I have traveled Amtrak many times. Even though the bedroom is quite a bit more expensive than a roomette, I like the extra space and privacy. The in room bathroom is well worth the extra money.
You get the same privacy in the roomettes as well, they are also completely closed. The problem really is the space and honestly it's mostly when the beds are made, we found the space sufficient during the day when the seats are up.
Thank you for the video. We are traveling on Saturday and after seeing the roomette, we changed to a bedroom with a private bath...appreciate the tour!
Thanks for the tour. I'd be sure to carry a can of lysol spray for the public shower along with slippers. You look a little annoyed during the roomette portion. Personally, I'd choose the train over a plane any day of the week no matter what the amenities include. The ability to walk around, extend your legs, etc is absolutely priceless.
The ability to take your mask off, post-pandemic, in the privacy of the sleeper is worth the price, rather than having to wear one for the countless hours in the airport and on a plane.
@@chrissypacheco9635 if you have the extra money for a roomette, yes. Trains can be unreliable as far as being on time and will be a longer trip than a plane, but there's no carry on restrictions so you can bring all the baby gear you need, you'll have privacy and no cabin pressure issues on the young ears.
@@PaulMcCannWebBuilder Thanks. Im stuck on taking a 3 hrs flight and getting the travel done quickly or a 50+ HR train ride with a crawling 9 month old. Ugh. But thanks so much! 😊
You’ll have to do various sets of planks and certain yoga stretches to stay nimble since there’s not really anything aerobic that can be done for 2-3 nights on the train.
I don’t think Amtrak makes much of a profit on these trains and I read their eliminating them soon. I guess it’s for the train lovers who will deal with the inconveniences and subpar rooms for the train experience.
The shower floors on this train look gross. I like traveling in the roomettes.... note that Amtrak has downgraded the meals, used to be great now it's just microwaved items.
I did hear that the meals are not served hot anymore. This was at the beginning of 2020 before COVID was wide know problem so service is slightly different.
@@ChrisFlaten Service post-pandemic is more than slightly different. No food service on my trip due to staff or other issues on LakeShore Limited December 2020. They even had trouble providing coffee for sleeper passengers. Food on that line was downgraded before the pandemic, at least sometime before December 2019.
The bedrooms are twice as much as the roomettes, but worth it if you need the bathroom at 3am, and/or don't like waiting for an available public shower (with a dirty floor). If I had to travel these days, and the train was an option (they don't go everywhere) I'd spring for the bedroom...and have my meals in room.
American trains have showers?!?! And you can even get a real stateroom with a private toilet and shower, just like a ship?!?! The styling looks a bit dated, butI'm impressed!!!
These long-distance sleeper trains are not especially profitable, so Amtrak hopes to reduce or eliminate them eventually. Most of them have done away with their kitchens and serve only prepackaged foods, and I'm sure this will happen with the Empire Builder in the future. If you want a travel experience like this one you'd best do it soon!
This is true only of routes East of the Mississippi as Western long-distance trains are actually profitable. The dining cars are already back to pre-covid service.
This video is great! This is the best Amtrak Video I have seen, and I have been trying to find a good one for 3 years. I have been on 2 overnight train trips in years. Good job!
You haven't looked hard enough. There are tons of these and are a bore because they've been done to death and there are no changes except food service. The others go slower and give you time to view. "Self-explanatory" doesn't help when you can't see it.
Yea the shots got a little tossed around as the train was moving and made worse by needing to use a wide angle lens because it was so tight meaning the gimbal didn't really work, but still posted it as it answered most of the questions I had before I was going that other videos didn't cover and it is relevant to other trains as well. I tired to get through everything quickly as, someone could pause the video if they wanted to look at it more. I hate sitting through long video when doing research.
He looks soooo distressed as he points out the smaller roomette, affording only a little more satisfied smile in the larger room. Nice looking fellow, but only when he relaxes. Note: Our roomette was decent, food nice, showers nice, all clean and tidy for us. JDB
It's not dirty, it's worn. They are pretty good about cleaning it. The finish has just come off because the superliners are old as shit and haven't even been refurbished in a long time.
@@ellisjames7192 It's permanently stained. No amount of cleaning will get that out. The superliners haven't had a refresh since the 2000s. Just because it's stained doesn't mean it's unhygenic though -- they do clean and disinfect. Many car attendants leave the can of disinfectant in the shower room for guests who want to spray it on themselves just for peace of mind.
This is actually the sleeper dorms for all Amtrak Western long distance. And if you book a bedroom, you are NOT guaranteed a spot on the right, they are switched.
