Acela Baggage Space

Hello All,
I'm going to be coming back from a trip in Europe and will have quite large and heavy luggage. However I wanted to take the Acela from Washington to my home in New Haven,CT. I need to know if there would be space for my larger luggage either on the racks or if there is a baggage check. Otherwise I'l fly into JFK and have to take the Acela some other time.

Thanks

With or without the heavy luggage, save the Acela for another day. Considering you will be zombied from the overseas flight, all you will have in mind is "I wanna go home..."

JFK and Connecticut Limo or a car service would be my choice in this instance..

I'd agree with Mr. Norman - when I'm doing a lot of flying (transcontinental flights, redeyes), the last thing I want to do is take that 45 minute connection from Atlanta to Greensboro.

That being said, my experience with Acela and luggage has been pretty good. I had no problems putting my rollaboard suitcase in the overhead bins on the Acela (my rollaboard works on any regular sized aircraft), and there were closets with ample room at each end of the car that could accomodate larger bags (I was travelling with someone who was using a bag that would have to be checked on airlines, and it fit in the closet fine).

Gilbert B Norman wrote:With or without the heavy luggage, save the Acela for another day. Considering you will be zombied from the overseas flight, all you will have in mind is "I wanna go home..."

JFK and Connecticut Limo or a car service would be my choice in this instance..

Ditto. In 2004 my journey home to Boston from Germany consisted of: 7AM CET DB ICE train from Berlin Zoo-Flughafen Frankfurt, flight from Frankfurt to Reykjavik (the plane that I had just alighted became the Boston flight-I booked out of JFK to save $$ -big mistake), Reykjavik-JFK (left and arrived an hour late). Upon arrival in NY, in my zombiefied state, I took a long way (long subway ride with bustitution between Brooklyn and Manhattan) back to Manhattan to catch a bus to Boston (I had already missed the train I was expecting to take on account of the late flight). By the time I arrived at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, the next bus to Boston wasn't until 11PM EDT, almost two hours away. Luckily I was one the first in (or "on" as they say in New York) line. I boarded the coach and was fast asleep by the time it left Manhattan and woke up just as it arrived at the South Station Bus Terminal in Boston at 3AM (9AM Berlin time).

Moral: The quicker the trip home the better, no matter the expense.

I'm going to a wedding in Stuttgart in October, I'm booking BOS-DUB-FRA and back this time (Aer Lingus currently being the best deal to Europe).

No checked baggage on Acela Express. Luggage racks at the back of the Acela Express coach and overhead bins - that's it! Travelling in First Class on the Acela - you've even got more luggage room (less people and attendants will help "fit it all in"). But do be cautious of Amtrak's baggage policy. All your luggage would be considered "carry-on" luggage. I've gotten away without any hassle with two suitcases and a backpack. The backpack doubles as storage for my computer, so its more of that "one personal item" you are given leeway with. Have fun travelling!

Take the train!

If you have a choice between flying from Europe into either IAD or JFK, it's better to fly into JFK--don't forget, Dulles is about an hour away from DC, so you're talking about a six-hour trip home.

But flying into JFK and taking a van or bus to New Haven is hardly any better--you can expect it to take 2-1/2 hours or more. That's how you get your Acela (or Regional) trip in: you can take the LIRR to Penn Station (Air Train from JFK to Jamaica) and Amtrak up to New Haven. From JFK-LIRR is $10-$12 and takes maybe 35-40 minutes. Time it right and that's faster (or at least not slower) than the bus and more comfortable. It's cheaper, too, even on Acela (if you pick the right train). Busses and vans from JFK to New Haven run $60-$70.

I've never had trouble finding space for my bags on Acela, either in the overhead compartments or the luggage racks at the end of the cars. Keep in mind, you're limited to two pieces of luggage plus a personal bag per person. You can read Amtrak's rules here.

--Robb

I usually fly to NY and then take a train to Atlanta on my US visits, never had a problem with relaxing on a train after the tiredness of flying personally - its comfortable with plenty of space. As the other poster mentioned, its a two piece limit for carry on bags - but I wouldnt like to try flying with more than that either!

Enjoy your trip, would it be your first time on Acela?

NealG wrote:Moral: The quicker the trip home the better, no matter the expense.

Unless you don't actually have the money! When presented with "do it cheaply or not at all" -- and I'm not talking about anything like that one poster recently was suggesting with regard to travelling for nearly free, why wouldn't one use one of these options? I recently flew to PHL instead of EWR recently. Annoying, but half the price. For $400 to EWR, the trip just wasn't going to happen.

Thanks guys for your responses. I should have mentioned that I'm meeting up with some friends in Washington for a few days, then heading home. One final question is, does anybody have a picture of the interior of the Acela? I only found one on railpictures.net, but it wasn't very good.

Cheers all,
Patrick

Found some interior photos here.

ryanov wrote:Found some interior photos here.

Re: the photo of the cafe car: alas, all beer is now sold in cans or bottles. The taps have all been, or are in the process of being, removed! The TV's in the cafe don't work, the sound system doesn't work, and for the time being, the power outlets don't work - but they're working on that last item.

Mr. Patrick, in so much as you have chosen to visit friends in the DC area for several days prior to returning home, I guess I should withdraw my earlier suggestion and say "go for it".

More likely than not, your friends in The District have also traveled overseas and "know what you're going through because they've been there themselves" regarding jet lag recovery.

While I remain astounded at the amount of stuff people seem compelled to bring on journeys nowadays and wonder if I am the only practioner left of "if you can't carry it (note I did not say wheel it), don't bring it", somehow I think your stuff will be accomodated on the Acela. Incidentially, your 299 mile ride is long enough to consider Acela First as you would be on board for at least one meal. Pricey? of course; but in a world of $300/day suburban hotel rooms (I was :just out" last month), what's money!

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Incidentially, your 299 mile ride is long enough to consider Acela First as you would be on board for at least one meal. Pricey? of course; but in a world of $300/day suburban hotel rooms (I was :just out" last month), what's money!

I am flying to London on company business (large financial firm with an umbrella logo nudge nudge). Anyway the company will pay for my airline tickets/essicential costs in London, but the DC leg is out of my own pocket. Although $90 doesn't seem like a lot, I just don't see the need when I'm on a four hour ride. If I was riding up to BOS, then I would fork over the upgrade.

Cheers