mikecnorthwestI recently took the Coast Starlight and slept in coach. It was not that comfortable and I didn't get much sleep, although I did get some sleep. I think most of my fellow passengers had the same experience. Now I need to take another trip on the Coast Starlight and need to decide between the roomette or coach. It's $256 round trip for coach and $636 for the roomette. What to do? Leaning towards coach as I think I can put up with a lack of sleep to save $400.
I have taken four or five long distance train trips a year on Amtrak for many years. I just came back from a trip on the California Zephyr. I had a roomette from Emeryville to Denver. If I am going to be on the train overnight, which is usually the case, I book a roomette.
Privacy is the biggest advantage of a roomette. You can close the door and dwell in your own world as the countryside passes by your window. The seats in the roomette, however, are not comfortable, and moving around in your compartment when the beds are down is tricky. Getting up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, which is frequently a necessity for us older folks, is a challenge. Moreover, the mattresses are thin, which is to say they are not very comfortable. The roomettes in the 10 and 6 cars were much more comfortable.
I find the Superliner coach seats to be more comfortable than the roomette seats. But in a coach you run the risk of being forced to sit with or near someone who you would never invite to the house. Screaming kids are my biggest concern. In addition, I like to read into the wee hours of the morning and then sleep late. In a coach, if you leave the reading light on late at night, you run the risk of disturbing the other passengers who want to grab some shut eye.
First class (roomette) is considerably more expensive in most instances than coach class as you noted. The cost spread is lessened, however, because the dinning car meals are included in your first class accommodation charge. In coach class it is necessary to add the cost of your meals to the fare, thereby reducing the cost difference between coach class and first class.
Eating in the dinning car, depending on what you choose from the menu, will cost in the neighborhood of $30 a day for three meals. And this is not picking off the top of the menu, which you can see on Amtrak's web page. If you eat in the lounge car, the cost of your meals will be approximately half of what you would pay in the dinning car.
My family always travel in the Sleeping Car on LD trains, we been riding the sleeping car 25 years plus. I always sleep like a baby in sleeping car plus all of meals include. We love the privacy the sleeping car gives people. I am travel on Capitol Limited from Cov, Pa to Chicago and then on Southwest Chief to Kingman, AZ then to Las Vegas, NV all in sleeping car. leave June 7.
Although you start with a complaint about the comfort in Coach, it sounds like you've already made up your mind to save the money and forego a couple good nights' sleep. My wife and I have travelled several times by Amtak on their long distance trains. The first trip was broken up so we could compare the different accomodations. With the Roomette, you'll get some privacy, you'll be able to lay down to sleep, and your meals in the Diner are included. With the two of us, we currently opt for the Bedroom. If you had someone travelling with you, the extra charge for sharing the Roomette (or Bedroom) would only be charged to one of you, the other pays standard Coach fare.
The thing about upgrading to a sleeper on the Coast Starlight is that in addition to a private room (and all meals are included), you also get access to the Pacific Parlor car.
So it is almost a no brainer to spend the extra money on the Starlight.
If this was another long distance train, well then the extra price may not be worth it to you.
If you need more info on the Pacific Parlor car, check out this link:
Pacific Parlor
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website
ndbprr At the risk of being a heretic why not fly and save money over both methods?
Good point! If getting there quickly and cheaply is the objective, especially for one person, flying is the best bet in most instances. However, if I want to see the countryside, which is most often my primary motive for taking the train, it is a good option. It allows me to avoid the hassles of driving.
Long distance trains don't make much sense. They are used by less than one per cent of Americans for intercity travel. As I have noted in previous posts, I believe they should be discontinued, but as long as Amtrak runs them, I'll ride them under certain conditions. And I will book a roomette for overnight travel. Trains make sense in relatively short, high density corridors where the cost to expand the airways and highways is prohibitive.
Last week I drove from my home in Georgetown, Texas to Dallas. I-35 is a mess. If we had quick, frequent rail service from Georgetown or Round Rock to DFW, I would have been happy to take a train. We will some day, I am convinced, but it is a long way off.
Very sensible approach. I would do the same.
I will be travelling roomettes Empire Bldr CHI to Seattle leaving CHIi on Sept 26....Coast Star SEA to Sacramento Leaving SEA on Sept 28....Zephy Emeryville to CHI leaving Emeryville on Oct 6 with coach the rest of the trip Detroit to Detroit. Cost is $1,200 which I booked in January. If I booked the same trip in September it would have cost me over $3,000. My wife and I always took a cruise along with an Amtrak trip and always with a roomette. On one trip, booked late and even checking daily at 4am (when the computer of cancellations were purged) was unable to upgrade. Will never go coach again. Noisy babies, Talkative psgrs, Noise of psgrs getting on and off enroute (Philadelphia-Ft.Lauderdale) Cost of meals. Lack of sleep etc. One problem I have with roomettes is that the person/s in room opposite often keeps their door and blinds shut, so you can only see one view of the country. Unfortunately my wife passed away just before Christmas, so I will be now be travelling solo.
