I absolutely agree! But I usually can’t get a lesser expensive one so go for the roomette. I’m always alone now, but when my young/teen son came with me, we got the bedrooms. I go on the AutoTrain. Even when I was fat, I found the bedroom’s bathroom to be more comfortable.
Bedrooms are way more comfortable to sleep in because the bunks are perpendicular to the tracks. When the train sways it’s pushing you along the bed. In the roomette the bunks go parallel to the tracks, so every time the train sways it tries to roll you out of bed. I slept great in the bedroom, couldn’t sleep for the entire trip in the roomette.
I have only done the bedroom. I use the bathroom in the night too. Sometimes more than once. And I have to be careful on stairs. If I have to get up, get dressed, put on shoes, navigate down stairs just to use the bathroom I'd not be having a fun trip.
I always get the bedroom as I prefer my own bathroom. My wife used to go with me, but got tired of the hard beds and constant motion. I am not so fussy. Roomettes are too small for two people and even larger people like me. I have never seen a toilet in a roomette. Yes, the bedroom bathroom is tiny, but there are tricks for getting around the negatives which, due to the delicacy of comment, will not be discussed here. When showering, put a towel on the floor right outside to catch the leakage through the door. Also, take the toilet paper out of the dispenser to keep from getting it wet. I always take my shower at about 4 pm. Many folks take showers in the morning so, if you use the public showers, use them before dinner. This precludes waiting in line. I have a whole list of suggestions for riding Amtrak in a room (either one) which I give to my friends who want to try Amtrak. Happy landings!
Thank you...I use the same helpful hints to enjoy roomettes and even Business Class, depending upon reason for trip. I do enjoy the dining car and excellent meals, so that is a consideration also. In all these years, I have never had a problem sleeping on a train.
I always book a roomette because I travel alone. It's perfect for one person. The toilet in the roomette is a bit awkward, but again, I travel alone and I'm a small person so it's not a problem for me. The new cars do not have a toilet in the roomette or the upgrade room. They only have toilets in the handicapped room. It used to be enclosed, but now is right out in the room. If there are two people traveling together, one person has to wait out in the corridor if you want some privacy. Glad my traveling days are over.
My son and I took the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco and I booked a bedroom. We used the bathroom in the room most of the time but if there was solid waste involved 😊, we would use the community toilet. I did shower one day in tiny wet bath and it was a real challenge. I am six-feet tall and weigh 235. If you drop the soap, there is no space to bend over and pick it up. We did not have any water incursion into the room, but I would just use the community showers from now on. I love the idea of two roomettes! That would have made the trip go from good to great! We stood turns in the seat that faced backwards (which for us was the small jump seat). My wife can't sit still for more than an hour, so she has no interest being on a train for days at a time. For my son and I, it was a great chance to catch up (he is in graduate school, has a son, works part-time and lives 1500 miles away). We played some games, talked about life, marriage, etc. and just really enjoyed our time together. We want to do it again and when that happens, we will for sure be booking two roomettes!
My husband and I have experienced the bedroom on three trips. We loved every minute of it. I highly recommend the bedroom over two roomettes. To each his own!
Another reviewer said on some bedroooms, a bunk lays out at a 90 degree angle from the motion of the train, so that constant train jostting side to side affrects one's sleep. Whereas, in the roomettes, the beds lay out in the direction of train travel, so the rocking of the train gives a forward and back motion instead, which is better for sleeping.
We are on the California Zephyr right now. We took your advice on getting 2 roomettes across the hall from each other instead of a bedroom and we are very glad we did. It was so beautiful going through the Sierra Nevadas today and not missing anything because we had views on both sides. Also, just having your own little paradise is so relaxing. Thanks, you guys! I’ve told all our meal partners about your TH-cam channel.
I love the bedrooms . I get a bedroom even if I traveling alone. My husband and I have slept on the lower bed together. I have slept in the upper bed also because he is 6’2”. The bathroom may be small but I’m not sharing with people I don’t know. Thanks for sharing.
If you are old and take medication that makes ya run. You don't want a bathroom down the hall! Or a room for two with NO baggage service at your station. And have to take your luggage with ya! Amtrak in the Anderson-Trump years cut all the baggage services across the country! Shut down of most routes was next, then Biden got in.
Yes, sharing bathrooms with strangers is awful. On a flight, I walked into a bathroom and got out immediately got out. I’m sure I smelled like 💩as I walked past other passengers. 😅
This is the perspective I've been looking for, (traveling alone). I want to do the L.A. to Seattle and I'm debating roomette or bedroom. Bedroom is more than double the price but it's a 36 hr ride and want to be comfortable.
I'm in my 70's & I grew up on trains. My father was a Jr Exec for the Pullman co & we traveled for free, so we travelled a lot. My father was the person the workers on the train didn't want to see if they weren't doing their job. as he was an inspector. I love trains. When we travelled as a family we always had a bedroom or what was called a drawing room. Needless to say, back then, there were no bathrooms in any room. The bedrooms had a toilet & sink & so did roomettes, but in a roomette, you had to put the bed up to use the toilet or sink which had a lid on it that doubled as a seat. I don't know if the beds were bigger but my parents always slept in a lower berth. There was only one bed in a roomette, they were made for single people. I so enjoy watching your videos. I have ridden on several trains & the ride is much more smoothe than it was before Amtrak!
I think the room names were different some years ago. Amtrak announced that the single bed with a toilet was being discontinued some years ago, but I never knew what replaced it. I'm not familiar with current rooms and their official names now. I did travel with my parents in one room, but I saw older people in other cars with much fancier rooms. I think they had white curtains and were first class rooms. Later, as an adult, I used to get the single beds that were in a super small room, with a toilet. That's all that was in there and very tight. Those are the ones Amtrak discontinued. I think the roomettes replaced them.
@@BrandonLeeBrown I have not been on an overnight train trip since 1969 & the sleeping cars were still Pullman. They did have roomettes back in the day but had a Murphy style bed & the toilet that had the cover on it & the sink pulled down from the wall. When the sink was put back up, the water drained & anything on it went down the drain People lost many things down the drains. Many times the items were retrieved. We always stayed in a double bedroom because there were 4 of us, but mom & dad slept in a lower berth. There were 4 beds.Sometimes it was 2 rooms with the dividing wall open. The drawing room was actually 2 separate rooms, with one being more like a living room & the other room having 4 beds. Needless, to say, we always had first class accommodations & very upscale meals where we even had finger bowls after the meal. I have no idea what other bedrooms were like & just assumed all were the same. The destination of a train also gave different eating choices so I assume there were different rooms. A couple of times I remember eating in a dome car which was so exciting. In all of my years of travel, I never saw a waiter drop anything even if there was a sudden stop. My father could have worked for Amtrak, but already had other employment before they spoke to him, so he recommended a coworker who accepted the job.
This sound fantastic compared to my first rail trip west. Back in the early 1970s I went with a friend from St. Paul to Seattle. For the first leg, we were on wooden floors, but the view on both sides and of the stars right above us were amazing. It was hard to sleep since the flatcar was empty and had a rudimentary suspension. As soon as you fell asleep the hard wooden floors would bounce up and meet your face, waking you up. By the next night we were so god awful tired that we had to sleep. There were bathrooms was either side off the flat car, but you had to make sure that the wind does not blow it back on you or your riding partner. The train would stop in various locales, like Minot ND, sometimes to break up the train. This would give you a chance to get some food and drink. I remember more of the drink than the food. The best accomodation we had was in an autorack railcar, with 3 levels of new little trucks, bound for the west coast. It was easy to flip the vent window and unlock the door. The seats were comfortable and the views of the rockies was great through the windshield. The Burlington Northern yard cops were tolerant, but told us to not ride inside the vehicles. The travelers we met were interesting and informative. Havre, Montana was a wild place. We went in a bar for some needed refreshment. But just after we got comfortable, a respectable-looking couple walked in and started yelling something unintelligible at the bartender. The woman in the couple then threw a billiard ball at high speed at the barkeep. He ducked and it shattered the mirror behind him. That was our cue to leave. We found an old school bus with comfy seats and called it a night. There were assorted other fellow travelers on and around the rails. Minot Louis would pour vodka into a plastic Coke bottle "to kill the disgusting taste of the Coke." Another old timer offered a drink out of his water jug, but since the water looked suspicious, I went thirsty. The thought was nice, though. And then a really old former railroad worker in Wenatchee, WA said that things were never the same after diresel replaced steam. That's some real wisdom. Speaking of which, a long tunnel through the Cascades almost asphyxiated us from the diesel exhaust. But I heard that they put bigger fans in there. More than 50 years later, I'm still in Seattle but still yearn for the road. I liked taking that highline route, most of which the Amtrak Empire builder follows these days. So I took my daughter from Seattle to Milwaukee on the Amtrak route, and every minute in our roomette seemed like phenomenally incredible luxury. I was perfectly fine in the top bunk. But there were no stars overhead.
Great stories! When I was a teenager many years ago I would stand or sit by the tracks and seriously think about hopping on a train and going wherever. Today I'm glad I didn't but still think about the rush I might have felt if I did. Are you familiar with Abby the Spoon Lady? She has a channel here and is famous for her spoon playing. Anyway she used to hop trains and tells about it, including boxcar wind whizzin' in a few of her older videos. Check her out.
I love the bedroom. Being a senior, I'm not going to go out of my room at night to a bathroom. My husband and I both love the bedroom. We both can fit in the lower bunk. We are train people and love TRAINS AND AMTRAK!!!!!... and on to the Cheery Blossom festival this springvia the TRAIN!!!!
Great video. I see your point for couples or families traveling by train- using two roomettes could be a better option. I am a solo traveler and I love traveling by train. I always choose the bedroom over the roomette as I get a bit claustrophobic in the roomette. Also, I am an introvert and get uncomfortable having to constantly table share with strangers and make small talk at meals so I tend to take my meals in my room too. I have showered without any problems using the in-room bathroom however, I am only 5'3. And on smother portions of the track, with the extra bit of room, I can get a bit of a workout in the cases of inclement weather during the station breaks.
I travel alone, and simply have the conductor person bring my meals to my roomette, as I can't manage the stairs due to arthritis. It's way more pleasant traveling alone. When booking the trip, I always make sure to get a downstairs roomette with an exposure which is appropriate for the season and direction I'm traveling; north side of train for summer, south for winter. .
The bedroom suite is a good option. The bottom bed in a bedroom is much bigger than the top bed. The bedroom suite is more expensive, but it allows both spouses to sleep in a large comfortable bed. The bathroom in the bedroom works for us, and the water from a shower drains quickly. I used to go for roomettes when I was younger and saving money. Now that I'm retired, the increased cost for a bedroom suite is not a problem.
