I traveled in business class on Amtrak's high-speed Acela train and thought it was worth the $120 price tag

25 August 2025 at 19:27

A MacBook opened on a tray table in a business-class Amtrak Acela train car — The reporter rode in business class on an Amtrak Acela from Baltimore to New York City.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I booked a business-class ticket on an Amtrak Acela train from Baltimore to New York City in 2022.
For $120, I sat in a business-class window seat with a tray table, footrest, and a café car nearby.
A ticket for the high-speed train cost me more than a regular Amtrak, but I'd do it again to save time.

Amtrak's high-speed Acela train is about to get a big upgrade.

A new fleet launching on August 28 will be faster and more modern than the current cars. This news has me thinking about the first time I booked an Amtrak Acela ticket.

Acela is an Amtrak express train on the East Coast with only business and first-class seating. I rode it for the first time in 2022 from Baltimore to NYC. The trip took two hours and 25 minutes — about 30 minutes faster than a regular Amtrak train.

Two weeks before my trip, I booked a standard, business-class Amtrak Acela ticket for $120. According to a search on the company's website, a coach ticket on a regular train booked two weeks in advance might cost between $30 and $70.

I thought booking the Acela option was worth paying extra for a quicker journey.

I got to Baltimore's Penn Station at around 3 p.m. for my 4:29 p.m. train on a Tuesday.

The exterior of Baltimore's Penn Station with taxis parked in front — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

It was my first time leaving from Baltimore's Penn Station, and I couldn't find any outlets to charge my phone, so I picked up a puzzle book from the newsstand inside to pass the time.

At 4:15 p.m., I descended to the platform to wait for my train.

A platform at Baltimore Penn Station — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The train arrived three minutes late at 4:32 p.m. I boarded immediately, ensuring I was in the business-class car.

As I boarded the train, I noticed that the seats looked larger than those on other trains I had been on.

The conductor collects tickets on an Amtrak Acela business class car — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

A representative for Amtrak told Business Insider that seats in business class are 20 inches wide and 26 feet deep.

I had plenty of legroom and a few amenities in my window seat.

An aerial view of the author sitting in her business-class seat — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The Amtrak rep said that seat pitches in business class are 42 inches.

There was a reading light above me, a tray table in front of me, and a footrest beneath me. There were also two power outlets on the wall next to my seat.

I got a little hungry, but there was no food service in business class, so I made my way to the café car.

En route to the dining car on an Amtrak Acela — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The café had tables and stools, but I decided to take my food back to my seat.

I spent about $6 on a plate of cheese and crackers.

Food on an Amtrak Acela train — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The café car menu had a wide variety of options, from salads and sandwiches to cheeseburgers and hot dogs, but I wasn't that hungry, so I got a cheese and cracker plate for $5.75.

It was decent and filled me up for the price.

Overall, my business-class experience on an Amtrak Acela was decent and affordable.

A view of bare trees out the window of an Amtrak — Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I'll probably take an Amtrak Acela next time I travel around the Northeast because I think it's worth paying a little extra to save time.

And I can't wait to try the next generation of Acela trains.

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