I have been traveling in sleepers since 1968 and don't regret a single penny it has cost. In late October I will be flying from Jacksonville to San Francisco to participate in an eleven day stay in China as part of The People to People Citizen Ambassador program. When I return to San Francisco, I will spend the night, then the California Zephyr to Chicago, overnight in Chicago, then the Capitol Limited overnight to Washington and the Silver Meteor overnight to Jacksoville. I figure this will help me to get over some of the jet lag.
Mel Hazen; Jax, FL Ride Amtrak. It's the only way to fly!!!
In May 1971 myself, wife and son (then 4 years old) took AMTRAK from Yakima, Wash. to Chicago on the former NP/GN route. We chose coach to save money to. On our 2nd night we were asked to wake up and move to a different coach because the one we were in was not continuing to Chicago. We chose to get a roomette on the return trip and it was worth the extra money. It's great when traveling with kids (naps, etc.) and for the extra privacy as already stated. That was our last overnight trip by train. If we ever do it again we'll get a roomette. I don't know about today, but the service staff and food back then was excellent.
The Viewliner sleepers are nicer for several reasons. One is that the ceilings are higher. That does make a difference. Another is that all rooms have lavatory & toilet. The wheelchair-accessible rooms in the Viewliners are many times better, owing to large enclosed bathroom, wider beds, a ladder to reach the upper berth, plenty of windows, etc.
In my experience, roomette is definitely worth the extra cost. Factor in the meals, and ability to utilize first class lounge if changing trains in Chicago, and I feel it's worth the money.
My wife and I discussed planning a trip by Amtrak around the US sometime in the near future. We may first do an eastern circle from DC to Chicago to New Orleans to Atlanta and back up to DC. Another trip would add the West coast loop. We talked about riding coach vs. roomette and at our age the roomette would win out. This will be a big dream for me since I missed out on the "Golden Years" of passenger service and will take Amtrak for the best it can do. Of course the premier way if you were rich would do a private railcar, but who has that kind of money?
Jim
Mike, it sounds as if you've never given yourself the First Class experience. If money is not the issue, please choose the roomette. I guarantee, you'll never look back.
Comments previously made about the discomforts by traveling in Coach are all valid, though one does thereby get to meet new and occasionally interesting people (usually those traveling alone without distractions). If one is uncomfortable with the people, noise, lights, distractions, etc. in Coach, there is no place to escape at night, though many Coach passengers often leave their assigned seats and flake out in the Observation Car. During the day, the Observation Car is a good place to quietly read or chat with folks that you yourself can select, rather than those assigned near your Coach seat.
Roomettes are not appealing either, because (as also stated earlier) one is really boxed in, especially with the bed made up. I have seen folks having to put their shoes (or more) on in the aisle since there is no inside room to do otherwise. Inconvenience of having to grope down the car to the head facility is awkward, requiring proper attire (footwear mandatory), plus lugging all of one's toiletries (shaving, etc.). Plus, as was said, one cannot see but out one side of the train, and your "neighbor" across the aisle may constantly observe you unless you entirely close up your doorway, making the Roomette even more claustrophobic.
If one is not "faint of heart" financially, I definitely suggest a Bedroom. It is well worth the admittedly considerable-extra money, what with one's own private head including shower, sink (w/mirror, plugs, and light), many towels, large couch becoming a "double-bed," considerable storage, and available overhead bunk. There can also be special attention by the Car Attendant (newspaper delivery, beverages, pastries, in-room meal service upon request, wake-up calls, etc.), all worthy of tipping, of course. Dining car meal service (free) is rather good, though on multi-day routes, one can get tired of the same entrees. Fortunately, the Coast Starlight has its Parlour Car, with a different menu.
With the Bedroom, one can open the door and push aside the inside curtain, and thus see out both sides of the car, with minimal loss of privacy since Coach passengers do not come up to the sleeping cars and there are no reasons for multitudes to pass-through. In fact, one can often stand or kneel in the aisle to watch out the opposite side of the train at special scenery for a while.
One must understand fully that there are five rates for Sleeping Car accommodations, depending upon when reservations are made and when Amtrak marketing opens up the cheaper rates (for the very same accommodation). With advance planning or last minute availability, through repeated telephoning into Amtrak Reservations, or even occasional on-board upgrading, the expense can be reduced.
To travelingengineer and vermonter
I want to be the first to welcome you two folks to this forum and to vermonter I agree with you about using the first class lounges when going first class You would be surprised that so many people I have travelled with going first class in bedrooms or roomettes are unaware of these lounges where you can read the papers, get light refreshments, relax in easy chairs use the clean washrooms and take a stroll thru the station all in a relaxed atmosphere
I totally agree with you re: Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounges (unfortunately at only a few selected passenger stations nationally so far). They are a "calm in the storm" amidst the cacophany of noise, et al. of a typical big-city station. I have only been in the Chicago lounge so far, though will be in the Washington DC one in the near future. I wish they were open 24/7, so that one needn't go to a hotel for just a few hours of sleep before boarding a morning train for a subsequent leg; but, these rooms must be cleaned sometime, for them to be so nice.
