A few times a year, I take Amtrak trains to travel to destinations along the East Coast. I’ve found it’s an efficient way to travel between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., especially when I’m looking to avoid rush hour traffic in those cities.
I’ve traveled in coach and the quiet car — and have even paid premium prices for business-class seats. But in my opinion, the best spot on the train isn’t in any of these spots. In fact, it doesn’t even require a special ticket.
When available, I love sitting in the café car
Although not available on every Amtrak train, the café car is my favorite place to sit. The best part is that I’m able to come and go at my leisure, since the car is open to all ticketed passengers on the train.
I also think it has a number of advantages over the coach and even business-class sections. For example, the first-come, first-served table seating gives me plenty of space to comfortably set up my laptop and notebook so I can get some work done on the train. There’s also plenty of legroom, which is a nice bonus.
Each table can seat up to four passengers, but sometimes, I get lucky and have the whole space to myself.
Typically, though, I end up sharing a table with one other person, which is nice because I can ask them to keep an eye on my things while I use the restroom or stretch my legs.
Plus, this car is a nice option when I’m traveling with groups of friends, so we can comfortably chat at side-by-side tables.
The café has a pretty extensive menu
I typically enjoy a full meal at home before a train trip, but it’s nice to know that I have plenty of options when I’m riding in the café car.
Although menus may vary by route, most include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack items for purchase. I’ve seen everything from breakfast sandwiches and pastries to salads and cheeseburgers on board. There’s also a selection of soft drinks, coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages.
On a recent trip, I bought a vanilla yogurt parfait with granola and berries, and a plate of cheese and crackers.
Although there are a few minor drawbacks, I think the café car is the best seat in the house
Of course, life in the café car isn’t always perfect. For example, I’ve found that people can be more chatty in this part of the train, whether they’re engaged in conversations with tablemates or having a loud phone conversation.
As a writer who likes to get work done on the train, I mitigate this issue by wearing noise-canceling headphones.
Plus, seats are limited in this car, and I’m not always guaranteed to get a spot.
Overall, though, I’ve found the café car to be the best spot on the train and would recommend it to anyone who likes a little extra space without the price of a premium seat.
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