach as something different - I have never been on any other line than Keystone/NE Regional, so that is something special 
Thank you all for the suggestions. I have decided to take a Keystone #652. The Pennsylvanian does have a lounge car, but I can't eat most of the food offerings anyway due to my gluten allergy. If I were going on to New York, I would probably take the Pennsylvanian because of the greater legroom, but it is not necessary on a short trip to Philly.
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