I've been in the Ascela First and Business. The difference seems to be $50 each way, an occasional hot towel, and an included meal.

I sit in business now. Coach on an airplane sucks, but business on an Ascela is IMHO just as comfortable (and saves $50*2).

Why do you guys spring for First?

The business to first class "accommodation charge" varies between different source/destination pairs. Between Boston and New York, I believe it is $61.

There are several answers to your question:

1. Business travel pays for it.
2. I'm using S+ upgrade vouchers.
3. For some heavily traveled days, the business class can be a mob scene.
4. Access to Club Acela, though S+ members already have access to it.
5. 750 vs 500 EQM points, plus elite bonus points. Faster to qualify for next year.
6. Last year's buy-2-get-1-free promotion had it such that one can earn a free first class travel, if all qualifying segments are in first class.

Did I miss anything?

7) Bigger seats
8) Single seats, when I'm traveling solo
9) Free Booze

My wife insisted

Biz was sold out.

It's usually cheaper than flying Continental to Newark, in coach.

And nearly always faster

This may be a lil' off topic, but are meals served on every Acela trip ...and at what time do they serve what meal?

I've traveled in 1st between PHL and WAS at lunchtime both ways and got the usual lunch fare... But was considering taking a 10am trip down and 8pm trip back and was wondering if the 1st would be breakfast and if the return would be dinner.

Not necessarily. I commute weekly between WAS and NYC. CO from EWR-DCA has been as low as $100+ roundtrip lately. That does include advance purchase, 1-2 weeks, but no Sat stay.

Yes, meals are served in first class on every Acela train no matter what the departure time. The type of meal that gets served is based upon the time that particular train leaves either DC, NYP, or Boston.

So going down to WAS from PHL at 10:00 AM, you would be on an Acela that left NY before 9:00 AM and therefore was loaded with breakfast foods. Coming back from DC at 8:00 PM you'd be in the dinner hours for Acela service and would indeed get dinner.

The general rule is from 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM a train leaving WAS, NYP, or BOS will have breakfast. Between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM, you'll find lunch, and from 4:00 PM on dinner. And the trains that do run through NY, will switch to whatever meal fits the above time table at upon depature from NY. For example a train that left Boston at 8:00 AM would serve breakfast to anyone boarding between Boston and Stamford. But that same train upon leaving NY would now be serving lunch. So if you happened to board in New Haven and were heading for WAS, you'd get both breakfast and lunch served to you, assuming that you want that much food.

I rode Acela FC this past Sunday evening, and NO WINE (neither red nor white) was boarded at NYP northbound to BOS. To make matters worse, one of the two FC attendants was quite surly about it (the other was quite apologetic). The surly attendant seemed as though she really didn't want to be there.

I called Amtrak Customer Relations to let them know about the catering shortfall, and he offered to send me a $-off coupon as an apology.