Full List of Amtrak Station Lounges – Locations, Hours & More [Includes Map]

Key Takeaways

• There are 11 Amtrak lounges at major stations like New York’s Penn Station, Chicago’s Union Station, and Washington D.C.’s Union Station.
• Staffed Amtrak lounges offer comfortable seating, snacks, drinks, Wi-Fi, restrooms, ticketing assistance, and, in some locations, conference rooms and direct track access.
• Access is granted to elite status holders, passengers traveling in first-class, business class passengers on select routes, and those with a single-visit lounge pass.

Amtrak offers several lounge offerings in major stations throughout its network, each offering a quiet place to wait before boarding your train. While most lounges offer the same amenities, they’re great spaces to escape the hustle and bustle of the station itself.

Amtrak lounges certainly can’t be compared to most airline lounges (which are much nicer), but there are basic amenities that you’ll find at each one.

We’ll take a look at where each of these Amtrak lounges is located and what they offer so that you know what to expect before going inside.

What Are Amtrak Lounges?

Amtrak operates a series of station lounges throughout the U.S. Unlike most airlines that offer a fairly consistent experience and décor across each lounge, Amtrak lounges each have their own unique style and character.

The Metropolitan Lounge concept is Amtrak’s newer name for its lounges in major train stations. At the same time, the ClubAcela branding follows Amtrak’s now retired lounge option named after the Acela Express train set in the Northeast. Other lounges may have a local name inconsistent with the Amtrak lounge branding.

Regardless of whatever your lounge is named, you’ll find essentially 2 different experiences — staffed and unstaffed. Staffed lounges are manned by Amtrak employees and include additional services such as snacks, beverages, and ticketing assistance. Unstaffed lounges are bare-bones private waiting areas in larger stations where you’ll need to look after yourself.

How To Access Amtrak Lounges

There are a few ways you can access Amtrak’s network of lounges:

1. If you hold elite status in Amtrak’s Guest Rewards loyalty program and are a Select Plus (mid-tier) or Select Executive (top-tier) elite with a same-day Amtrak ticket, regardless of class of service, you can enter any one of Amtrak’s lounges on departure or arrival.
2. If you’re traveling on an Acela first class ticket or are in a sleeper car (Roomette, Bedroom, or Family Bedroom), you can access any of Amtrak’s lounges when departing or arriving.
3. If you’re on a business class ticket and departing from Los Angeles, Chicago, St. Louis, or Portland (OR), you can use the Amtrak lounges in those cities before departure or after arriving. It’s worth noting that business class passengers in the Northeast Corridor cannot access any of Amtrak’s lounges in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, or Boston.
4. If you have a complimentary single-visit lounge pass (usually issued as a perk of the Amtrak Guest Rewards^® Preferred Mastercard^®, which is no longer open to new applicants, or as part of elite status with the Amtrak Guest Rewards program), you can access any of Amtrak’s lounges systemwide. Simply present your pass to the agent in the lounge, or for unstaffed lounges, to the Amtrak ticket window agent, who will give you the code to enter.
5. If you have a private rail car or are leasing one, you have access to the lounge in your departure city, pending your reservation terms (except Los Angeles Union Station).

Hot Tip: You can purchase a day pass for Amtrak lounges starting at $35 or 1,500 points per day. While the fee may not be worth the limited amenities, you may find it worth it if you’re arriving very early for your train.

The only feasible ways to access an Amtrak lounge are by traveling Amtrak, being an elite in its Guest Rewards program, or utilizing Amtrak’s credit card benefits. Amtrak does not partner with any significant transferable rewards program, and its lounges are not part of any major lounge network.

What Is Included in Amtrak Staffed Stations?

Typically, staffed Amtrak lounges include the following amenities:

• Comfortable seating, including couches, chairs, and tables
• Complimentary light snacks, including chips, cookies, and packaged pastries
• Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages, usually including water and sodas
• Conference rooms that can be booked in advance (select lounges)
• Ticketing assistance from a staffed Amtrak agent in the lounge
• Complimentary newspapers and magazines, restocked daily
• Restrooms, but no shower facilities
• Direct access to board onto the tracks (select lounges)
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

Bottom Line: The biggest perks of a staffed Amtrak lounge include snacks, beverages, and ticketing assistance.

What Is Included in Amtrak Unstaffed Stations?

Unstaffed stations include much fewer amenities than staffed stations:

• A private seating area, usually accessible by entering a code provided by an Amtrak ticketing agent
• Minimalistic seating areas, including some couches and chairs
• A refrigerator with bottled water (select lounges)
• A private restroom (select lounges)

These lounges do not offer any ticketing assistance or substantial food and beverage.

Is It Worth Upgrading to Visit the Amtrak Lounge?

In the vast majority of cases, it is not worth upgrading your ticket to a class of service that gets you lounge access simply for the lounge access itself. While each lounge offers a quiet place to sit, the amenities are extremely limited and Amtrak lounges make even the most undesirable of airline lounges look like 5-star establishments.

That said, if your ticket includes lounge access, you may find visiting the lounge a worthwhile experience, if for nothing else than to have a quiet place to sit and relax or work before your train. Don’t arrive too early, however, as you’ll be sorely disappointed when you arrive to find a lounge experience that isn’t worth more than a few minutes of your time before the departure of your train.

