Sleeper/First Class Lounges - Good and Bad

I'm not sure what the demand is for 1st-class lounges in Europe--it seems there's always another train to the same place in less than an hour. I'd get antsy sitting in the lounge knowing that there are trains constantly coming and going just outside and mine is leaving pretty soon anyway. Granted that if I were constantly on the road I might get a bit jaded.

Rockingham Racer wrote:There used to be a first-class waiting room in Minneapolis. Does the new SPUD have something?

Yup, it's a small room on the western side of the train hall with frosted glass walls. Amtrak says it has light refreshments. https://www.amtrak.com/station-lounges

Bob Roberts wrote:The Midway (Minneapolis) lounge reminded me of a basement rec room from the 1970s.

It was extremely 70s chic! I never actually saw it open when I traveled from Midway in the 2000s, but recall it was in the late 1980s.

St. Louis also has an unattended waiting room for sleepers and Select Plus members.

The Metropolitan Lounge at Portland Union Station is decent. I arrived in a roomette on the Coast Starlight and was permitted access even though I was waiting for a northbound Cascades train. Seating was comfortable but there was no wifi. Unfortunately, King Street Station in Seattle lacks a similar lounge.

Penn Central wrote:The Metropolitan Lounge at Portland Union Station is decent. I arrived in a roomette on the Coast Starlight and was permitted access even though I was waiting for a northbound Cascades train. Seating was comfortable but there was no wifi. Unfortunately, King Street Station in Seattle lacks a similar lounge.

Yes, the Portland Metropolitan Lounge is pretty nice; last time I took business class on the Cascades a few years back, I actually asked if I could go in; the gal said "Since you asked nicely and I'm empty, I'll let you in."

Cascades Business Class passengers aren't allowed normally unless they have a day pass, or higher tier AGR membership at Portland. I've been told once this was due to WSDOT not having a lounge in Seattle.

Greg Moore wrote:It's funny you mention this. A friend was just talking about how it sucked that domestic 1st class flights no longer got him access to the 1st class lounge.

That said, when I was in Chicago, I was making a list in my head, ranked worst to best (of the ones I've experienced)

NYP - Dark, dreary, needs better lighting and definitely more room. The "snacks" is hit or miss.
WAS - Nicer, a bit roomier (at least it seems so) and the free newspapers is a nice perk. But nothing to write home about.
Philly - Only been there once, but very nice, Out of the way (actually the hardest of the four to find) but direct elevator access to the platforms is a HUGELY nice perk.
Chicago - By far, the best. Two floors. Spread of food. Good drink. Showers. What's NOT to like about this lounge? Oh and cameras in the baggage area keeping things secure.

I have to say , NYP and WAS have the oldest lounges and they are overstuffed and showing their wear. I agree that they need remodeling and expansion. I just wonder where they can go since there isn't much room in the station. I'm not seeing the room for a Chicago type lounge in the Northeast unless New York starts operating out of the Farley building. That being said, the cozy arrangement in PHL works because it is not completely overstuffed.

AgentSkelly wrote:

Penn Central wrote:The Metropolitan Lounge at Portland Union Station is decent. I arrived in a roomette on the Coast Starlight and was permitted access even though I was waiting for a northbound Cascades train.

Cascades Business Class passengers aren't allowed normally unless they have a day pass, or higher tier AGR membership at Portland. I've been told once this was due to WSDOT not having a lounge in Seattle.

This quote from Amtrak.com contradicts the implication in the first post that only departing sleeping car passengers rate the lounge; and directly contradicts the second that BC passengers don't rate the lounge.

Metropolitan Lounges

Metropolitan Lounges are available in Chicago - Union Station, Los Angeles - Union Station and Portland, OR - Union Station to sleeping car passengers, business class passengers with a same-day travel ticket (departure or arrival)

Interestingly enough not long before the new Chicago lounge opened, another Amtrak forum claimed that every one from the janitor to station manager said that once the new lounge was open, only departing sleeping car and BC passengers would be allowed in. It took quite a few on-the-spot reports to put a sock in that one.

I'm glad that Illinois did not take the same view regarding BC passengers as WSDOT, After all Galesburg with 4 sleeper trains and 4 BC trains per day doesn't have a lounge. Nor does Springfield.

ThirdRail7 wrote:

Greg Moore wrote:It's funny you mention this. A friend was just talking about how it sucked that domestic 1st class flights no longer got him access to the 1st class lounge.

That said, when I was in Chicago, I was making a list in my head, ranked worst to best (of the ones I've experienced)

NYP - Dark, dreary, needs better lighting and definitely more room. The "snacks" is hit or miss.
WAS - Nicer, a bit roomier (at least it seems so) and the free newspapers is a nice perk. But nothing to write home about.
Philly - Only been there once, but very nice, Out of the way (actually the hardest of the four to find) but direct elevator access to the platforms is a HUGELY nice perk.
Chicago - By far, the best. Two floors. Spread of food. Good drink. Showers. What's NOT to like about this lounge? Oh and cameras in the baggage area keeping things secure.