My very first trip from Chicago to Seattle I booked a roomette. When I got on the train I was put in the ADA room! you want to talk about a spacious toilet area! And yes its lower level, but a window on both sides.....It was pretty awesome!
I have traveled often in the ADA roomette as I am disabled. They are at the end of a car and are from one side of the train to the other. The seats that make the bunk beds are on one side and the other side has a sink and a toilet. Plenty of space in the middle for a wheelchair or a scooter. I always get the steward to make my bed as soon as I get on. My legs swell and I have to keep them up. I travel alone and Amtrak is great about helping you with getting on and off. When you book ahead they will add the needed car with has the ADA roomette in it. So book sort of early and there is no problems. I have lost a lot of weight but at one point when I was 350 pounds I still found the bed big enough for me. Personally the sway of the train puts me to sleep, so I never have problems sleeping. Also with the ADA the steward with bring you your meal as the dining car is usually up steps. Also there is a discount for people with a disability. Enjoy your trip, I love the train! @@kellykat8057
I got that room too because they had accidentally double booked my roomette. I had to have lower level because of physical issues, and they had moved me upstairs so gave me ADA room to compensate. It was great.
I like the two roomettes idea. I’m elderly and travel with a friend and neither one of us need to be climbing on a ladder in the night to use the toilet. We both use CPAP so extra room is good. Can always sit facing forward. Always have view of scenery without standing in the hall. We camp a lot so community showers don’t bother us. Thanks for this tip.
I did this on the coast starlight. I tried to book a family room because I had my husband and three kids (at the time) with me. One of my children was 7 or 8, the next was 2 and the youngest was about 6 months old. They had ran out of family rooms for that trip. We were on the Coast Starlight. We went out of San Jose and were going into Vancouver B.C. Canada. So the person on the phone suggested 2 roommates. We did that. I wouldn’t have wanted a bathroom in the room. And the roomettes were perfect. My sister traveled on the same train with her four kids and her husband but they went coach. It was a huge difference. My son had the run of the train and he would take his cousins with him and run back and forth from coach to the car we were in. The staff made the tables into beds at night. We had access to the little area with snacks and the food was included. We had the option of having dining in our roomettes or they would make us reservations in the dining car. They also had a cheese and wine tasting. My kids watched polar express for the first time right before leaving on the train. It was Christmas time and the train ran behind almost a day because of a snow storm. I didn’t mind because it was almost magical being on the train and watching the cascades with all the snow out the windows. We loved having windows on both sides of the train. I saw this title for the video and thought you meant getting any room was not good and thought you were mad. But I realized what you meant the second you said roomette. I kind of did get to use the family room though because there was no one in the family room most of the trip. We realized there was no one in that room despite it being booked when we called. I’m kinda glad we didn’t though because the 2 roomettes across from each other was better. And yes I showered in the public restroom. It was fine except when a rather large older woman didn’t lock the door and my husband accidentally opened the door in the middle of the night when he went to use the restroom. He was really embarrassed. Lol 😂 I highly recommend doing it that way. I drive for Uber in my spare time and I always recommend people to take the train. I think too many people just forget that they can travel that way and that planes are not the only form of travel. It really was magical.
@@iknowheisProbably because a fat older woman is less agile to cover herself completely. It is also more embarrassing to a young man to encounter an older woman because he feels he has really invaded her privacy. You have less room to move around and what you are exposing is larger sized and easier to see. Come on be realistic.
Maybe it was your son on the train I took. It was very annoying having kids run from 1 car to the other. Doors between cars slamming shut. I was in coach and was trying to get some rest but this just kept happening.
@@PhxDesertGal And really part of the joy of a train for me is being around people of all ages. Those children are our future and will be here a hundred years from now when we are hopefully in heaven but dust here on Earth. Maybe just still your anger next trip and try to enjoy more.
As a solo traveler who has always booked roomettes, I find myself seriously considering a bedroom for future trips. The extra room would be very nice to have, particularly when trying to get dressed in the morning!
I booked them on a few short trips last winter using the “bid up” feature and it was really nice being able to stretch out and having a nearby private restroom since I’m pretty much always sipping on a bottle of water or some sort of beverage. Imo, they aren’t really worth paying full price for, especially when traveling solo, but depending on your budget, priorities, mobility level, etc. I could see it being worth the hefty price tag for certain specific types of travelers.
@@arlenestanton9955 it’s where you can buy a coach or even roomette fare and they will sometimes offer to let you submit a bid for better accommodation. If your bid is accepted they will notify you a couple days before departure. It was an option on both legs of both of the two round trips I took on the California Zephyr last month, but I’m guessing it’s subject to the route you plan to travel and private room availability.
@@youdontknowme2915 For one person a roomette is sufficiently large enough. For two a roomette is a tight squeeze. As for the standard bedroom, I find the ensuite bathroom too small, it's just a waste of space, and that tiny chair isn't as comfortable as the nice seats in the roomette. After several trips I have never seen the public restrooms in a sleeper car filthy although I do use baby wipes on the toilet seat. In a coach car well that is a different story...
Very cool to discover your whole range of configuration options, and to see y'all's delight in having conquered and solved problems from your prior bedroom bookings. Y'all seem like a happy couple who enjoy adventures.
I respectfully disagree. We took the Texas Eagle from IL to LA. We really enjoyed our time in the bedroom. I am 6'2" and 215 lbs. I had no issues with the bathroom or shower. I have no desire to get dressed and walk to the public bathroom. Especially in the middle of the night. Also, the public facilities are never as clean as our private room.
I agree with you. The private bedroom with shower was fun. I am also over 6' with a 33-inch waist - no problem with moving around in the shower. And if water goes all over the place Amtrak provides plenty of towels to dry the room.
Thank you for this tip. We had a Bedroom booked for the California Zephyr, EMY to DEN in April and I just changed it to two Roomettes (7&8). I love the idea of each getting a bottom bunk and she won’t have to put up with my snoring. Haha😂
I hope you will come back and update how your trip was. The more opinions I can collect about this, the more likely I am to convince my husband to give train trips a chance. I think the two rooms across the hall sounds the best and I'd love to know what you thought. Please update👍
I found the suggestion of 2 roomettes across from each other very helpful. My brother & I are planning a trip from NYC to Tampa, FL next winter to see our sister, & neither of us can climb into the upper bunk. Since it would only be 1 overnight the shower wouldn't be an issue. I've taken the roomette myself previously & the in-room toilet was very convenient since I'm a bit unsteady walking around. Same for brother, so having his own roomette would also provide convenient privacy for him. Thanks for the advice! 😊
Depending on which train you’re riding, you’ll pass through my town here in Southern Pines NC. My wife and I have taken Amtrak 91/92 from Southern Pines to Tampa on two different times. Each time was a roommette. The first time was the older car with the toilet in the car..as they mentioned in the video..kind of awkward especially if you’re dropping an A bomb. The beds in each..well, leave the word “bed” up to your imagination. I slept just ok, she up top, had a sore back that next morning. The entrance to the roommette was old school, inside the car was fairly quiet, curtains could use some refreshing. Our second trip, we had the newest liner with no toilet in the car. You had to walk down the hall, and if there was a line…well you know. There were those from other cars, came to ours to use it. Sadly doing so..clogged one of the two up. But the entrance to the room was much better, it had a nice slide door, curtains were much better and cut out maybe 80% of outside noise. Even screaming children. Beds…again.. much to be desired. But our ride was only 14 hours, and that was the quickest. The second ride down was 16 hours. If you’re renting a car in Tampa…you pray Amtrak makes it there in time. We had a car reserved there at the depot, but they close at 2pm. We didn’t get there until 4, so we had to call a taxi and go out to the airport to rent a car there. Yes, the same rental company and they honored our rental…once we gave them the details. BUT…all that depends on which train you’re on. Ours was PO91/92 the Silver Star. PO 89/90 is the Silver Meteor leaves New York and runs down the A line the entire way to Tampa. PO91/92 leaves New York as well, but when it reaches NC, it branches off the A line and follows the S line. It runs that until Savannah Georgia.
We traveled from Denver to Emoryville CA. Roomette was comfortable. Bathroom across the hall was roomy. Never a line. Neither of us wanted to go to upper bunk so we slept side by side opposite directions. Worked well.
Interesting you should say that. I’m working on a trip from Chicago to Emoryville and have been seriously considering doing exactly that. I just checked for September and it’s several hundred dollars cheaper to do two roomettes. Great minds think alike!!!
I've been a subscriber to your channel for some time now. Love your Amtrak advice. In the past I've done some limited Amtrak coach travel in the northeastern U.S. and mid Atlantic U.S. and also in between Atlanta, GA and Birmingham, AL. There is nothing that compares to train travel. You either love it or hate it. I love it! You definittely need to have a lot of time to travel by train because it can take you 3 times as long when compared to traveling by car. It's all about the journey when traveling by train. Love your roomette suggestion for long haul travel!
My mother and I did the two roomette option while taking my 6yo nephew on a trip- we loved being able to spread out with the doors open so we could chat across the hall and the little guy could visit and hang with Grandma or me whenever he pleased! We rode from Florida to DC and over to Chicago and had a blast.
Great and timely video as my daughter and I like to visit my mother in Austin. Flying has been extremely arduous. The most important part of this video I think is that people need to check out what works for them. Try each of the options, go with what works. Also, I think the couple here is adorable!!
I've taken the Empire Builder and have always had the roomette. It IS small but it works just fine for me and I just use the restroom not included in the roomette have never had a problem. I've learned to take as little as possible in my carry-on and I've only ever had to be on the train for 2 days/nites and have learned how to dress to make my travel as easy as possible.
I used bedrooms out West and found in room bathroom nice for getting up in middle of night. Was able to squeeze both of us in bottom bunk, head to toe diagonally. And sink in room is nice also.
We got in trouble by the attendant for laughing too loud in our shared roomette, so two roomettes across from each other would get me thrown off. The roomette was awful. We upgraded to a bedroom for the trip home and had no regrets. You helped us prepare us for our trip! Thank you!
@@fjb4932 Okay, DAD. Didn't know we couldn't enjoy ourselves...you must be a ton of fun on vacation hahahahahahahhahaaaaaaaaaaa! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA.