Bottom Line: In most cases, it isn’t worth upgrading your ticket simply for lounge access. Save your money and wait in the general terminal.

List of All Amtrak Station Lounges

Boston, MA

Name: South Station Metropolitan Lounge
Address: 2 South Station, Boston, MA 02110
Hours: Daily from 5:45 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Staffed/Not Staffed: Staffed
Location: Upstairs between the ticket office and the information booth
Day Pass Available: $35 per day or 1,500 points
Phone Number To Reserve Conference Room: 617-757-1520
Special Amenities: There is an on-site conference room that can be reserved. Wi-Fi is available. In the front (near the Amtrak attendant) is a selection of packaged snacks, sodas, and water.

Chicago, IL

Name: Chicago Union Station Metropolitan Lounge
Address: 225 S. Canal St., Chicago, IL 60606
Hours: Daily from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Staffed/Not Staffed: Staffed
Location: Between the ticket office and the Great Hall, on the left side as you walk towards the Great Hall
Day Pass Available: $35 per day or 1,500 points
Phone Number To Reserve Conference Room: N/A
Special Amenities: This lounge offers escorted access to the train platform once your train is ready for boarding. When your train is called for boarding, you’ll line up at the entrance and an attendant will escort you down to the platform. Wi-Fi is also available.

Los Angeles, CA

Name: Los Angeles Union Station Metropolitan Lounge
Address: 800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Hours: Monday to Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m, Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Staffed/Not Staffed: Staffed
Location: Second floor, above the ticket office (look for the elevators right by the rental car counters)
Day Pass Available: $35 per day or 1,500 points
Phone Number To Reserve Conference Room: N/A
Special Amenities: This lounge features a luggage storage area where you can store your bags before your journey. If you arrive early at the station, you can keep your bags here and head into LA for a few hours before returning to the lounge and boarding your train. Wi-Fi is available. You may also board from the lounge, where you’ll walk down a ramp to an awaiting Red Cap golf cart that will drive you to the train.

New York, NY

Name: New York Penn Station Moynihan Train Hall Metropolitan Lounge
Address: 351 West 31st St., New York, NY 10001
Hours: Monday to Friday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., full-service bar open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily
Staffed/Not Staffed: Staffed
Location: Near the 8th Avenue/West 31st Street entrance; proceed up the escalator following the signage
Day Pass Available: $50 per day or 1,500 points
Phone Number To Reserve Conference Room: 212-630-7108
Special Amenities: This lounge features an open seating area overlooking the train concourse, which is especially nice for those who want to feel like they’re outside while still inside. Wi-Fi is available.

Hot Tip: This lounge now offers a full hot food and beverage service.

Philadelphia, PA

Name: Philadelphia 30th Street Station Metropolitan Lounge
Address: 2955 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104
Hours: Daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Staffed/Not Staffed: Staffed
Location: Walk down the hall behind stairway 1 behind the Amtrak ticket counters and to the left of the Amtrak checked luggage counter, then walk up the stairs (there is no elevator access into the lounge from the main hall)
Day Pass Available: $35 per day or 1,500 points
Phone Number To Reserve Conference Room: 215-349-3090
Special Amenities: This lounge features direct platform access via elevators positioned throughout the lounge. When your train is ready for boarding, an attendant will open an elevator for you that goes down to the platform below. Wi-Fi is available.

Portland, OR

Name: Portland Union Station Metropolitan Lounge
Address: 800 NW 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97209
Hours: Daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Staffed/Not Staffed: Staffed
Location: Inside the boarding area at gate 5
Day Pass Available: $35 per day or 1,500 points
Phone Number To Reserve Conference Room: N/A
Special Amenities: The lounge is located at ground level with the tracks, allowing convenient access directly from the lounge and out onto the station platforms. Wi-Fi is available.

Washington, D.C.

Name: Union Station ClubAcela (soon to be Metropolitan Lounge after renovation)
Address: 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002
Hours: Monday to Friday from 4:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Staffed/Not Staffed: Staffed
Location: Across from the Red Cap booth and checked luggage, between gates D and E
Day Pass Available: $35 per day or 1,500 points
Phone Number To Reserve Conference Room: 202-906-3012
Special Amenities: This lounge offers 2 conference rooms bookable in advance of your journey. When trains are called for boarding, you can also board directly onto the tracks via a private exit, allowing you to completely bypass the public boarding gates. Wi-Fi is available.

Final Thoughts

While Amtrak lounges are certainly better than waiting in the main train station terminal, they are a fairly no-frills experience reserved for Amtrak elites and premium class passengers. You may not want to arrive very early for your train, but if you do, you’ll know that select stations have somewhere to relax and work before your train’s departure.

Unfortunately, Amtrak’s lounge network is somewhat limited, and you’ll only find spaces in very large cities. There are many notable cities within Amtrak’s route network without lounge access, but in those cities that do have a lounge, they add to the premium experience and are included with many tickets.

Still, with the New York lounge adding alcoholic drinks to its offerings and the D.C. ClubAcela getting a much-needed refresh, having Amtrak lounge access can be an underrated perk to make your train travel more comfortable.