Legroom, legroom, and more legroom (and my butt's comfy too!)
Aug 30 '00
Remember the glory days when airline seats didn't force you to contort like a circus freak? Me neither. Every time I get on a plane, in first class or coach, I'm horrified by how little space the airlines allot for the cattle--I mean, passengers.
That's why several of my recent mid-length trips have been via Amtrak. It's a tough call--fly somewhere in an hour, or sit on the train for 3-5 hours. However, when you look at the cost factor, then add a few bonus items, Amtrak becomes the clear choice.
Case in point: I went to Boston on business earlier this month. Last minute trip. Shuttle fare (via US Airways/Delta) was about $400, for a coach seat. My travel agent warned me the shuttle would be packed and I would probably end up in a middle seat. No thanks.
Of course I could've gone up on the non-shuttle flight, if I wanted to blow $962. For coach? Never mind the car service to the airport, or all the waiting time, plus taxi service from Logan to my hotel.
I called Amtrak. One hundred dollars. Roundtrip. Oh, and if I wanted first class, that was $44 extra. Whoa. $144 RT to Boston, in first class? Book it, baby.
Granted, this meant I was sitting on a train for 5 hours. Amtrak does offer faster service on its Acela Regional trains (3+ hours) but the schedule didn't work for me, and I wanted that first class seat.
On travel day, I made my way to Penn Station and waited for my track to appear on the jumbo board. Lucky me, I was in just the right spot to zip down the escalator. First/business (it's all the same) class passengers were directed to the back car, where several seats were already full with passengers who boarded in Washington DC.
This car was brand new (you can tell by the funky teal paint) and quite nice: large ergonomic cloth seats were arranged 2x2. No middle armrests. Tray tables pop down from the seat in front of you (like coach on a plane). The seats are wide and comfy, but the best part is the legroom--I stretched out fully, the person in front of me reclined, and I still had tons of room to move. What a treat.
Each pair of seats has an electric outlet--mine worked. Others didn't and other passengers soon came looking for it--I quickly plugged in my cell phone and charged away. Who needs the yappy motormouths next to you?
The conductors are friendly; stops are announced clearly. In addition to the bigger, better seat, my ticket entitled me to a free non-alcoholic beverage in the snack car. I walked up and collected my Pepsi from a cheery man who did his best to please me. The ham sandwich wasn't bad (black forest ham with Emmenthaler cheese on a baguette, actually).
My car had two restrooms in back--I used the one that was handicap accessible and was very impressed. Not only is it huge, it's clean, efficient, and easy to maneuver. Grab bars are available and there's plenty of space for a companion or a parent. I peeked in the other restroom; it too looked large. Bear in mind, this is real world large, not airline large. You could fit 10 coach seats into the restroom on Amtrak.
One big bonus--the ride up the coast is gorgeous, especially in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Though I brought reading material, I spent lots of time gazing out the window, enjoying the scenery.
The train stopped less than 10 times, with passengers boarding and exiting at each stop. There is a long stop (to change from electric/diesel) in New Haven, Connecticut. Naturally, all the smokers run to the platform to puff away. Babies. The train is all non-smoking, so they're usually quite red-eyed and fiendish if they can't light up.
When my train arrived in Boston, I discovered that the station was directly across the street from my hotel. It couldn't have been more convenient or comfortable.
Going home, I had the misfortune of an old train out of Boston. Even in first class, the seats were battered. Footrests were at odd angles. Seat bottoms were torn. The red velour cloth was hot. Each pair of seats had a fixed armrest in the middle, so it was a much tighter fit. The seating configuration was 2x1 in business class, which was the back half of the dining car.
Even the conductor was nasty. A mother asked for a blanket and pillow and he bit her head off. He didn't call the stops. He was clearly tired and irritable--we left him alone.
Still, even with the less than stellar service, this trip was much nicer than flying. I had plenty of legroom, and my seat was fine. One caveat: this was a night train, and many people board prepared to snooze. One woman had three big pillows and a comforter, and she tried to make her seat into a little bed. She looked like a fool.
I've had other trips on Amtrak recently, and have been blessed with the new cars. They make all the difference.
A few other points: if you're boarding at a smaller station, you may have to climb the train stairs to board. This is difficult--you must hoist yourself up and the stairs are quite deep. At larger stations, the train door matches the platform. Best to ask first if this is a concern.
Also, if you board after a big station, you'll discover that most of the business class seat pairs are occupied by one person. Many will refuse to move. If you see an open pair, grab it. There's no guarantee that the pair you're headed for in the back isn't already taken.
When true Acela begins service, you'll find me doing all my east coast travel via Amtrak. Now if they'd just figure out a way to cross the Atlantic.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
pbyaeger
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Member: Pamela Yaeger
Location: Long Island, NY
Reviews written: 157
Trusted by: 158 members
About Me:
I whine, therefore I am.
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.