Can I request a quiet car seat?

Yes, Amtrak has designated Quiet Cars on most Northeast Regional and Acela trains. No phone calls, no loud conversations.

  • Quiet Car location: usually first or last car (check signage)
  • Phone calls: not allowed (step to vestibule)
  • Headphones: required for any audio
  • Children: allowed but must be quiet (not recommended for toddlers)
  • Business class vs Quiet Car: different, business class has no quiet rules

Traveling soon? See our Travel Essentials page.

Want a deeper dive? ↓

Detailed Answer

How It Works

Quiet Cars are a designated section of the train where passengers agree to keep noise to a minimum. Amtrak introduced them on Northeast Corridor routes where business travelers are common. The rules are self-enforced. There are no conductors monitoring noise levels at all times. Passengers are expected to remind each other politely when rules are broken.

Not every Amtrak route has a Quiet Car. Long-distance trains like the California Zephyr or the Southwest Chief do not have them. They are most consistently found on the Northeast Regional and Acela services between Boston, New York, and Washington DC.

Outside the US, quiet zones exist on many European and Japanese trains too. They work similarly but vary by operator. Some require a specific ticket upgrade. Others are free and first-come, first-served.

What You Need to Know

  • Quiet Cars exist on Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela trains, not all routes
  • No advance reservation needed, just board the designated car
  • Quiet Car is usually car 1 or the last car, look for signage at the door
  • Phone calls must be taken in the vestibule between cars
  • Headphones are required for music, videos, or any audio
  • Conversations are allowed but must be kept to a whisper
  • Children are technically permitted but loud toddlers will cause friction with other passengers
  • Business class and Quiet Car are not the same thing, do not confuse them
  • On European trains, quiet zones are marked with a headphones-with-cross symbol
  • Japan Rail Shinkansen has designated silent carriages on most services

By Operator at a Glance

  • Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela: Quiet Car available, free, no reservation needed
  • Amtrak long-distance routes: no Quiet Car
  • Eurostar: quiet zone in Standard Premier and Business Premier carriages
  • Deutsche Bahn (Germany): quiet zones marked in select carriages on ICE trains
  • Japan Shinkansen: silent carriages available on most services
  • Greyhound and Megabus: no quiet zones, noise policies not enforced

Real Traveler Experiences

"Sat in the Quiet Car from New York to DC. One guy took a loud call. Three people stared at him within seconds. He moved to the vestibule fast."  Reddit r/Amtrak

"Tried to bring my four year old into the Quiet Car. Conductor politely asked us to move. No drama, just redirected to the next car."  TripAdvisor review

"On the ICE from Frankfurt to Berlin, the quiet zone was genuinely peaceful. Nobody spoke above a whisper the whole journey."  Travel forum

Pro Tips

  • Board early to get a window seat in the Quiet Car, they fill up fast on busy Northeast Corridor trains
  • If someone is breaking the rules, a polite and direct reminder works better than involving the conductor
  • Sit toward the middle of the Quiet Car, door ends get noise from passengers passing through
  • Download your entertainment before boarding, searching and buffering on your phone tempts you to turn sound on
  • Traveling with children? Book a regular car and save yourself the stress
  • On European trains, check your ticket carriage number before boarding, quiet zones are assigned not open

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