When possible, I always choose to train travel over flying.
Even when the time commitment looks bigger on paper (a four-hour flight versus an eight-hour train ride), it’s often counteracted by all the annoying processes flying entails, from checking luggage to moving through security screenings.
One of my most frequent train rides is aboard Amtrak’s Pennsylvanian between my hometown in Western Pennsylvania and New York City, where I live now.
On my most recent eight-hour trip to NYC, I upgraded my seat from coach to business class. My one-way ticket cost $235, about $50 more than coach. Prices widely vary, though, I’ve seen these business-class seats cost double coach or just $30 more.
Here’s what my experience was like.
The business-class seats offer flexibility.
Business-class tickets are fully refundable with no fees for changing tickets, which isn’t the case for coach. Unlike in coach, I was also able to reserve my seat in advance.
The Pennsylvanian seats are generally pretty roomy, so I tend to keep a small bag, like a bookbag or tote, in front of me for the entire journey — even when I’m in coach.
In business class, though, I had more legroom and space to spread out in my seat. I stowed my suitcase on the luggage racks near the car doors and kept my bag with my laptop and books in the leg space in front of me.
As the train was fully booked, there was someone in the seat beside me, but with the amount of space between us, I was comfortable.
The seats themselves had footrests and tray tables that slid back and forth — helpful when you’re switching between maintaining proper typing posture and avoiding carpet crumbs while eating.
The views from the Pennsylvanian are unmatched.
I’ve taken this route at least 20 times throughout my life, and I never get tired of it.
Rumbling through the Appalachian mountains and straight through the Philadelphia skyline, each passenger is treated to stunning views of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and eventually, New York City.
I watched sawmill towns, wooden barns, rolling green fields, and bubbling creeks fly past the windows.
When we got closer to New York, there were shiny new buildings and busy public parks painting the horizon. The views alone could keep me entertained for the entire ride.
Despite packing my own food, I spent lots of time in the train’s café car.
The Pennsylvanian’s café-car menu is extensive with snacks and even hot meals, but I’m a vegetarian, which means there are fewer options for me (think veggie burgers and pizza).
So, I had packed my favorite snacks for the trip, like bananas, bell peppers, and chips. I’m extra glad I did so because we ended up experiencing some delays, which meant lots of hungry passengers and long lines for food.
Amtrak staff offered passengers in the café car free snack boxes during our ride — a kind gesture that boosted the morale of those who might’ve otherwise been annoyed.
Even though I brought my own food, I alternated between the café car’s booths next to large, open windows and my own seat throughout the trip.
Whenever the café car started filling up, I went back to my seat to give other riders a chance to enjoy the booths.
Still, I made sure to enjoy some complimentary drinks — a perk of my business-class ticket.
My business-class ticket included unlimited complimentary soft drinks, coffee, and tea on board.
I was especially impressed to see La Colombe cold brew available, which would cost coach passengers $5 a pop.
Throughout the eight-hour trip, I drank a hot coffee, two San Pellegrinos, and an iced latte I purchased before boarding the Pennsylvanian.
I also refilled my water bottle a few times using the filtered-water-filling stations throughout the train.
Dressing in layers helped me stay comfortable on the ride.
Amtrak trains can be unreliably hot and cold, depending on which car you’re in and what time of year it is.
So, I always dress for all types of weather and prepare for frequent stops in slightly chillier or warmer towns. This time, I chose to go with a crop top, zippered cardigan, and jeans.
My outfit ended up working perfectly because I was frequently zipping and unzipping my sweater as I moved around the cars and the train doors opened and closed at each stop.
Complimentary onboard WiFi and a few activities helped me pass the time.
This route has complimentary basic WiFi, but it isn’t always super reliable, especially in more remote locations.
So, if you have meetings or are working from the train, make sure you have a backup network (like a hot spot) available — or let your coworkers know that your WiFi will be spotty.
I’m currently writing a novel, so I also used about half of this trip to work on editing it. However, despite how obsessed I am with my characters, I can’t write for over eight hours straight. I was glad to have a physical book for when I needed a break.
I also made sure I had music downloaded for those middle parts of Pennsylvania where the WiFi’s a little spottier.
Between writing, reading, snacking, listening to music, and intermittently checking social media, the time passed quickly, and I was left feeling content (if a little stir-crazy!) when we finally reached Penn Station.
As much as I enjoyed my upgraded seat, I wouldn’t pay extra for it every time.
My business-class seat on the Pennsylvanian was great, but I wouldn’t pay to upgrade every time.
Coach already offers most of the same amenities as business class — a spacious seat, access to the café car, tray tables, WiFi, and outlets — but for a lower price.
However, for this trip, I think upgrading was worth it. Not only did I get the small thrill of getting to say, “I’m in business class,” but also the additional space and the quiet of the car allowed me to focus more deeply.
With the trip beginning around 9 a.m. and ending eight hours later, this train ride almost felt like a typical workday … just with extra movement and lots of scenic views.
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