For those unaware, these Amtrak Metropolitan Lounges are available ONLY for Sleeping Car passengers, and are usually located discretely off the beaten path in a station complex.
On other nicety is that one can check baggage right in the lounge.
It was last November My wife and I had just 2 weeks to see America! Amtrak and our feet took us everywhere. I must have been lucky as regards accommodation aboard trains. We travelled coach New York to Washington DC (daytime). DC to Chicago we used a roomette (one night) Chicago to Emeryville (two nights) we used a bedroom. The availability of the Sleeper's lounge at Washington and Chicago was a real suprise to us. Seems these facilities are not at all well known even by local railfans. Did we get to enjoy the only two in the country? Our final days in USA when we trained it Emeryville towards LosAngeles, changing to a bus for a few hours then returning to SanFrancisco by aerocattle car convinced us that our use of Amtrak's trains was really the best way to see the country.
The only time I've taken coach on Amtrak is from St. Louis to Chicago or Kansas City, short trips.
My parents and I always traveled by coach on Dad's pass, but I was a lot younger then and people were more polite. Dad always took the solo seat, letting Mom and I sit together, that way he could put up with an obnoxious passenger if necessary. It never happened, but the coaches were noisy at night with people always roaming around, especially the men heading back to the smokers' lounge in the toilet area. The conductor would come through calling stops which would wake us up if we did fall asleep. Being on a pass, we were always on trains that made lots of stops. We could never comfortably stretch out, except on Union Pacific City of St. Louis which had pull out drawers from under the seat that hooked onto the footrest and made the seat more like a bed.
On my long-distance trips on Empire Builder, Coast Starlight and Southwest Chief, I took the bedroom with private toilet facilities. But that has become more expensive and I don't have as much money to spend these days, so I'm sure I'll try a roomette on my next overnight trip. I'd rather share toilet facilities with only a few people on the sleeper coach than a larger group in the regular coach. In the old days, the toilets never stopped up, because the waste went right out on the tracks. And by traveling first class, you can use the waiting rooms and get free meals too. It would all depend on the length of the trip. If I would be doing another trip that involved two nights on the train, I'd want a bedroom again with my own facilities.
In late February, I took Amtrak from Winter Park, FL to Columbia, SC, getting off before 5:00 a.m. The coach travel proved wonderful. My seat mate was an older woman with relatives across the aisle. She was nice but I wanted to work on my computer so I did spend part of the evening at a cafe car table. Our coach was full but quiet, the lights low at night, and I slept solidly and comfortably with the reclining seat and leg & foot rests. The conductor came to my seat and quietly awoke me as we approached Columbia. It all went much better than I thought it might. I'd definitely do it again. As to St. Louis to Chicago or Kansas City, we always take business class because it is so comfortable and you get a free newespaper and beverage.
mikecnorthwestI recently took the Coast Starlight and slept in coach. It was not that comfortable and I didn't get much sleep, although I did get some sleep. I think most of my fellow passengers had the same experience..
I really enjoy riding Amtrak because I love the experience of meeting other travelers and seeing the country like you cannot from 35000 feet in the air. True, trying to sleep on a coach is not very comfortable, especially if the car has not been refurbished recently. If my overnight trip is only for one night and I am going home, or know I have a nice bed waiting for me, I will take the coach. If the trip is two or more nights, a sleeper is definitely the way to go. It could double the cost of the trip but arriving more or less rested is very much worth it. I am currently planning a trip from Denver to Washington DC on the California Zephyr and Capitol Limited and have booked a sleeper for the two nights both ways. It is worth the money to have someplace to go when you want to go to sleep. Three or four years ago I took a two week trip around the western U.S. and spent five nights on the train. I spent at least 24 hours on the ground at each connection city so I had a hotel to sleep in when not on the train. It was the best trip I have ever taken--except for the fact I left Montana in 80 degree temps and came back to snow and rain. It was then I realized I had forgotten to take a coat!
My wife and I ALWAYS get a bedroom and enjoy it a great deal. We ride the Starlight and just love the parlor car. We also ride the Eagle and feel it's worth the money. My wife prefers the fact that she has a bathroom to use in the room. I find the best thing is being able to close the door and you control your own environment. Having walked through coach I know I have made the right decision!
Excellent, "Avianwatcher" (and wife). The Coast Starlight Parlour Car is certainly a sleeping car amenity: 1) different, albeit limited, menu than that in the Dining Car for variety, and 2) rather table-side personal service by car attendant, who is usually quite personable. As I am sure you know, in addition to the meal service thereon, there is the lounge area of that same car, which is a tad more comforable, private, and "exclusive" than what is found in the general observation and cafe cars.
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