Great advice! I grew up around trains in the ’60s, when passenger trains were a thing and a big deal back then; but somewhere in the late 70’s, and 80’s, passenger trains diminished due to the reduction in air fares, but I’m happy the passenger train experience is back! Riding the train, especially overnight is a great and unique experience. Taking at least a 1-2 day train ride is on my bucket list at age 70; I can’t wait to hear, feel, and smell the train again, which I remember from my childhood… my grandfather worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for 50 years, so that is my childhood connection. Again, fantastic advice and recommendations! 😊
Do it now. One thing missing is the particular aroma of cigar, pipe and cigarette smoke combined with essence of brake shoe and evaporative cooler. I can smell it in my mind (!) But it is gone. So are white jacketed Diner attendants, Pullman Porters, shoe shines and gentility in genneral. People used to dress up, hats and shoes, jackets and ties. Now in steerage and first as well, its wifebeaters, shorts, shower shoes and ball caps. The VAST majority of attendants are pleasant and civil, helpful and attentive. Get a bedroom, take the Chief, or the Zephyr, the Sunset, Empire Builder or even the Meteor end to end. Take an electric cooler bag with snacks, a jug, and a Keurig Single Cup, a couple of books, relax and enjoy. I'm 77, been riding trains since I was 2, and take at least 4 trips a year. Eeven the "less than perfect" trips are wonderful
What I do in the Roomette !! Is I'am able to keep all My stuff up on the upper bunk. And than during the trip you just tip the upper bunk up to give you head room to sit Worked out really nicely.
I'm booked on the WB Zephyr this fall in a bedroom and traveling solo. I wanted the extra space and privacy of my own toilet at night. I am also planning to eat my meals in my room. And I was willing to pay the extra amount to have windows on both sides of the car so I wouldn't have to go to the observation car.
There is no way to pay extra to have windows on both sides of your room and have a toilet in your room. Unless your talking about leaving the door open to a 1st class sleeper, but for that you do not have to pay extra.
I did a cross country Shreveport,La to Baltimore,Md when I was a kid with my mother and I remember the private room we had was very nice size with a folding out couch bed and private bath.. This was like 1954..
My friend and I took the Zephyr to Omaha from Sacramento and booked 2 roomettes across from each other. It was great. The only annoyance was foot traffic but the pros totally outweighed the cons. Loved it!
My wife and I took the Amtrak from Flagstaff Arizona to Chicago. We booked the roomette. Neither of us are tiny, I'm 6 ft 1 in and 250 pounds she 5 ft 4 and 230. We had a Great trip. Yes, the roomette required us to use the shared bathrooms for the roomette passengers and shower, but all were kept very clean and we had no problems, even had nice hot showers. Meals are all inclusive and we're delicious. The seats turned into beds with mattresses, even at my size I took the top bed. Of course you can't set up in it. And no one should expect to lol. But I still had a decent night's sleep and enjoyed the gentle rocking of the car. Maybe me having previously served in the Marines for 22 years Im not a spoiled civilian expecting hotel comfort on a train. And can sleep just about anywhere lol. All in all, I would do it again. I've gotten back to my old USMC weight again so will fit even better in the roomette. Happy travels.
Tina (my daughter special needs) and I watch you two every time you’re on. Since Covid it has been our dream to go do this! So informative we really appreciate all you tell us.
I always ride the City of New Orleans from Memphis to Chicago and back. Since I travel alone and it's a nighttime trip I just get a roomette which doesn't have a toilet in it. It's more than enough space for just me. There is a small public toilet and what I call a big bathroom (toilet, sink and big shower) on each floor. I've never taken a shower on the train (only on it for like 8 hours) but I do like to use the big bathroom especially for brushing my teeth and washing my face plus it is more comfy. I enjoy eating in the dining car and meeting people I get seated with. One year there was this big group of retired people travelling together. They do this every year or every other year. This year they were doing the grand canyon/ghost town thing. Had to switch trains in Chicago. Anyway we were in the dining car talking and I asked if anyone had the song going through their heads. Next thing I knew one guy started singing City of New Orleans and the whole dining car including the staff joined in. It was a riot.
I prefer the roomette with a toilet. I love sleeping in the top bunk, which has the great view, and is very cozy. Memories of a tree house! It's like being hugged to sleep. I just leave the lower bunk as two comfy chairs, and stow my luggage on one of them. It's so convenient to use the toilet at night without having to go out into the hall. I prefer traveling alone. Like Rudyard Kipling's quote, "Down to Gehenna, or up to the throne, He travels fastest who travels alone." It's always such an adventure to interact with people from all walks of life, from other countries, with whom I would not likely cross paths. And it's such a luxury to loll in my bunk, reading, meditating, sleeping. It's the only refreshing way to travel for me!
As always, thanks for an excellent and informative video! I have to admit, my Amtrak experience has all been aboard Superliners out of Chicago and New Orleans. I've done Bedrooms and Roomettes, and while there might be some advantages to the Bedroom, I would not include the combo toilet/shower. As you said, it isn't for a larger person...I felt like needed to be greased up to get in and out. Since I mostly travel solo, a Roomette works fine, and the communal bathrooms and showers I've seen have all been clean. Even though I would be by myself, though, I'm giving serious consideration to booking two Roomettes, and as you suggest, using one as the day room and the other set up for sleeping the whole time. Thanks again for providing food for thought!
Thanks for the Real info video. That upper berth reminds me of my USN shipboard racks. I remember my first night aboard, and assigned a top rack of 3 High. We were in the trough of Cape Hatteras, and I woke up to the sound of the props coming out of the water. I sat up and immediately slammed my head into a pipe that was routed across the rack. Definitely saw the stars! Tks again for an excellent video.
I guess we were just lucky. I booked a roomette when I took my grandson from Chicago to Seattle. Only 4 of the roomettes in our car were booked so we pretty much had the option to move around as we pleased - and he loved being in the top bunk and able to see the stars at night. We spent much of our daytime in an observation car, so we had views from both sides there as well. And when another couple with a young boy were assigned a roomette in our car for part of the trip, the two boys had a great time being away from the adults in yet another empty roomette where they could play card games, etc.
We did the two roomettes thing on the Coast Starlight a few years ago and it was great! I don't like the connecting door between bedrooms, they always rattle and are very thin so sounds from your neighbor can be a bit of a distraction. The roomettes seem to be soundproofed better, in my experience.
I have booked two Roomettes across the hall but the problem is the lack of a bathroom and the need to get out of bed in the middle of the night. Also I don't like using public bathrooms in the age of Covid if I can avoid it. The toilets downstairs are extremely small. For claustrophobic people it's scary, especially as the lock could break (this happened to me on a bus once) trapping you in a coffin sized room. The Bedroom is fine for one person but admittedly not great for two due to the tight upper berth.
When we book two roomettes across from each other and use one for our luggage and power strip during the day and use the other one to sit and eat... Neither of us can sleep as well in the upper bunk compared to the lower bunk...
Great idea booking two Roomettes. Prices for one bedroom have been astronomical lately! As I get “younger”, it’s becoming more challenging to climb that ladder to the upper berth!
Solo traveler here with roomette on the upper level traveling from WA to MI. Bathroom and showers are on the same level. Awesome trip. People across from me came over for views and I went to theirs for views also, worked out well. Here to FL next time (I'm an older traveler and have no problems at all.
Excellent points in this video! Definitely things to consider when making our future Amtrak sleeper bookings. Thank you! Your Amtrak videos are super helpful.
These are fantastic tips for making a multi-day Amtrak trip a wonderful and comfortable experience. PLUS you wind up getting twice the points of a single roomette! Question - Is there any disadvantage of one spouse booking both Roomettes, or should each spouse book their own Roomette?
Interesting concept, but we've never had enough points to consider more than a single roomette. Good tip about calling to reserve, instead of booking online. That's also a way to avoid being assigned to the lower level of a Superliner when you want the upper level (or vice versa).
Your advice is welcome. I’ve aways wanted to travel cross-country by train. It’s only as an adult that a passenger terminal is close enough to make such a trip feasible. Because I’m finding as I get older, the cattle call that is air travel is bothersome. My wife and I are both retired and I have some mobility issues with the larger airports such as Atlanta, Chicago, or JFK. So, every time we travel to visit our daughter and her medical resident husband-and the grandchildren-I check out the train. Hasn’t worked out yet, but I’m determined to make it happen.
I booked a bedroom for the first time when I took the Southwest Chief last year with my fiancé after having done roomettes in the past. I was a bit disappointed. The bathroom takes up so much of the space, and the bathroom itself is too tight to comfortably use for anything. Also, the chair in the room was pretty uncomfortable when compared to the couch. With that said, I had a much easier time sleeping on the bottom berth since it’s wider than the roomette ones, and sleeping perpendicular to the train’s movement eliminated the issues I’ve had with being rolled around since I’m normally a side sleeper. The two Roomette approach is a clever idea.
I was shocked by the prices for train travel in general. I have always been fascinated with train travel. I priced out a trip to Michigan to visit my family and decided to just fly instead. While I would love the slower pace and sightseeing possibilities, the price (and time) do not justify train travel for me. Maybe one day I will do the train trip but getting somewhere in 8 hours as opposed to 55 hours (and the added costs) I'll just fly for now...
I've taken Amtrak from Oakland to Chicago, and I totally used my bathroom and shower. I'm a big person and while it was tight, it was fine and such a luxury to have my own facilities.
Loved the tips to get two facing room-ettes instead of one shared rooms and especially knowing to book by phone to ensure roomettes are opposite. But laughed about the bathroom. A wet bath is standard for a smaller RV or boat. Don't compare it to the bathroom in your hotel or on a cruise ship. Compare it to no toilet or shower at all. ... TY for the informative presentation.
The Full Sized Bedrooms, on either Viewliners or Superliners, are indeed not such a great deal for most situations. People imagine that having their own private bathroom and shower, and having the "sofa", will make the experience better. What they get instead is a room with a tiny & awkward toilet where the floor seems to always be wet, less comfortable seats by the windows, a useless sofa they don't spend any time in, and no storage space for their (presumably) two suitcases (to clarify, the suitcases can make use of half of the sofa during the day, but at night there is ZERO floor space for luggage). When the lower bunk is folded out to be a bed, it is right up against the sink, making use of that sink very difficult, and blocking access to the aisle outside the room. A Bedroom is just the space of two Roomettes, with a miserable toilet and shower jammed into the same area. So, yes, for probably most situations, getting two Roomettes instead of a Bedroom makes a lot of sense. As for the Viewliner I Roomettes, those seem to be getting renovated to NOT have the toilet and sink in them. I have personally been in a renovated Viewliner Roomette that still has the sink, but where the toilet was is now just a step to upper bunk. Just like the Bedrooms seeming better until one learns their many downsides, having a toilet jammed into what is already a very small Roomette is really a bad idea, and I think AMTRAK has come to the same conclusion. Just think about how much urine and fecal matter has made it onto the immediately adjacent seat upholstery and down onto the carpeting, and you won't want to go into an un-renovated Viewliner I Roomette. As was pointed out in this view, it is really best to NOT have toilets in ANY of the Roomettes or Bedrooms; those should be the larger ones outside the sleeping rooms, which also have the advantages of being cleaned a few times a day and having non-absorbent flooring. And, yeah, for the small number of people in a given Sleeper car, one 'public' shower room per car is enough; no need to have them also in the Bedrooms.
