Along with the National Park Service and USPS, Amtrak may indeed be one of the most beloved government entities. I'm here to convince you that the Northeast Regional, the gateway to the Northeast corridor that runs from Washington, D.C. all the way up to Boston and stops in numerous tiny towns and bustling cities in between, is among the best Amtrak routesand the best way to see the East Coast.

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　　Now, you may think the Acela, Amtraks business class commuter train, is the superior way to traverse the Northeast corridor. The Acela is seen as the more desirable train, and yes,it usually is a more organized experience because seats are assigned, and its expressly designed to connect the Easts major business hubs, while the Northeast Regional is for more general travel. But Im here to tell you that the Northeast Regional not only deserves more love than it gets, but that I actually think its way better than the Acelaeven for commuting.

　　First, let me establish my qualifications for judging here: My seven years of East Coast residency have been marked by shuttling up and down the Northeast corridor multiple times a month, and since I don't have a car, the Northeast Regional has been my chariotand I wouldn't have it any other way. Ive ridden in both coach and business class, and Ive used this train for weekend trips, longer-term holidays, and last-minute business trips, so Ive seen it from all angles. I've also taken the Acela, the Carolinian, and the Vermonter many times, so I have points for comparison.

　　More travel times to choose from The Northeast Regionalscoach and business class experiences are both great to me, but we'll compare its businessclass seats to the Acela so we're on more equal footing and not comparing apples to oranges. The Northeast Regional offers more flexibility for all travelers, including commuters, because it runs all day and night. The Acela runs during peak commute times, and the Northeast Regional runs trains from early in the morning to late in the evening and early morning. The Acela gets you to New York in about 2 hours and 45 minutes flat, while the Northeast Regional does it in about 3 hours and 30 minutes. Ive actually preferred the Northeast Regional as a commuter because it always ends up being cheaper (unsurprising for a non-premium service) and has trains at earlier times. Because the Acela only runs during a limited time frame, every business traveler is stuck vying for a much more limited number of seats, which results in fuller trains and usually higher prices.

　　Better business class experience The Northeast Regionals business class is overall a more comfortable experience, despite the Acelas premium price tag and assigned seats. Northeast Regionals business class seats are just as spacious as the Acelas, and I've found that they recline further. Plus, I've never been on an Acela where the lights were dimmed in the early morning, whereas the Regional stays pleasantly dark for passengers to rest. The Northeast Regional has low, comfortable lighting and seats that recline more than the ones on the Acela, which has seating and lighting more conducive to working upright with a laptop. The Acela does have assigned seating, which is certainly helpful for some. It may simply be because my origin point is typically Washington, which is the Northeast Regionals first and last stop, but Ive never had issues finding a seatplus, seats sometimes face each other, which is a big no for me.

　　Price is typically the determining factor for me, because I generallydon't think the higher cost of the Acela is worth it unless you're traveling on the company dime.While the Acela's cars are sleeker, every train I've been on seems to show its age more than the Northeast Regional;the last several times I've ridden the Acela, the on-board experience didn't justify the high price point.TheNortheast Regional's business class ticket gets you a more comfortable experience that includes a free drink for aboutthesame price as an Acela ticket, which gets you no additional amenities unless you splurge for first class. Businessclass the Northeast Regional also includes assigned seating, which is a major draw to the Acela. Acela doesn't have coach seats and offers business and first-class seats, but the amenities are about in line with what you'd find them in the Northeast Regional's business class.Plus, I've found that the frequency of the Northeast Regional ensures I usually have a mostly empty business car, rather than a totally packed one on the Acela.

　　Your route matters I do think, however, that the Acela is more worth it than the Northeast Regional if youre taking it all the way to Boston or Providence because the time saved by not visiting every small town in between points A and B is worth it. I learned this the hard way when I spent about 9 hours total on the train coming home from Thanksgiving at a friends house in Providence, RI; the train was already delayed, and stopping in every small town between Rhode Island and D.C. stretched into a day-long jaunt that I dont care to repeat. And, the Acela is not as prone to delays as the Northeast Regional is because getting commuters to their offices on time is the chief priority. I personally don't consider speed a factor because any delay on the Acelanegates the point of the extra cost for on-time arrival, and then makes me wish I'd saved some money by taking the Northeast Regional instead.

　　Regardless of which train you decide to take, I encourage you to use the rail as your gateway to the East Coast.It's an inexpensive, low-hassle way to unlock all the East Coast has to offer.