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- I traveled in coach and business class on Amtrak trains in the Northeast and the Pacific Northwest.
- The business-class seat was larger than the coach seat and came with a free beverage.
- I found that business class felt similar to coach, and ultimately, it wasn’t worth the upgrade.
The difference between coach and business class was a can of Coke and a slightly larger seat.
In 2022, I took a 10-hour Amtrak train from NYC to Niagara Falls, New York. I booked a business-class ticket for $168 and found the ride underwhelming for a premium class. So three years later, when planning a trip from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle, I decided to travel in coach for $50.
I wanted to see just how different Amtrak’s coach and business classes are. And it turns out, not much.
First, I spent 10 hours traveling in business class from NYC to Niagara Falls, New York, for $168.
I took Amtrak’s Maple Leaf train, which runs from NYC to Toronto and has coach and business-class seating. A coach ticket would have been $100 cheaper.
A representative of the train line told Business Insider that business-class perks on all Amtrak trains include more spacious seating, a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage, a 25% point bonus for Amtrak Guest Rewards members, and full refunds for rides canceled before departure.
Three years later, I took a four-hour ride from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle for $50.
I was aboard the Amtrak Cascades train, which runs from Vancouver to Eugene, Oregon, and also offers coach and business-class seating.
No business-class tickets were available when I booked this ride a month in advance. But according to a quick Amtrak search for rides a month from now, they cost about $120.
On the business-class ride, there were two rows of seats on one side of the aisle and single seats on the other.
On all Amtrak trains, business class offers more privacy for some guests with single-row seating. Since seats weren’t assigned, I grabbed a spot in the single row and appreciated having the space to myself.
On my train to Seattle, the coach car had two sets of seats on either side of the aisle.
Coach offered less privacy with pairs of seats on either side of the aisle, but at least there were no middle seats.
This ride also didn’t have assigned seating, so I grabbed a spot in an empty row and had it to myself for the entire ride.
The business-class seat was bigger and slightly more comfortable than the coach seat.
Both seats felt roomy enough for me, though the one in business class was a bit larger. While I appreciated the cushioned armrests and extra legroom in business class, it wasn’t much more comfortable than coach.
Both seats reclined and had power outlets, tray tables, and overhead reading lights.
Neither ticket included a meal, but I got a free Coke in business class.
Though Amtrak’s first-class tickets include a meal, business-class passengers only get a complimentary beverage. Coach passengers don’t get complimentary refreshments.
To retrieve my free soda on the business-class ride and purchase breakfast on the coach ride, I visited the café cars, where snacks and microwavable meals were for sale.
There wasn’t much of a difference between coach and business-class bathrooms.
Both bathrooms had a power outlet. The bathroom I used on the coach train was larger than the one in business class, but I’m not sure if the business-class car also had a larger bathroom that I missed.
Both classes included complimentary WiFi.
On a long ride, I like to get some work done. WiFi is key to my job, so I appreciated that both rides had free internet access.
Ultimately, business class wasn’t worth the upgrade.
After taking my coach ride and having a similar experience to business class, I regretted dishing out the additional $100 on my first Amtrak journey. In the future, I’ll stick to coach bookings.
Read the full article here
