First time poster here, so please be gentle if I make a forum etiquette mistake!
Whilst visiting NYC in late April from the U.K., I’ve booked myself and my mother on Acela Express round trips to go to DC and Boston on separate days (will be returning the same day- they’ll be long days, but worth it). One leaving at 6am on a Monday, the other at 6.15am on a Wednesday from Penn.
This will be both my first time using Penn station AND my first time using Amtrak/Any US train service for that matter. As my mother is in her sixties and prone to anxiety in new situations/crowded places, I want to make sure I have a plan of attack and know what I need to do and when.
So here’s my worries/questions:
PENN STATION.
1. We’re booked in First Class, so have access to the club Acela lounge: When the train is announced/updated on the board, how long do you usually have to make your way to the platform? Roughly how far of a walk are the platforms that the Acela Express usually arrives at from the lounge? My mother struggles with walking at speed, so I am worried that we’re going to be pushing it with fighting the crowds and also worried about going the wrong way, etc. Is it clearly sign posted?
2. I’ve read about using a red cap to help you board early for those with luggage/unassigned seats. We thankfully will just have back packs and have chosen our seats, but are they still available to use from Club Acela to just make sure we get to right place at the right time? Or at they just available in the main concourse?
3. We’re on very early morning departures, but I’m still expecting it to be busy because it’s NYC and prime commuting time when we’re going. How long before departure would you recommend being in the lounge? Our hotel is 10 mins walk from Penn (I’ll give it 20 though based on my mother’s snail pace), so we’ll be entering the main concourse from street level. Is Club Acela clearly marked?
DC and BOSTON SOUTH.
1. Similar to the above, but we’ll be heading back to NYC at prime time: around 5pm on a weekday. How long should we give it before departure for both? Boston South seems compact, but DC seems huge so wonder how long it takes to navigate?
2. On the map I’m looking at for DC Union, Club Acela isn’t shown; can anyone tell me where it is, so I can get my route through the station planned?
If anyone has any general advice, I will happily take it. Whilst I would be willing to run from lounge to platform if I had to, that’s just not going to happen with my mother in tow. So any help very much appreciated.
Thank you in advance to all those that help or just take the time to read!