Travel

I paid $168 for a 10-hour Amtrak business-class ride. Next time, I'll stay in coach and save $100.

By Joey Hadden
People wearing backpacks walking toward a train stopped at a platform
Business Insider's reporter booked a business-class ticket for a 10-hour trip on an Amtrak train. Joey Hadden/Business Insider
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It's a long ride from New York City to Niagara Falls, New York, on an Amtrak train — 10 hours in one seat.

I made the trip in 2022 and thought it would be worth upgrading to business class.

Since I was spending so much time on the train, I assumed a bigger seat with more legroom would make the $168 ticket worth it. Even though it was $100 more than riding in coach, I booked the premium class confidently.

Then, I ended up regretting it.

My journey began at NYC's Penn Station.

Penn Station on a cloudy day
The entrance to Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station in NYC. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I arrived at 6:45 a.m. for my 7:15 a.m. train to Niagara Falls, New York.

Penn Station's Moynihan Train Hall has an exclusive lounge for Amtrak riders, but it's free only for first-class passengers.

Escalator entrance to Amtrak Lounge at Penn Station in NYC
An escalator inside Moynihan Train Hall leads to the lounge. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Other passengers may enter for a $50 fee.

I'd been in this lounge while traveling in first class and thought that while there was a variety of complimentary drinks and snacks, it wasn't worth $50.

So I went to the main waiting area for all passengers with a train ticket that day.

There were benches in front of screens with train schedules in the regular waiting area.

Amtrak waiting area Penn Station
The waiting area for ticketed customers. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

It was crowded on a Sunday morning, but after a few minutes of standing around, I grabbed a seat.

On the train, I noticed the business-class car configuration had two seats on one side of the aisle and one on the other.

The back of a seat in a business-class Amtrak car
The aisle from the single row of seats in Amtrak's business class. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

As a business-class ticket holder, I didn't receive priority boarding, so I waited in line with business and coach passengers.

My seat wasn't assigned, but I snagged a spot in the single row.

Seat in a business-class Amtrak car
A single seat in Amtrak's business class. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Since the chairs looked larger than those in coach, I thought they'd be comfy and plush. Once I sat down, however, they felt stiffer than expected.

But at least it reclined slightly, like on most trains I've taken.

Though the seat wasn't as comfortable as I expected for a premium class, I was impressed with the amount of legroom.

An Amtrak representative told Business Insider that the business-class seats are about 20 inches wide with 42 inches of legroom.

Like other Amtrak trains, my seat also came with a tray table.

Seat back in business class on the Amtrak train
The seat-back tray table opened and closed. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I could rest my laptop and phone on it in front of me, which made it easier to pass the time. I also had an outlet for charging devices.

On the way, a drink was included in the price of my business-class ticket, but a meal wasn't.

The author's snacks on the train
The reporter's snack and soda on the train. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I got a Diet Coke and brought my own snacks, but a café car was also available to all passengers to purchase meals, drinks, and snacks.

I didn't see attendants checking in with passengers or delivering meals or snacks during the trip.

Seats in a business-class Amtrak car
A view of the business-class Amtrak car. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I had to go to the café car to get my complimentary drink.

Business-class passengers had a private bathroom for the car.

Bathroom in a business-class Amtrak car
Inside the business-class bathroom. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I expected a nicer restroom in business class, but I didn't think it differed from the lavatories I've experienced in other train classes.

After traveling for 10 hours in a train car without a clean bathroom, I thought the business-class experience wasn't worth the extra $100.

The author exits a business-class Amtrak train.
The reporter exiting a business-class Amtrak train. Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Aside from bigger seats and a free drink, business class didn't feel very different from coach to me. Next time, I'll save my money and ride economy.

"We are constantly evaluating ways to improve the customer experience, including further differentiating the classes of service across the network," an Amtrak representative said in a statement to BI.

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Reporter Joey Hadden in an argyle sweater sits at a desk with light, wooden bookshelves behind her.
Joey Hadden
Joey Hadden is a travel reporter and photojournalist at Business Insider based in NYC. She covers transportation modes, alternative lifestyles, and luxury travel. Many of Joey's stories are visual features that give readers a front-row seat to her personal experiences at home and around the world.Joey graduated from St. Edward's University in May 2019 with a BA in Photocommunications. Since joining Business Insider in 2019, Joey has traveled by train in seven different countries, including overnight rides lasting up to 53 hours. She's ridden on many different train lines, including Amtrak, Via Rail, Nightjet, and the iconic Orient Express of the 21st century, among others. During her travels, she's slept in countless accommodations — five-star hotels, unique tiny homes, and private train cabins, to name a few.When traveling in North America, Joey takes readers inside the continent's wealthiest enclaves where billionaires hide away, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Medina, Washington. When she's not taking trains, notes, or pictures, Joey spends her time singing and playing drums for the indie-rock band Blanket Approval.
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