Changes to Metropolitan Lounge Access T&C
 

I don't think I've seen it posted here, but other forums have been discussing changes to the access policies for Amtrak lounges. The major changes appear to be:

• Access in now only permitted 3 hours prior to the schedule departure time, except for First Class and AGR Select Executive/Plus passengers connecting between two trains on the same itinerary, and guests whose trains are delayed.
• Single Visit Passes are now for the individual plus one child under 12. (I'm pretty sure these passes used to be valid for holder+guest, though I never actually tried to use them that way.)

So the terms and conditions for the lounges at the Amtrak link you provided seem unchanged to me.

I still have an unexpired lounge pass from my AGR Mastercard and hoping to using it at NYP upon arrival on the Maple Leaf. Does it mean I can't gain access now?

Status members can still get in on arrival of a train with no connection, which I did in the DC lounge a couple of days ago as a Select Exec member. I don't know if there's a time limit on that, I stayed about a half hour.

The wording is somewhat confusing, you can read it for yourself at the bottom here: https://www.amtrak.com/station-lounges

It is indeed...it only states "Amtrak Guest Rewards Station Lounge Pass" but without mentioning whether only on departure or arrival.

I used one yesterday from my AGR Mastercard and I have no status.

I went to the Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago, the agent scanned my actual Amtrak ticket, not the lounge pass, and said the lounge pass was already linked.

The lounge pass shows valid for a sigle entry at one club, and I was within 3 hours, but I don't think it specifically mentions the 3 hour rule. The new rule could be up to the agent's discretion when using passes.

I 've cruised out of New Orleans, LA for a few years, always get off the ship around 8:00 AM-10:00 AM and camp out before catching the City of New Orleans back to Chicago. The lounge isn't much, but it is nice to have a quieter place to relax or work, separate from the general waiting area.

It would be awkward for me if they told me at 8:00 that I had to wait until 1:00 PM before going in, but I am just one person, and not a group, and might camp out in Subway (within the station) for a few hours if I was forced to.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...604128cd1c.png

The unstaffed private waiting rooms that exist in New Orleans and a couple other stations are not considered Metropolitan Lounges, so they don't necessarily follow the Metropolitan Lounge access guidelines.

Thanks. I suppose that also means they may not have to accept lounge passes for passengers traveling in coach.

Should have checked this forum before traveling today.

When I did HOM-CHI in May I was able to access the Metropolitan Lounge all day for paid, which worked out well since I was meeting FTers for lunch (the sole purpose of both trips), so could access the lounge before lunch for a couple of hours and after for similar. Amtrak gets in at 9:15am and departs 6.30pm.

So figured I'd do the same today. Get to Metropolitan Lounge and told no ML access until 3 hours before departure, but I have access to the 'business lounge', which is basically the accessible lounge where folk who need help wait before trains.

Other than chairs like in a waiting area similar to airports and a few tables, literally nothing in the biz lounge. It looks like an airline boarding area/Greyhound stop. Although they do scan your boarding pass to make sure you're in biz class.

Public bathrooms outside the lounge, but right outside so don't have to walk anywhere.

So after going from the train to the ML, had to turn around from the ML & go back to the train area for the biz lounge. And because it's on ground level next to trains can't access internet (no signal, which the biz lounge attendant acknowledged), which is the main reason I want lounge access. Grrr.

I've got 2 hours before the lunch so guess I'll look for food court or Starbucks or somewhere that might have inet. Giving up on the biz lounge.

Back from lunch and was hoping to access lounge 45 minutes before the 3 hour time. The biz lounge gal in the morning told me to ask/the worst they could say was no.

2 trains just left (Empire Builder & Hiawatha) and lounge is empty. Desk said No. Have to wait 45 minutes. :rolleyes: I would understand if the lounge was busy but it's not.

They said Amtrak is tracking. Well the one guy (he wasn't normally at the desk) said that. I saw him stocking the pretzels etc later.

The main person at desk wasn't at the desk when I walked in; just the pretzel guy. She came back a minute later. He told her I couldn't access lounge for a bit.

I had to basically beg to at least use the bathroom before leaving. I was unhappy about the almost having to beg to use the bathroom. I wasn't some rif-raf, and they knew I would have access to the lounge in 45 minutes.

So at the 3 hour mark, finally allowed into CHI Metropolitan Lounge. I noticed while they were checking me in/swiping my CC, that there was a sign saying single use passes are NOT allowed to use the baggage storage room. You can do so - but you have to pay an additional fee on top of the $35.

If it wasn't that I'm having problems with my laptop - ie, right now it's only working if it's plugged into an outlet (grrr), I wouldn't have bothered coming in. I can access the wifi signal from outside the club for free, but need the laptop for some work. Had access to power in the 'biz lounge' (aka, the accessible boarding area), but no wifi there because lower level & too close to trains.

On a different note - I downloaded the app yesterday & realized I have a $75 voucher from when I did the Zephyr out west last year. Wish I had known/remembered that when I booked this trip. It's still valid for a few months so will use it on a future trip.

Cheers.

Will be arriving NYP from BWI with my spouse on a coach ticket next week and wonder if we could gain access using the AGR lounge pass.

Just to be sure, you could always book a refundable ticket on an outbound same-day train and have it on hand in case they ask. Then you can refund the ticket once inside the lounge.

IME, the lounge agents only sometimes ask which outbound train you're on -- mostly to make sure that they announce that train's imminent departure. I can't recall anyone asking to scan the outbound boarding pass.

Last-minute tickets from NYP to NRO, NWK, EWR, YNY, etc. are often ~$15. (I know there are people on this board who will book refundable airline tickets for $00s and deal with TSA just to get into an airport, so...)