How many people are you putting in the bedroom? Blocking access to the aisle? How? Do you sleep with your head near the door? Because if your feet are near the door you literally just sit up and you can get out of the room. I was in a bedroom solo and it was awesome! The sofa was wonderful for sprawling out and watching movies on my laptop. I put my luggage in the luggage rack downstairs and brought up my essentials (toiletries, pjs, a change of clothes - packing cubes FTW, laptop and a notebook) in my backpack that sat in the extra seat across from the sofa. I do feel that I wouldn't travel in a bedroom with someone I wasn't in a relationship with OR with a small child. But otherwise I thought it was awesome.
Thank you guys for sharing you nice observations of the train rides. Yes, the long-haul trips to Los Angeles are what my Mother liked. And she would always pay for the Sleeper First Class cabins. I have to say that my Mother was 5'5" tall and average weight so, my Mother would always give her report about the cabin and service. She had no problems sitting in her cabin. She liked being by herself when traveling. I had tried manyvtimes to give my Mother my former airline employee pass but she did not want or liked to be waiting at the airport with flying on "employees space available pass" with hoping she wpuld get on!!Also, back then as well, I had asked my Father if he want to use my former passes he said no also!😊
Also, my Mother always liked to go up to the Observation Glass deck to watch the country side go by with her reading books that she would take. I am glad I have traveled a couple of times with her but I brought a separate First Class Sleeper cabin fir myself. Now for me, I am 6'2" and yes the shower was small for me but I made it work for me. But I am glad I had that bathroom was in my cabin. I, like my Mother, like my privacy when traveling. With the airlines I had used my points for Business Class before my airline career and afterwards to travel. I know what it was to travel in Economy and I had that experience for a while.😊
Yes, I hear you two about being together married and traveling. My Mother used to drive on summer vacation with the second marriage to my Step-Father. But they would drive to Ohio or to Arkansas many years before he passed back in the early 1990s. After that driving, Mother lived the trains to go places. My Mother did not marry again. After two husbands she said no more. Haha😊 And again, I am mot married. And I was and still am with great memories her first son!😊
Finally, I never had this idea years ago when I did travel with my Mother out to California from here in Chicago. I think my cabin and my Mother's cabin were on the right side. But we did meet in the dinning cabin of yes, upstairs in the Observation Glass Deck cabin. So, I will tell other older family members who like trains as well to do thus set up. Across from each other in future reservations!! Nice!!!😊 As I have continued to travel, I usually bring work to do and a book or two that I am finishing up yo read on the aircraft. 😂 Hahaha, yes, I am like my Mother like her a person who like his privacy.😊
We booked 2 roomettes across from one another when we had 2 kids with us as well. They were older kids--tween/young teen, and all of those plusses you mentioned worked for us, too. In our case, if someone needed an in-room bathroom, the extra person just walked across the hall and hung out there. It allowed us to have the kids together during the day, if they wanted to hang out together, but in a way where we could keep an eye and ear on them. And as you said, with views on both sides, we could keep changing up where people were sitting to see new things. Then at night, we could have one parent and one kid per roomette. The kids were still smaller than us back then (They're both taller than me these days. 😉 ), so they were happy to clamber up onto the top berths. 🙂
This sounds brilliant! Something that I'm surprised they didn't mention is that by doing it this way, it seems that you could use the upper bunk for your belongings.
I'm from the UK, and the idea of permanent bedrooms on a train is mindblowing. Yes, there are sleeper cars with drop-down bunk beds, but there are no routes long enough to justify a permanent bedroom.
If you think the sleeping area in that upper bunk is tight you should take a look at the berthing on small Navy ships. Imagine not being able to book an area with more room and living in that small space for 6-12 months. Good times!
That’s great advice. One of my issues with the bedroom is the lack of space after the lower bed is made up. Trying to squeeze between the bed and sink to leave the room is impossible.
With this many objections I can’t believe you tried it again. We did the SW Chief. Coach on the way out and Roomet on the way back. We had a blast both ways. We can’t say enough good about it. I must admit I do prefer flying but Amtrak is a great second choice. We only took one shower each which was very sufficient.
We loved the experience this past thanksgiving. You all did a great job preparing us for our travel experience. The movement during sleep was an adjustment. However being able to lay down is the advantage vs the 17 hour + flights I have been on less relaxed. We are going to do these long train travel in the near future. Lastly the food was far better than we thought. Excellent service atmosphere and the view. Thank you both so very much.
We always ordered a roomette going from SF to Chicago. No shower to worry about. Would much rather have the space in our room. We must have always been lucky and had a nice big window right beside our lounge chairs with table.
This video is very valuable to me! Thanks! We are selling our home in CO, and moving full time to our second home near Altoona PA - which is on The Pennsylvanian Amtrak line. I expect to do multiple train journeys in the next 5 years, and I appreciate your advice!
I agree that the upper bunks on Superliners don't have much headroom and feel cramped, but for a night or two I was ok with them and slept reasonably well. But if you're claustrophic or shall we say not exactly a marathon runner, don't even think about it. I also didn't mind the bedroom bathroom size, but it was just me and this was back when they were fairly new, years ago. Not having to leave your room to use the bathroom in the middle of the night is a big plus. The access bedroom also has a bathroom by the way.
What's with Nashville? No train to Atlanta? A 27 hour trip to Memphis via bus and train with a 6 hour Chicago layover. Sad. Maybe don't hold you breath waiting for Amtrak service.
Back in the mid-1990's I booked a bedroom for myself on the Sunset Limited when it went all the way from South Florida to LA. I left from Ft. Lauderdale. Loved the spaciousness of the bedroom and the convenience of having your own bathroom. Of course I slept in the bottom bed which was also very comfortable. I was a smaller person back then and the bathroom size was fine. In January, 2023 my partner and I took the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville. Booked the bedroom again. I had to use the top bunk which was not comfortable at all. And now that I was bigger than I was in the mid-1990's, the bathroom was uncomfortable just using the toilet, let alone when I had to use the shower. Until Amtrak introduces updated sleeping cars, we will never book the bedroom again. Booking two roomettes across from one another sounds like a good idea. However, my partner does like to use public toilets on the train which is the main reason why we booked the bedroom on the Zephyr.
Awesome Idea, I hope to soon be traveling with my Grandson and this sounds like a splendid idea. Thanks for all your Videos and info . I enjoy watching them.
Great idea. And when the top bunk is empty, you can put your stuff onto it, like I did when I was staying in a hostel in Israel. I have never had such a train ride though.
My adult son uses a scooter. We rode from Philly to Orlando and were able to get a handicap accessible room. They actually called the bathroom the garage because it was large enough to store the scooter at night. It was a wonderful trip.
We ended up with that room for our LA to San Antonio trip for hubby with limited mobility (also used a scooter to get around). I was disappointed that the room was essentially a roomette with lots of floor space and a toilet in the corner. I ended up storing his scooter and our luggage on the top bunk and my fat butt slept on the floor with the mattress from said bunk for most of the trip.
Haven’t been on a train since I was a kid but I enjoy your videos… reminds me of my parents. RIP mom and dad. (I’ve traveled across the country by train a few times). We were a summer RV family and would often take the train to meet up with the RV.
This is a novel approach for sure! Don’t know if it would work as well for us as we’re tall and lean; the bathroom/shower in the bedroom works well enough for us and we bump knees when facing each other in a roomette. (This is a length vs. girth issue 😁)
😮😊❤Thank you both so much for posting this information. I am in my 70s and have never been on the train. I'm thinking 💭 of taking a ride somewhere one day. Blessings to you both.
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I have done both and find the bedroom much more convenient especially with nighttime bathroom visits.
I absolutely agree! But I usually can’t get a lesser expensive one so go for the roomette. I’m always alone now, but when my young/teen son came with me, we got the bedrooms. I go on the AutoTrain. Even when I was fat, I found the bedroom’s bathroom to be more comfortable.
Bedrooms are way more comfortable to sleep in because the bunks are perpendicular to the tracks. When the train sways it’s pushing you along the bed. In the roomette the bunks go parallel to the tracks, so every time the train sways it tries to roll you out of bed. I slept great in the bedroom, couldn’t sleep for the entire trip in the roomette.
I have only done the bedroom. I use the bathroom in the night too. Sometimes more than once. And I have to be careful on stairs. If I have to get up, get dressed, put on shoes, navigate down stairs just to use the bathroom I'd not be having a fun trip.
Never had a problem in the bedroom 6' 215 lbs.
What's the average $$$
I always get the bedroom as I prefer my own bathroom. My wife used to go with me, but got tired of the hard beds and constant motion. I am not so fussy. Roomettes are too small for two people and even larger people like me. I have never seen a toilet in a roomette. Yes, the bedroom bathroom is tiny, but there are tricks for getting around the negatives which, due to the delicacy of comment, will not be discussed here. When showering, put a towel on the floor right outside to catch the leakage through the door. Also, take the toilet paper out of the dispenser to keep from getting it wet. I always take my shower at about 4 pm. Many folks take showers in the morning so, if you use the public showers, use them before dinner. This precludes waiting in line. I have a whole list of suggestions for riding Amtrak in a room (either one) which I give to my friends who want to try Amtrak. Happy landings!
Thank you...I use the same helpful hints to enjoy roomettes and even Business Class, depending upon reason for trip. I do enjoy the dining car and excellent meals, so that is a consideration also. In all these years, I have never had a problem sleeping on a train.
I always book a roomette because I travel alone. It's perfect for one person. The toilet in the roomette is a bit awkward, but again, I travel alone and I'm a small person so it's not a problem for me. The new cars do not have a toilet in the roomette or the upgrade room. They only have toilets in the handicapped room. It used to be enclosed, but now is right out in the room. If there are two people traveling together, one person has to wait out in the corridor if you want some privacy.
Glad my traveling days are over.
I believe the older view liners have a toilet in the roomettes
Eastcoast
@@mikemadden4084 Yes. That is correct. I like the old roomettes. Perfect for one person.
My son and I took the California Zephyr from Chicago to San Francisco and I booked a bedroom. We used the bathroom in the room most of the time but if there was solid waste involved 😊, we would use the community toilet. I did shower one day in tiny wet bath and it was a real challenge. I am six-feet tall and weigh 235. If you drop the soap, there is no space to bend over and pick it up. We did not have any water incursion into the room, but I would just use the community showers from now on. I love the idea of two roomettes! That would have made the trip go from good to great! We stood turns in the seat that faced backwards (which for us was the small jump seat). My wife can't sit still for more than an hour, so she has no interest being on a train for days at a time. For my son and I, it was a great chance to catch up (he is in graduate school, has a son, works part-time and lives 1500 miles away). We played some games, talked about life, marriage, etc. and just really enjoyed our time together. We want to do it again and when that happens, we will for sure be booking two roomettes!
too much information, dear, way TMI
@@Marcel_Audubon
I appreciated the info.
