Coach Class Riders Can Now Access Premium Lounges at Amtrak Stations
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Amtrak has opened its Metropolitan Lounge network to Coach Class riders. A majority of the company's nationwide network of premium waiting areas is now available to ticket holders who pay $35 per person.
"Opening the doors to our Metropolitan Lounges for all our guests adds more time to relax and travel comfortably and conveniently when traveling with Amtrak," said Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch in a press release. "We look forward to welcoming our Coach Class customers at our national network of Metropolitan Lounges and delighting them with all the amenities our Lounges have to offer."
A Single Visit Pass is good for lounges including those at commuter hot spots like Boston South Station, Chicago Union Station, Los Angeles Union Station, William H. Gray III 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Portland Union Station and Washington Union Station.
A pass for the lounge at the heavily traveled Moynihan Train Hall at New York Penn Station costs $50.
A passenger and lounge user getting coffee at the Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan Train Hall in New York City.
A passenger and lounge user getting coffee at the Metropolitan Lounge at Moynihan Train Hall in New York City.
Amtrak
Amtrak Guest Rewards customers can redeem their rewards points in advance of their visit for a Single Visit Pass. The cost is 1,500 points.
Single Visit Passes can be purchased at the front desk of any Metropolitan Lounge or online when using reward points.
Metropolitan Lounges are designed to be akin to airline lounges. Each includes seating, complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, snacks and free Wi-Fi. Additionally, attendants are available to assist with reservations, ticketing and local information. Guests also have access to complementary conference rooms, that can be booked in advance, at select locations.
The new paid access does not exclude other access. Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Executive and Select Plus members, Acela First Class riders and private room passengers ticketed for same-day travel are welcome.
This move is part of a larger push by Amtrak to modernize and transform rail travel in the U.S. The organization aims to expand the number of train stations and trains, as well as improve the infrastructure of the Amtrak network.
In 2024, Amtrak set a record, carrying 32.8 million passengers, a 15 percent year-over-year increase. That same year, the organization invested $4.5 billion into major infrastructure and fleet projects.
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