Power outlets in Amtrak coach class?

October 25, 2005 6:30 PM

Amtrak question: I'm going to be travelling from NYC to Richmond (and back) on the Palmetto line and need to know if there are any outlets in the coach class seats.
posted by parttimesaint to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

My North Eastern extension line has them, so I'd guess tha thte Palmetto line does as well.
posted by daviss at 6:35 PM on October 25, 2005

From Amtrak's web site: "In most Amtrak trains, First Class and Business Class seats and sleepers have standard 110-volt electrical power outlets available to supply power for electronic devices. Very few outlets are available, however, at Coach Class seats."
posted by mcwetboy at 6:41 PM on October 25, 2005

I have ridden that very same train on that same route, but only in business. There are outlets in business, but not in the coach seat I was in.

Amtrak's web site says "First Class and Business Class seats and sleepers have standard 110-volt electrical power outlets available to supply power for electronic devices. Very few outlets are available, however, at Coach Class seats."
posted by Lame_username at 6:42 PM on October 25, 2005

Too slow. ;)
posted by Lame_username at 6:43 PM on October 25, 2005

From my travels a couple of years ago, I think there aren't.
posted by crabintheocean at 6:57 PM on October 25, 2005

I take Amtrak coach class between NY and Boston, and there are typically two outlets for each row of seats, one under each window. Not sure if the same is true for the Palmetto line.
posted by danb at 6:58 PM on October 25, 2005

I'd say on 1/10 coach seats don't have outlets. If you can, get on the cafe car, and set up shop with a desk.
posted by filmgeek at 7:11 PM on October 25, 2005

I've taken Amtrak dozens of times on the Keystone and Northeast Corridor lines, always in coach class. Every train has had two plugs per pair of seats, as danb mentioned. I'd say that Amtrak's website statement posted by mcwetboy is just a CYA.
posted by The Michael The at 8:05 PM on October 25, 2005

To the best of my memory, every Amtrak train that I've taken on the east coast has had outlets in all of the coach seating.
All of the trains that I've been on between NYC and DC have had the outlets that you're looking for so there's no reason to think that the same train would mysteriously shed its plugs between DC and Richmond.

You'll be fine. But if you find yourself in some alternate nightmare reality in which there are no plugs in coach class, there's always an outlet in the restroom. (The handicapped-friendly restrooms -at the end of the car- are nice and roomy, too.)
posted by Jon-o at 8:46 PM on October 25, 2005

If you get on the train and there don't seem to be any outlets in coach, be sure to look around. I've never been on Amtrak, but every commuter train I've ever been on has had a few outlets per car, without fail. Look at the front / rear of the car and on the sides of each seat, along the aisle.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 3:24 AM on October 26, 2005

According to the fine folks at Flyertalk most of the NorthEast corridor trains have been retrofitted with outlets at every seat. If you happen to be in car that doesn't have them, look for rows 19 and 55.
posted by Lame_username at 3:58 AM on October 26, 2005

To add more anecdotal evidence, I took a round trip on Amtrak in North Carolina last month. The Carolinian I rode seemed to have quite a few outlets, but I couldn't find any on the Piedmont I rode on the return trip. So maybe it depends on the line.
posted by komilnefopa at 12:05 PM on October 26, 2005