@@joanmary90 weird
@Marcel_Audubon I appreciated the info too. I guess everyone's weird but you
@@Becca-rw4oi you imagine that you represent everyone? that's some real ego bloat there, little lady
My husband and I have experienced the bedroom on three trips. We loved every minute of it. I highly recommend the bedroom over two roomettes. To each his own!
Another reviewer said on some bedroooms, a bunk lays out at a 90 degree angle from the motion of the train, so that constant train jostting side to side affrects one's sleep. Whereas, in the roomettes, the beds lay out in the direction of train travel, so the rocking of the train gives a forward and back motion instead, which is better for sleeping.
And you may not be tall so to you maybe 'all great
We are on the California Zephyr right now. We took your advice on getting 2 roomettes across the hall from each other instead of a bedroom and we are very glad we did. It was so beautiful going through the Sierra Nevadas today and not missing anything because we had views on both sides. Also, just having your own little paradise is so relaxing. Thanks, you guys! I’ve told all our meal partners about your TH-cam channel.
I love the bedrooms . I get a bedroom even if I traveling alone. My husband and I have slept on the lower bed together. I have slept in the upper bed also because he is 6’2”. The bathroom may be small but I’m not sharing with people I don’t know. Thanks for sharing.
If you are old and take medication that makes ya run. You don't want a bathroom down the hall! Or a room for two with NO baggage service at your station. And have to take your luggage with ya! Amtrak in the Anderson-Trump years cut all the baggage services across the country! Shut down of most routes was next, then Biden got in.
Yes, sharing bathrooms with strangers is awful. On a flight, I walked into a bathroom and got out immediately got out. I’m sure I smelled like 💩as I walked past other passengers. 😅
This is the perspective I've been looking for, (traveling alone). I want to do the L.A. to Seattle and I'm debating roomette or bedroom. Bedroom is more than double the price but it's a 36 hr ride and want to be comfortable.
I'm in my 70's & I grew up on trains. My father was a Jr Exec for the Pullman co & we traveled for free, so we travelled a lot. My father was the person the workers on the train didn't want to see if they weren't doing their job. as he was an inspector. I love trains. When we travelled as a family we always had a bedroom or what was called a drawing room. Needless to say, back then, there were no bathrooms in any room. The bedrooms had a toilet & sink & so did roomettes, but in a roomette, you had to put the bed up to use the toilet or sink which had a lid on it that doubled as a seat. I don't know if the beds were bigger but my parents always slept in a lower berth. There was only one bed in a roomette, they were made for single people. I so enjoy watching your videos. I have ridden on several trains & the ride is much more smoothe than it was before Amtrak!
I think the room names were different some years ago. Amtrak announced that the single bed with a toilet was being discontinued some years ago, but I never knew what replaced it. I'm not familiar with current rooms and their official names now. I did travel with my parents in one room, but I saw older people in other cars with much fancier rooms. I think they had white curtains and were first class rooms. Later, as an adult, I used to get the single beds that were in a super small room, with a toilet. That's all that was in there and very tight. Those are the ones Amtrak discontinued. I think the roomettes replaced them.
@@BrandonLeeBrown I have not been on an overnight train trip since 1969 & the sleeping cars were still Pullman. They did have roomettes back in the day but had a Murphy style bed & the toilet that had the cover on it & the sink pulled down from the wall. When the sink was put back up, the water drained & anything on it went down the drain People lost many things down the drains. Many times the items were retrieved. We always stayed in a double bedroom because there were 4 of us, but mom & dad slept in a lower berth. There were 4 beds.Sometimes it was 2 rooms with the dividing wall open. The drawing room was actually 2 separate rooms, with one being more like a living room & the other room having 4 beds. Needless, to say, we always had first class accommodations & very upscale meals where we even had finger bowls after the meal. I have no idea what other bedrooms were like & just assumed all were the same. The destination of a train also gave different eating choices so I assume there were different rooms. A couple of times I remember eating in a dome car which was so exciting. In all of my years of travel, I never saw a waiter drop anything even if there was a sudden stop. My father could have worked for Amtrak, but already had other employment before they spoke to him, so he recommended a coworker who accepted the job.
This sound fantastic compared to my first rail trip west. Back in the early 1970s I went with a friend from St. Paul to Seattle. For the first leg, we were on wooden floors, but the view on both sides and of the stars right above us were amazing. It was hard to sleep since the flatcar was empty and had a rudimentary suspension. As soon as you fell asleep the hard wooden floors would bounce up and meet your face, waking you up. By the next night we were so god awful tired that we had to sleep. There were bathrooms was either side off the flat car, but you had to make sure that the wind does not blow it back on you or your riding partner. The train would stop in various locales, like Minot ND, sometimes to break up the train. This would give you a chance to get some food and drink. I remember more of the drink than the food. The best accomodation we had was in an autorack railcar, with 3 levels of new little trucks, bound for the west coast. It was easy to flip the vent window and unlock the door. The seats were comfortable and the views of the rockies was great through the windshield. The Burlington Northern yard cops were tolerant, but told us to not ride inside the vehicles.
The travelers we met were interesting and informative. Havre, Montana was a wild place. We went in a bar for some needed refreshment. But just after we got comfortable, a respectable-looking couple walked in and started yelling something unintelligible at the bartender. The woman in the couple then threw a billiard ball at high speed at the barkeep. He ducked and it shattered the mirror behind him. That was our cue to leave. We found an old school bus with comfy seats and called it a night. There were assorted other fellow travelers on and around the rails. Minot Louis would pour vodka into a plastic Coke bottle "to kill the disgusting taste of the Coke." Another old timer offered a drink out of his water jug, but since the water looked suspicious, I went thirsty. The thought was nice, though. And then a really old former railroad worker in Wenatchee, WA said that things were never the same after diresel replaced steam. That's some real wisdom. Speaking of which, a long tunnel through the Cascades almost asphyxiated us from the diesel exhaust. But I heard that they put bigger fans in there. More than 50 years later, I'm still in Seattle but still yearn for the road.
I liked taking that highline route, most of which the Amtrak Empire builder follows these days. So I took my daughter from Seattle to Milwaukee on the Amtrak route, and every minute in our roomette seemed like phenomenally incredible luxury. I was perfectly fine in the top bunk. But there were no stars overhead.
Great stories. Thank you.
Great stories! When I was a teenager many years ago I would stand or sit by the tracks and seriously think about hopping on a train and going wherever. Today I'm glad I didn't but still think about the rush I might have felt if I did. Are you familiar with Abby the Spoon Lady? She has a channel here and is famous for her spoon playing. Anyway she used to hop trains and tells about it, including boxcar wind whizzin' in a few of her older videos. Check her out.
Wow... what a story! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!!
When does your book come out? I want to buy it.
I love the bedroom. Being a senior, I'm not going to go out of my room at night to a bathroom. My husband and I both love the bedroom. We both can fit in the lower bunk. We are train people and love TRAINS AND AMTRAK!!!!!... and on to the Cheery Blossom festival this springvia the TRAIN!!!!
Great video. I see your point for couples or families traveling by train- using two roomettes could be a better option. I am a solo traveler and I love traveling by train. I always choose the bedroom over the roomette as I get a bit claustrophobic in the roomette. Also, I am an introvert and get uncomfortable having to constantly table share with strangers and make small talk at meals so I tend to take my meals in my room too. I have showered without any problems using the in-room bathroom however, I am only 5'3. And on smother portions of the track, with the extra bit of room, I can get a bit of a workout in the cases of inclement weather during the station breaks.
I travel alone, and simply have the conductor person bring my meals to my roomette, as I can't manage the stairs due to arthritis. It's way more pleasant traveling alone. When booking the trip, I always make sure to get a downstairs roomette with an exposure which is appropriate for the season and direction I'm traveling; north side of train for summer, south for winter. .
We love the bedroom! We find the shower and bathroom adequate and not too small and love the privacy and the ability to move around the room.
It's called a Wet Bath. Many small RVs use it to conserve space . Navy shower, gets you clean but uses very little water, so quick clean up
Yes, I was thinking, “Clearly you’ve never showered in a small RV.”
The bedroom suite is a good option. The bottom bed in a bedroom is much bigger than the top bed. The bedroom suite is more expensive, but it allows both spouses to sleep in a large comfortable bed. The bathroom in the bedroom works for us, and the water from a shower drains quickly. I used to go for roomettes when I was younger and saving money. Now that I'm retired, the increased cost for a bedroom suite is not a problem.
We did that because neither one of us were able to climb up to the upper bunk. Worked out really nicely.
My very first trip from Chicago to Seattle I booked a roomette. When I got on the train I was put in the ADA room! you want to talk about a spacious toilet area! And yes its lower level, but a window on both sides.....It was pretty awesome!
Thank you for mentioning this. I'm disabled, & have been considering a train trip for some time, & was wondering what accomodations might be like.
@@kellykat8057 I heard each train does not have many ADA rooms so plan well in advance to request one for your trip.
I have traveled often in the ADA roomette as I am disabled. They are at the end of a car and are from one side of the train to the other. The seats that make the bunk beds are on one side and the other side has a sink and a toilet. Plenty of space in the middle for a wheelchair or a scooter. I always get the steward to make my bed as soon as I get on. My legs swell and I have to keep them up. I travel alone and Amtrak is great about helping you with getting on and off. When you book ahead they will add the needed car with has the ADA roomette in it. So book sort of early and there is no problems. I have lost a lot of weight but at one point when I was 350 pounds I still found the bed big enough for me. Personally the sway of the train puts me to sleep, so I never have problems sleeping. Also with the ADA the steward with bring you your meal as the dining car is usually up steps. Also there is a discount for people with a disability. Enjoy your trip, I love the train! @@kellykat8057
Thank you. I am needing to go to California and was wanting to go by train. I am disabled and have been interested to know more about the ADA room.
I got that room too because they had accidentally double booked my roomette. I had to have lower level because of physical issues, and they had moved me upstairs so gave me ADA room to compensate. It was great.
I like the two roomettes idea. I’m elderly and travel with a friend and neither one of us need to be climbing on a ladder in the night to use the toilet. We both use CPAP so extra room is good. Can always sit facing forward. Always have view of scenery without standing in the hall. We camp a lot so community showers don’t bother us. Thanks for this tip.