I have to say , NYP and WAS have the oldest lounges and they are overstuffed and showing their wear. I agree that they need remodeling and expansion. I just wonder where they can go since there isn't much room in the station. I'm not seeing the room for a Chicago type lounge in the Northeast unless New York starts operating out of the Farley building. That being said, the cozy arrangement in PHL works because it is not completely overstuffed.

Amtrak has already started the Washington Union Station modernization project. They plan to take out the holding rooms between the concourse and platforms and move the Acela lounge up a level to a mezzanine overlooking the concourse.
https://nec.amtrak.com/content/washingt ... on-project" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

jobtraklite wrote:

AgentSkelly wrote:

Penn Central wrote:The Metropolitan Lounge at Portland Union Station is decent. I arrived in a roomette on the Coast Starlight and was permitted access even though I was waiting for a northbound Cascades train.

Cascades Business Class passengers aren't allowed normally unless they have a day pass, or higher tier AGR membership at Portland. I've been told once this was due to WSDOT not having a lounge in Seattle.

This quote from Amtrak.com contradicts the implication in the first post that only departing sleeping car passengers rate the lounge; and directly contradicts the second that BC passengers don't rate the lounge.

Metropolitan Lounges

Metropolitan Lounges are available in Chicago - Union Station, Los Angeles - Union Station and Portland, OR - Union Station to sleeping car passengers, business class passengers with a same-day travel ticket (departure or arrival)

Interestingly enough not long before the new Chicago lounge opened, another Amtrak forum claimed that every one from the janitor to station manager said that once the new lounge was open, only departing sleeping car and BC passengers would be allowed in. It took quite a few on-the-spot reports to put a sock in that one.

I'm glad that Illinois did not take the same view regarding BC passengers as WSDOT, After all Galesburg with 4 sleeper trains and 4 BC trains per day doesn't have a lounge. Nor does Springfield.

Hmmm. That is interesting. I'll shall inquire about this...last time I did business class was in 2013, so perhaps they changed it.

Tadman wrote:Jeff Smith, site admin, inspired this topic. In discussing business class, we mostly focus on "is it real 2-1 biz class or is it 2-2 coach-as-business class" debate. Occasionally, we also focus on the lounges in the larger stations and the good/bad. Over in the Crescent topic, Jeff mentioned we might want to start a new topic RE lounges. Here you go.

...

My thought on this is, if they'd like to make some money, these lounges should have, well, a lounge. For instance, they NYP lounge has free snacks and sodas. I'd gladly pay for a cocktail, beer or wine, in there. The problem in doing this, I think, is the lack of space. It's a nice little lounge, but frankly, it's a bit cramped.

Well, I'm glad to learn the Lounge at CUS gets rave reviews; after all, it is carved out of an area that was once MY office when I was with the MILW

But all I can say is that for a METRA passenger, CUS is simply a vile dump. Even the once vaunted Food Court now looks "sleazy", but to me, a glass of house Chardonnay has the same "buzz" wherever served.

I'm going in for a Chicago Symphony matinee concert Friday, so I guess I'll see the dump walking through it on my way to Orchestra Hall. Would be nice if they got Adams St. open again.

Anyone, what is that kiosk in the Head House (whoops, Great Hall in Amtrakese) all about? All I know is last October (in for a CSO concert), I was promptly kicked out.

Overseas, the OBB has very attractive (First Class Only) lounges in both Salzburg and Vienna Hbf. Why last year I PAID €3,00 for a Financial Times when they were "there for the grabbin'" in the Lounge, I know not At Munich "Flughafen", Lufthansa has an attractive Lounge for Business Class, even if last year waiting on a three hour late flight home (ground hold @ORD - it happens to them too; Mr. Lurker), I got sick from some "ham rouladen" they were serving (got to see more of a 777's potty than I wished).

One more on airline Lounges; maybe it's different as United rebrands their Business Class Polaris, but last year, their Lounge could have just as easily been "the Black Hole of Calcutta (whoops, Kolkatta in newspeak) " - the description I always had for the former Amtrak CUS lounge.

Bob Roberts wrote:I have found most DB lounges (including Munich) to be fine, but not spectacular. They are clean, offer hot and cold drinks (occasionally you will find cake), newspapers and comfy chairs. As a bonus many (Munich and Frankfurt included) overlook the trainshed so there is los of interesting activity for railfans.

Mr. Roberts, sorry to learn you had a negative with DB station service.

During my 2015 journey to the Salzburg Festival, I had ordered on-line a Munich Airport-Salzburg ticket, but I had forgotten to print it before I left. The train was jammed, and I was standing in the vestibule next to a real nice Irish girl when I discovered where's my ticket? She said to this Luddite, "how about your phone?" Then here comes the DB Conductor, for whom English is not part of the job description. Really not wanting to pay twice (stiff on board surcharge over there), I show him the ticket on my phone. A grunt, a sort of smile, and he's gone! I hugged that Irish girl for saving me, and I in turn helped her understanding a transfer she was making to a Cityshuttle train West of Salzburg (three minute connection) to a friend's house West of the Hbf.

For the return, the DB agent at Salzburg spoke perfect English and printed my ticket.

Gil - if you want some beverages, the Legacy Club is $20/head and some times has beer or wine, depending on time of day and day of week. Ask at the door and they will tell you.