I did this on the coast starlight. I tried to book a family room because I had my husband and three kids (at the time)
with me. One of my children was 7 or 8, the next was 2 and the youngest was about 6 months old. They had ran out of family rooms for that trip. We were on the Coast Starlight. We went out of San Jose and were going into Vancouver B.C. Canada. So the person on the phone suggested 2 roommates. We did that. I wouldn’t have wanted a bathroom in the room. And the roomettes were perfect. My sister traveled on the same train with her four kids and her husband but they went coach. It was a huge difference. My son had the run of the train and he would take his cousins with him and run back and forth from coach to the car we were in. The staff made the tables into beds at night. We had access to the little area with snacks and the food was included. We had the option of having dining in our roomettes or they would make us reservations in the dining car. They also had a cheese and wine tasting. My kids watched polar express for the first time right before leaving on the train. It was Christmas time and the train ran behind almost a day because of a snow storm. I didn’t mind because it was almost magical being on the train and watching the cascades with all the snow out the windows. We loved having windows on both sides of the train. I saw this title for the video and thought you meant getting any room was not good and thought you were mad. But I realized what you meant the second you said roomette. I kind of did get to use the family room though because there was no one in the family room most of the trip. We realized there was no one in that room despite it being booked when we called. I’m kinda glad we didn’t though because the 2 roomettes across from each other was better. And yes I showered in the public restroom. It was fine except when a rather large older woman didn’t lock the door and my husband accidentally opened the door in the middle of the night when he went to use the restroom. He was really embarrassed. Lol 😂 I highly recommend doing it that way. I drive for Uber in my spare time and I always recommend people to take the train. I think too many people just forget that they can travel that way and that planes are not the only form of travel. It really was magical.
Why was it necessary to mention the woman’s size and age? If it had been a thin younger woman, that would have been ok?
@@iknowheisProbably because a fat older woman is less agile to cover herself completely. It is also more embarrassing to a young man to encounter an older woman because he feels he has really invaded her privacy. You have less room to move around and what you are exposing is larger sized and easier to see. Come on be realistic.
Maybe it was your son on the train I took. It was very annoying having kids run from 1 car to the other. Doors between cars slamming shut. I was in coach and was trying to get some rest but this just kept happening.
@@PhxDesertGal And really part of the joy of a train for me is being around people of all ages. Those children are our future and will be here a hundred years from now when we are hopefully in heaven but dust here on Earth. Maybe just still your anger next trip and try to enjoy more.
As a solo traveler who has always booked roomettes, I find myself seriously considering a bedroom for future trips. The extra room would be very nice to have, particularly when trying to get dressed in the morning!
I booked them on a few short trips last winter using the “bid up” feature and it was really nice being able to stretch out and having a nearby private restroom since I’m pretty much always sipping on a bottle of water or some sort of beverage. Imo, they aren’t really worth paying full price for, especially when traveling solo, but depending on your budget, priorities, mobility level, etc. I could see it being worth the hefty price tag for certain specific types of travelers.
What is the ‘bid up’ option?
@@arlenestanton9955 it’s where you can buy a coach or even roomette fare and they will sometimes offer to let you submit a bid for better accommodation. If your bid is accepted they will notify you a couple days before departure. It was an option on both legs of both of the two round trips I took on the California Zephyr last month, but I’m guessing it’s subject to the route you plan to travel and private room availability.
@@arlenestanton9955 it's a feature that will basically let you "name your price" for an upgrade and Amtrak will aprove or deny it.
@@youdontknowme2915 For one person a roomette is sufficiently large enough. For two a roomette is a tight squeeze. As for the standard bedroom, I find the ensuite bathroom too small, it's just a waste of space, and that tiny chair isn't as comfortable as the nice seats in the roomette. After several trips I have never seen the public restrooms in a sleeper car filthy although I do use baby wipes on the toilet seat. In a coach car well that is a different story...
Very cool to discover your whole range of configuration options, and to see y'all's delight in having conquered and solved problems from your prior bedroom bookings. Y'all seem like a happy couple who enjoy adventures.
I respectfully disagree. We took the Texas Eagle from IL to LA. We really enjoyed our time in the bedroom. I am 6'2" and 215 lbs. I had no issues with the bathroom or shower. I have no desire to get dressed and walk to the public bathroom. Especially in the middle of the night.
Also, the public facilities are never as clean as our private room.
I agree with you. The private bedroom with shower was fun. I am also over 6' with a 33-inch waist - no problem with moving around in the shower. And if water goes all over the place Amtrak provides plenty of towels to dry the room.
Thank you for this tip. We had a Bedroom booked for the California Zephyr, EMY to DEN in April and I just changed it to two Roomettes (7&8). I love the idea of each getting a bottom bunk and she won’t have to put up with my snoring. Haha😂
I hope you will come back and update how your trip was. The more opinions I can collect about this, the more likely I am to convince my husband to give train trips a chance.
I think the two rooms across the hall sounds the best and I'd love to know what you thought. Please update👍
@@cyn4476 we decided to cancel the overnight portion and are driving from Flagstaff to Moab and then to Grand Junction to pick up the train there.
@jwinva ah, thank you for letting me know. Quite the change, but it sounds wonderful too! Enjoy your trip!
I found the suggestion of 2 roomettes across from each other very helpful. My brother & I are planning a trip from NYC to Tampa, FL next winter to see our sister, & neither of us can climb into the upper bunk. Since it would only be 1 overnight the shower wouldn't be an issue. I've taken the roomette myself previously & the in-room toilet was very convenient since I'm a bit unsteady walking around. Same for brother, so having his own roomette would also provide convenient privacy for him. Thanks for the advice! 😊
Depending on which train you’re riding, you’ll pass through my town here in Southern Pines NC. My wife and I have taken Amtrak 91/92 from Southern Pines to Tampa on two different times. Each time was a roommette. The first time was the older car with the toilet in the car..as they mentioned in the video..kind of awkward especially if you’re dropping an A bomb. The beds in each..well, leave the word “bed” up to your imagination. I slept just ok, she up top, had a sore back that next morning. The entrance to the roommette was old school, inside the car was fairly quiet, curtains could use some refreshing. Our second trip, we had the newest liner with no toilet in the car. You had to walk down the hall, and if there was a line…well you know. There were those from other cars, came to ours to use it. Sadly doing so..clogged one of the two up. But the entrance to the room was much better, it had a nice slide door, curtains were much better and cut out maybe 80% of outside noise. Even screaming children. Beds…again.. much to be desired. But our ride was only 14 hours, and that was the quickest. The second ride down was 16 hours. If you’re renting a car in Tampa…you pray Amtrak makes it there in time. We had a car reserved there at the depot, but they close at 2pm. We didn’t get there until 4, so we had to call a taxi and go out to the airport to rent a car there. Yes, the same rental company and they honored our rental…once we gave them the details. BUT…all that depends on which train you’re on. Ours was PO91/92 the Silver Star. PO 89/90 is the Silver Meteor leaves New York and runs down the A line the entire way to Tampa. PO91/92 leaves New York as well, but when it reaches NC, it branches off the A line and follows the S line. It runs that until Savannah Georgia.
If you are in a view liner 2 the roomettes wont have a toilet.
@@bernardschmitt6389 While I would use the Viewliner I roomette toilet to pee, I never use it to poop... At my senior age my poop smells too much...
We traveled from Denver to Emoryville CA. Roomette was comfortable. Bathroom across the hall was roomy. Never a line. Neither of us wanted to go to upper bunk so we slept side by side opposite directions. Worked well.
Interesting you should say that. I’m working on a trip from Chicago to Emoryville and have been seriously considering doing exactly that. I just checked for September and it’s several hundred dollars cheaper to do two roomettes. Great minds think alike!!!
I've been a subscriber to your channel for some time now. Love your Amtrak advice. In the past I've done some limited Amtrak coach travel in the northeastern U.S. and mid Atlantic U.S. and also in between Atlanta, GA and Birmingham, AL. There is nothing that compares to train travel. You either love it or hate it. I love it! You definittely need to have a lot of time to travel by train because it can take you 3 times as long when compared to traveling by car. It's all about the journey when traveling by train. Love your roomette suggestion for long haul travel!
My mother and I did the two roomette option while taking my 6yo nephew on a trip- we loved being able to spread out with the doors open so we could chat across the hall and the little guy could visit and hang with Grandma or me whenever he pleased! We rode from Florida to DC and over to Chicago and had a blast.
Great and timely video as my daughter and I like to visit my mother in Austin. Flying has been extremely arduous. The most important part of this video I think is that people need to check out what works for them. Try each of the options, go with what works.
Also, I think the couple here is adorable!!
I really like the logic and flexibility of this strategy of 2 roomettes.
I've taken the Empire Builder and have always had the roomette. It IS small but it works just fine for me and I just use the restroom not included in the roomette have never had a problem. I've learned to take as little as possible in my carry-on and I've only ever had to be on the train for 2 days/nites and have learned how to dress to make my travel as easy as possible.
I used bedrooms out West and found in room bathroom nice for getting up in middle of night. Was able to squeeze both of us in bottom bunk, head to toe diagonally. And sink in room is nice also.
Yeah, this is why I booked a bedroom for myself on the auto train.
Is it big enough for 6'4" man?
Not for a full stretch out. But most folks sleep with their knees bent some so 6'4" would 'probably' be ok.
We got in trouble by the attendant for laughing too loud in our shared roomette, so two roomettes across from each other would get me thrown off. The roomette was awful. We upgraded to a bedroom for the trip home and had no regrets. You helped us prepare us for our trip! Thank you!
Yes.
You ARE in Public.
Act accordingly . . . ☆
@@fjb4932 Okay, DAD. Didn't know we couldn't enjoy ourselves...you must be a ton of fun on vacation hahahahahahahhahaaaaaaaaaaa! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA.
Great advice!
I grew up around trains in the ’60s, when passenger trains were a thing and a big deal back then; but somewhere in the late 70’s, and 80’s, passenger trains diminished due to the reduction in air fares, but I’m happy the passenger train experience is back! Riding the train, especially overnight is a great and unique experience.
Taking at least a 1-2 day train ride is on my bucket list at age 70; I can’t wait to hear, feel, and smell the train again, which I remember from my childhood… my grandfather worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for 50 years, so that is my childhood connection.
Again, fantastic advice and recommendations!
😊
Do it now. One thing missing is the particular aroma of cigar, pipe and cigarette smoke combined with essence of brake shoe and evaporative cooler. I can smell it in my mind (!) But it is gone. So are white jacketed Diner attendants, Pullman Porters, shoe shines and gentility in genneral. People used to dress up, hats and shoes, jackets and ties. Now in steerage and first as well, its wifebeaters, shorts, shower shoes and ball caps. The VAST majority of attendants are pleasant and civil, helpful and attentive.
Get a bedroom, take the Chief, or the Zephyr, the Sunset, Empire Builder or even the Meteor end to end. Take an electric cooler bag with snacks, a jug, and a Keurig Single Cup, a couple of books, relax and enjoy. I'm 77, been riding trains since I was 2, and take at least 4 trips a year. Eeven the "less than perfect" trips are wonderful
Last time we booked a trip on Amtrak we booked the Family room room. Sleeps 5. Worked great. Lower part of the car and you get windows on both sides.
Cost?
Sounds lovely
Family room $1.419 .Bedroom $1677. Roommate $977.😮😊
@@donnalynn6348 depends on the route
If windows are on both sides, then where is the access hallway?
What I do in the Roomette !! Is I'am able to keep all My stuff up on the upper bunk. And than during the trip you just tip the upper bunk up to give you head room to sit Worked out really nicely.
I was the adult with 2 small children. I used the all-in-one shower and had NO problem. I was thankful to be able to shower without leaving the kids!
I'm booked on the WB Zephyr this fall in a bedroom and traveling solo. I wanted the extra space and privacy of my own toilet at night. I am also planning to eat my meals in my room. And I was willing to pay the extra amount to have windows on both sides of the car so I wouldn't have to go to the observation car.
There is no way to pay extra to have windows on both sides of your room and have a toilet in your room. Unless your talking about leaving the door open to a 1st class sleeper, but for that you do not have to pay extra.
I did a cross country Shreveport,La to Baltimore,Md when I was a kid with my mother and I remember the private room we had was very nice size with a folding out couch bed and private bath.. This was like 1954..
My friend and I took the Zephyr to Omaha from Sacramento and booked 2 roomettes across from each other. It was great. The only annoyance was foot traffic but the pros totally outweighed the cons. Loved it!
My wife and I took the Amtrak from Flagstaff Arizona to Chicago. We booked the roomette. Neither of us are tiny, I'm 6 ft 1 in and 250 pounds she 5 ft 4 and 230. We had a Great trip. Yes, the roomette required us to use the shared bathrooms for the roomette passengers and shower, but all were kept very clean and we had no problems, even had nice hot showers. Meals are all inclusive and we're delicious. The seats turned into beds with mattresses, even at my size I took the top bed. Of course you can't set up in it. And no one should expect to lol. But I still had a decent night's sleep and enjoyed the gentle rocking of the car. Maybe me having previously served in the Marines for 22 years Im not a spoiled civilian expecting hotel comfort on a train. And can sleep just about anywhere lol. All in all, I would do it again. I've gotten back to my old USMC weight again so will fit even better in the roomette. Happy travels.
This is helpful because this it he exact route I am thinking about booking for my 10 year old child and I.
Well said. This is not a hotel suite. It’s a train accommodation! Which in my Ionian, still way better than the tiny space we get on an airplane!
Thank you for the recommendation to call to book 2 roomettes across from each other instead of a bedroom. We haven’t booked a trip yet but someday!
Tina (my daughter special needs) and I watch you two every time you’re on. Since Covid it has been our dream to go do this! So informative we really appreciate all you tell us.
I always ride the City of New Orleans from Memphis to Chicago and back. Since I travel alone and it's a nighttime trip I just get a roomette which doesn't have a toilet in it. It's more than enough space for just me. There is a small public toilet and what I call a big bathroom (toilet, sink and big shower) on each floor. I've never taken a shower on the train (only on it for like 8 hours) but I do like to use the big bathroom especially for brushing my teeth and washing my face plus it is more comfy. I enjoy eating in the dining car and meeting people I get seated with. One year there was this big group of retired people travelling together. They do this every year or every other year. This year they were doing the grand canyon/ghost town thing. Had to switch trains in Chicago. Anyway we were in the dining car talking and I asked if anyone had the song going through their heads. Next thing I knew one guy started singing City of New Orleans and the whole dining car including the staff joined in. It was a riot.
Only on a train could that happen...a singalong!
I always book 1 roomette for my husband & I & never thought about the tip of booking 2. I'm going to try this out on my next Amtrak trip!! Thank you!!
I prefer the roomette with a toilet. I love sleeping in the top bunk, which has the great view, and is very cozy. Memories of a tree house! It's like being hugged to sleep. I just leave the lower bunk as two comfy chairs, and stow my luggage on one of them.
It's so convenient to use the toilet at night without having to go out into the hall.
I prefer traveling alone. Like Rudyard Kipling's quote, "Down to Gehenna, or up to the throne, He travels fastest who travels alone." It's always such an adventure to interact with people from all walks of life, from other countries, with whom I would not likely cross paths.
And it's such a luxury to loll in my bunk, reading, meditating, sleeping. It's the only refreshing way to travel for me!
As always, thanks for an excellent and informative video! I have to admit, my Amtrak experience has all been aboard Superliners out of Chicago and New Orleans. I've done Bedrooms and Roomettes, and while there might be some advantages to the Bedroom, I would not include the combo toilet/shower. As you said, it isn't for a larger person...I felt like needed to be greased up to get in and out. Since I mostly travel solo, a Roomette works fine, and the communal bathrooms and showers I've seen have all been clean. Even though I would be by myself, though, I'm giving serious consideration to booking two Roomettes, and as you suggest, using one as the day room and the other set up for sleeping the whole time. Thanks again for providing food for thought!
Thanks for the Real info video.
That upper berth reminds me of my USN shipboard racks. I remember my first night aboard, and assigned a top rack of 3 High. We were in the trough of Cape Hatteras, and I woke up to the sound of the props coming out of the water. I sat up and immediately slammed my head into a pipe that was routed across the rack. Definitely saw the stars!
Tks again for an excellent video.
I guess we were just lucky. I booked a roomette when I took my grandson from Chicago to Seattle. Only 4 of the roomettes in our car were booked so we pretty much had the option to move around as we pleased - and he loved being in the top bunk and able to see the stars at night. We spent much of our daytime in an observation car, so we had views from both sides there as well. And when another couple with a young boy were assigned a roomette in our car for part of the trip, the two boys had a great time being away from the adults in yet another empty roomette where they could play card games, etc.
We did the two roomettes thing on the Coast Starlight a few years ago and it was great! I don't like the connecting door between bedrooms, they always rattle and are very thin so sounds from your neighbor can be a bit of a distraction. The roomettes seem to be soundproofed better, in my experience.
I have booked two Roomettes across the hall but the problem is the lack of a bathroom and the need to get out of bed in the middle of the night. Also I don't like using public bathrooms in the age of Covid if I can avoid it. The toilets downstairs are extremely small. For claustrophobic people it's scary, especially as the lock could break (this happened to me on a bus once) trapping you in a coffin sized room. The Bedroom is fine for one person but admittedly not great for two due to the tight upper berth.
Two roomettes also means two power outlets!
When we book two roomettes across from each other and use one for our luggage and power strip during the day and use the other one to sit and eat... Neither of us can sleep as well in the upper bunk compared to the lower bunk...
Bring a power strip, it’s much cheaper than 2 roommettes.
Booking a bedroom for a long trip is always a wise choice, so I strongly recommend it.
Bedroom all the way! Worth every penny
Great idea booking two Roomettes. Prices for one bedroom have been astronomical lately! As I get “younger”, it’s becoming more challenging to climb that ladder to the upper berth!
Solo traveler here with roomette on the upper level traveling from WA to MI. Bathroom and showers are on the same level. Awesome trip. People across from me came over for views and I went to theirs for views also, worked out well. Here to FL next time (I'm an older traveler and have no problems at all.
This is really smart! And I agree... the 'public' shower is just fine - roomier and not overly busy.
Excellent points in this video! Definitely things to consider when making our future Amtrak sleeper bookings. Thank you! Your Amtrak videos are super helpful.
These are fantastic tips for making a multi-day Amtrak trip a wonderful and comfortable experience. PLUS you wind up getting twice the points of a single roomette! Question - Is there any disadvantage of one spouse booking both Roomettes, or should each spouse book their own Roomette?
Thanks for this tip. The hardest part of long train trips is not sleeping well, this will definitely help
After watching your videos multiple times l took my first trip from LA to Chicago and also planning to take other 3 trips as per your recommendation
Interesting concept, but we've never had enough points to consider more than a single roomette. Good tip about calling to reserve, instead of booking online. That's also a way to avoid being assigned to the lower level of a Superliner when you want the upper level (or vice versa).
Your advice is welcome. I’ve aways wanted to travel cross-country by train. It’s only as an adult that a passenger terminal is close enough to make such a trip feasible. Because I’m finding as I get older, the cattle call that is air travel is bothersome. My wife and I are both retired and I have some mobility issues with the larger airports such as Atlanta, Chicago, or JFK. So, every time we travel to visit our daughter and her medical resident husband-and the grandchildren-I check out the train. Hasn’t worked out yet, but I’m determined to make it happen.
I recommend the family bedroom on the lower level. It spans the width of the car, and has windows on both sides! Very spacious.
I booked a bedroom for the first time when I took the Southwest Chief last year with my fiancé after having done roomettes in the past. I was a bit disappointed. The bathroom takes up so much of the space, and the bathroom itself is too tight to comfortably use for anything. Also, the chair in the room was pretty uncomfortable when compared to the couch. With that said, I had a much easier time sleeping on the bottom berth since it’s wider than the roomette ones, and sleeping perpendicular to the train’s movement eliminated the issues I’ve had with being rolled around since I’m normally a side sleeper. The two Roomette approach is a clever idea.
They need to update the rooms, paying that much i wanna be comfortable
Yea that’s not worth it I’d rather stay in coach
Amtrak apparently will be rotating in more and more of the new sleeper cars.
They are updating the viewliners and they are comfy
I was shocked by the prices for train travel in general. I have always been fascinated with train travel. I priced out a trip to Michigan to visit my family and decided to just fly instead. While I would love the slower pace and sightseeing possibilities, the price (and time) do not justify train travel for me. Maybe one day I will do the train trip but getting somewhere in 8 hours as opposed to 55 hours (and the added costs) I'll just fly for now...
@@richardfowler3254 for coach?
I've taken Amtrak from Oakland to Chicago, and I totally used my bathroom and shower. I'm a big person and while it was tight, it was fine and such a luxury to have my own facilities.
What a awesome idea getting 2 roomates makes it a lot nicer !!
Roomettes, not roommates!
@@SteveHinch😅😅😅😅
Loved the tips to get two facing room-ettes instead of one shared rooms and especially knowing to book by phone to ensure roomettes are opposite. But laughed about the bathroom. A wet bath is standard for a smaller RV or boat. Don't compare it to the bathroom in your hotel or on a cruise ship. Compare it to no toilet or shower at all. ... TY for the informative presentation.
The Full Sized Bedrooms, on either Viewliners or Superliners, are indeed not such a great deal for most situations. People imagine that having their own private bathroom and shower, and having the "sofa", will make the experience better. What they get instead is a room with a tiny & awkward toilet where the floor seems to always be wet, less comfortable seats by the windows, a useless sofa they don't spend any time in, and no storage space for their (presumably) two suitcases (to clarify, the suitcases can make use of half of the sofa during the day, but at night there is ZERO floor space for luggage). When the lower bunk is folded out to be a bed, it is right up against the sink, making use of that sink very difficult, and blocking access to the aisle outside the room. A Bedroom is just the space of two Roomettes, with a miserable toilet and shower jammed into the same area. So, yes, for probably most situations, getting two Roomettes instead of a Bedroom makes a lot of sense.
As for the Viewliner I Roomettes, those seem to be getting renovated to NOT have the toilet and sink in them. I have personally been in a renovated Viewliner Roomette that still has the sink, but where the toilet was is now just a step to upper bunk. Just like the Bedrooms seeming better until one learns their many downsides, having a toilet jammed into what is already a very small Roomette is really a bad idea, and I think AMTRAK has come to the same conclusion. Just think about how much urine and fecal matter has made it onto the immediately adjacent seat upholstery and down onto the carpeting, and you won't want to go into an un-renovated Viewliner I Roomette.
As was pointed out in this view, it is really best to NOT have toilets in ANY of the Roomettes or Bedrooms; those should be the larger ones outside the sleeping rooms, which also have the advantages of being cleaned a few times a day and having non-absorbent flooring. And, yeah, for the small number of people in a given Sleeper car, one 'public' shower room per car is enough; no need to have them also in the Bedrooms.
How many people are you putting in the bedroom? Blocking access to the aisle? How? Do you sleep with your head near the door? Because if your feet are near the door you literally just sit up and you can get out of the room.
I was in a bedroom solo and it was awesome! The sofa was wonderful for sprawling out and watching movies on my laptop. I put my luggage in the luggage rack downstairs and brought up my essentials (toiletries, pjs, a change of clothes - packing cubes FTW, laptop and a notebook) in my backpack that sat in the extra seat across from the sofa.
I do feel that I wouldn't travel in a bedroom with someone I wasn't in a relationship with OR with a small child. But otherwise I thought it was awesome.
@@mstb2023 , you just cite your opinion, so it is worthless as a retort to my statements of fact. You also failed to understand most of what I wrote.
@@youtuuba a lot of your statements are opinions too.
@mstb2023 , yes but not in the areas where you disagreed.
Thank you guys for sharing you nice observations of the train rides. Yes, the long-haul trips to Los Angeles are what my Mother liked. And she would always pay for the Sleeper First Class cabins. I have to say that my Mother was 5'5" tall and average weight so, my Mother would always give her report about the cabin and service. She had no problems sitting in her cabin. She liked being by herself when traveling. I had tried manyvtimes to give my Mother my former airline employee pass but she did not want or liked to be waiting at the airport with flying on "employees space available pass" with hoping she wpuld get on!!Also, back then as well, I had asked my Father if he want to use my former passes he said no also!😊
Also, my Mother always liked to go up to the Observation Glass deck to watch the country side go by with her reading books that she would take. I am glad I have traveled a couple of times with her but I brought a separate First Class Sleeper cabin fir myself. Now for me, I am 6'2" and yes the shower was small for me but I made it work for me. But I am glad I had that bathroom was in my cabin. I, like my Mother, like my privacy when traveling. With the airlines I had used my points for Business Class before my airline career and afterwards to travel. I know what it was to travel in Economy and I had that experience for a while.😊
Yes, I hear you two about being together married and traveling. My Mother used to drive on summer vacation with the second marriage to my Step-Father. But they would drive to Ohio or to Arkansas many years before he passed back in the early 1990s. After that driving, Mother lived the trains to go places. My Mother did not marry again. After two husbands she said no more. Haha😊 And again, I am mot married. And I was and still am with great memories her first son!😊
Finally, I never had this idea years ago when I did travel with my Mother out to California from here in Chicago. I think my cabin and my Mother's cabin were on the right side. But we did meet in the dinning cabin of yes, upstairs in the Observation Glass Deck cabin. So, I will tell other older family members who like trains as well to do thus set up. Across from each other in future reservations!! Nice!!!😊 As I have continued to travel, I usually bring work to do and a book or two that I am finishing up yo read on the aircraft. 😂 Hahaha, yes, I am like my Mother like her a person who like his privacy.😊
We booked 2 roomettes across from one another when we had 2 kids with us as well. They were older kids--tween/young teen, and all of those plusses you mentioned worked for us, too. In our case, if someone needed an in-room bathroom, the extra person just walked across the hall and hung out there. It allowed us to have the kids together during the day, if they wanted to hang out together, but in a way where we could keep an eye and ear on them. And as you said, with views on both sides, we could keep changing up where people were sitting to see new things. Then at night, we could have one parent and one kid per roomette. The kids were still smaller than us back then (They're both taller than me these days. 😉 ), so they were happy to clamber up onto the top berths. 🙂
This sounds brilliant!
Something that I'm surprised they didn't mention is that by doing it this way, it seems that you could use the upper bunk for your belongings.
I'm from the UK, and the idea of permanent bedrooms on a train is mindblowing. Yes, there are sleeper cars with drop-down bunk beds, but there are no routes long enough to justify a permanent bedroom.
Can’t wait to see your videos on two roomettes ❤😊
I've done both and I prefer the bedroom. Definitely
If you think the sleeping area in that upper bunk is tight you should take a look at the berthing on small Navy ships. Imagine not being able to book an area with more room and living in that small space for 6-12 months. Good times!
My son was a submariner…… those are small and men sleep in shifts in same space.
We went on the Texas Eagle from LA to Chicago. I am 186cm tall and claustrophobic, we had no problems and loved the train.
Coach, bedroom or roomette?
@@chippierce1702 We had a bedroom.
Thanks for the video. My wife and I travel by train occasionally and this is super helpful. 😊
That’s great advice. One of my issues with the bedroom is the lack of space after the lower bed is made up. Trying to squeeze between the bed and sink to leave the room is impossible.
With this many objections I can’t believe you tried it again. We did the SW Chief. Coach on the way out and Roomet on the way back. We had a blast both ways. We can’t say enough good about it. I must admit I do prefer flying but Amtrak is a great second choice. We only took one shower each which was very sufficient.
We loved the experience this past thanksgiving. You all did a great job preparing us for our travel experience. The movement during sleep was an adjustment. However being able to lay down is the advantage vs the 17 hour + flights I have been on less relaxed. We are going to do these long train travel in the near future. Lastly the food was far better than we thought. Excellent service atmosphere and the view. Thank you both so very much.
We always ordered a roomette going from SF to Chicago. No shower to worry about. Would much rather have the space in our room. We must have always been lucky and had a nice big window right beside our lounge chairs with table.
This video is very valuable to me! Thanks!
We are selling our home in CO, and moving full time to our second home near Altoona PA - which is on The Pennsylvanian Amtrak line. I expect to do multiple train journeys in the next 5 years, and I appreciate your advice!
I agree that the upper bunks on Superliners don't have much headroom and feel cramped, but for a night or two I was ok with them and slept reasonably well. But if you're claustrophic or shall we say not exactly a marathon runner, don't even think about it. I also didn't mind the bedroom bathroom size, but it was just me and this was back when they were fairly new, years ago. Not having to leave your room to use the bathroom in the middle of the night is a big plus. The access bedroom also has a bathroom by the way.
You guys are awesome ❤
The top bunk has more room than the "coffin rack" than I slept in in the Navy.
Of course, I'm also bigger than I was back then.
I agree... But I am also much bigger now too...
Exactly what I was thinking!
I was wondering how the Amtrak rack compared to our old coffin racks. Now I know, thanks shipmate!
I agree totally, thank you guys.. I moved to Nashville Tennessee from Fullerton California hoping Amtrak will come here so I can ride again.
What's with Nashville? No train to Atlanta? A 27 hour trip to Memphis via bus and train with a 6 hour Chicago layover. Sad. Maybe don't hold you breath waiting for Amtrak service.
YES...Looks we'll finally get a Memphis to Nashville route! Couldn't believe there wasn't one before!
@@deb7518Oh really? When perhaps?
11:00 you guys have a great way of addressing everything...great point of the bright hallway lights and door rattling
Back in the mid-1990's I booked a bedroom for myself on the Sunset Limited when it went all the way from South Florida to LA. I left from Ft. Lauderdale. Loved the spaciousness of the bedroom and the convenience of having your own bathroom. Of course I slept in the bottom bed which was also very comfortable. I was a smaller person back then and the bathroom size was fine. In January, 2023 my partner and I took the California Zephyr from Chicago to Emeryville. Booked the bedroom again. I had to use the top bunk which was not comfortable at all. And now that I was bigger than I was in the mid-1990's, the bathroom was uncomfortable just using the toilet, let alone when I had to use the shower. Until Amtrak introduces updated sleeping cars, we will never book the bedroom again. Booking two roomettes across from one another sounds like a good idea. However, my partner does like to use public toilets on the train which is the main reason why we booked the bedroom on the Zephyr.
I recently did the Boston to Denver (layover and change trains in Chicago) round trip. Since I was traveling alone, the roomette was perfect.
Awesome Idea, I hope to soon be traveling with my Grandson and this sounds like a splendid idea. Thanks for all your Videos and info . I enjoy watching them.
Great idea. And when the top bunk is empty, you can put your stuff onto it, like I did when I was staying in a hostel in Israel. I have never had such a train ride though.
Good idea on two roomettes. Thx!
I booked an Amtrak bed compartment from Portland Oregon to Miami Florida and just loved it.
My adult son uses a scooter. We rode from Philly to Orlando and were able to get a handicap accessible room. They actually called the bathroom the garage because it was large enough to store the scooter at night. It was a wonderful trip.
We ended up with that room for our LA to San Antonio trip for hubby with limited mobility (also used a scooter to get around). I was disappointed that the room was essentially a roomette with lots of floor space and a toilet in the corner. I ended up storing his scooter and our luggage on the top bunk and my fat butt slept on the floor with the mattress from said bunk for most of the trip.
@@JLinder1379 I’m really sorry. I guess different trains don’t have same layouts. Yours sounded uncomfortable.
Haven’t been on a train since I was a kid but I enjoy your videos… reminds me of my parents. RIP mom and dad. (I’ve traveled across the country by train a few times). We were a summer RV family and would often take the train to meet up with the RV.
This is a novel approach for sure! Don’t know if it would work as well for us as we’re tall and lean; the bathroom/shower in the bedroom works well enough for us and we bump knees when facing each other in a roomette. (This is a length vs. girth issue 😁)
You two are so easy to listen to & learn from!! Can't wait to check out your daughter's channel, too!! Blessings! 😊🙏
Love you guys, enjoying all your journeys. hugs
What a brilliant idea 2 roomettes. Thank you for sharing.
Good thing I travel by myself, as I have a bedroom booked on the Auto Train come September.
😮😊❤Thank you both so much for posting this information. I am in my 70s and have never been on the train. I'm thinking 💭 of taking a ride somewhere one day. Blessings to you both.