Thank you, well done! And I like that you chose the roomette over the more expensive bedroom. That made it a review for cost conscious people and not some elitist got to have the best type attitude. Thank you again!
Have taken countless trips on Amtrak, usually what they used to call the "Deluxe Room" instead of the roomette. I don't want to put the "kabash" on anything here but, at times the smell from the septic tank from the lower level bathrooms when staying in the "Deluxe Room" upstairs (which has its own bathroom w/ toilet) will come back up, and yes...you can smell it. So having your own bathroom is indeed cool but keep in mind it is connected to the public toilets downstairs via septic tank and one you notice the smell in your room you can't "un-smell it". You'll dream of taking a shower the moment you get off the train.
Several years ago traveled on the Empire Builder from Denver to San Francisco. We booked a roomett which was comfortable but outdated. The outdoors view was wonderful and worth the trip. I would recommend to fly to Reno and take the train to San Francisco avoiding overnight on the train. If you don’t want to drive, take the train.
So much better than the videos where they babble on endlessly making it a 30 minute tour of a TINY train room. This you can slow down or pause if you can't keep up, grandpa ;) 😛
That's exactly what I thought.right when I'm about to look at something he swings the camera.u would think jj abrams directed the video.hes known for shaky cams in movies
I have traveled, on older equipment, overnight with comfort as a coach passenger. Very inexpensive. Good room at the end made up for what little uncomfort I had on the train. I am up often at night even at home. So no difference to me.
Great video young man👍👍, I was always trying to figure out the options available on Amtrak, I have watched several (shall we say lengthy) TH-cam videos trying to get an idea. Your video was the best by far, it was concise, quick, and to the point. You also made great points for the roomette 👍👍 Thanks!!
Have taken the Empire Builder twice with a roomers, once solo, once with another person; perfectly comfortable but I think I will get a room next time - I am 20 years older and want more space and ribs you.
Prices change, but right now you can go from Chicago to Seattle for $525 for one person or $772 for two in a roommate or the Bedroom is $1486 or $1731 for two people. Everything is included in both of them, so there is no additional cost on food, but because of COVID they are not serving hot meals.
No, but theft in sleeper cars is extremely rare. The attendants are always around and there’s nowhere to hide. There are few passengers per car and there are cameras around.
Looking at these young thin people... Amtrak hasn’t gotten the message that Americans are heavier, wider. I got claustrophobic just looking at the video.
Loved everything on the ride except that train goes full speed at night as well shaking quite a bit making it hard to get much sleep and with losing two nights of sleep makes you quite tired when you get to your destination.
@@atlladyleo1 geesh it's not bad, likely just stain it has built up over the years. if you're really concerned, in addition to wearing shower shoes, just bring a small bottle of bleach or some sort of heavy disinfectant and spray it down yourself before you use it. come on this is a first world country not a third world issue
These are sleeper trains they are not supposed to be Marriotts or even Holiday Inns. In countries like India trains play a vital role in transporting people and their conditions would make Amtrak look world class. Americans can be spoiled. It’s more for the train experience and the nostalgia inasmuch as sleeper trains were popular in the early 20th century and prior.
I have been in a roomette and think it is just fine. One thing to remember is that the bedroom has you sleeping perpendicular to the tracks while you are sleeping parallel to the tracks in a roomette. Many people in a bedroom complain that-as the car pitches from side-to-side, they feel as if they are on a ship on the ocean with their head & feet going up & down as opposed to being rocked side-to-side in a roomette........
Yea the shots got a little tossed around as the train was moving and made worse by needing to use a wide angle lens because it was so tight meaning the gimbal didn't really work, but still posted it as it answered most of the questions I had before I was going that other videos didn't cover and it is relevant to other trains as well. I tired to get through everything quickly as, someone could pause the video if they wanted to look at it more. I hate sitting through long video when doing research.
When you leave your private room/roomette, can you lock your things in the space? I'm thinking of going alone soon, but I'm worried that if I leave to use the restroom someone can go thru my things OR be in my room at all.
There is no way to lock the room from the outside, but the attendant was always around and knew us by name and always said hi. So it made us feel comfortable to leave our stuff, even expensive camera gear and computers in the room.
@@ChrisFlaten Yup. Over in the sleeper section you don't run into many of the type of people who would be stealing stuff anyway. First of all just getting a roomette costs $150-$300 extra over the cost of a coach ticket, with no guarantee that there's anything to steal. Second, if it's known that a thief is on board, they're trapped on the train until the next stop -- and it has to be a stop you have transportation from, so the window of opportunity for a potential thief to steal and exit the train before the theft is potentially noticed is very short. I've heard of stuff getting stolen in coach occasionally, but never from a sleeper room. That said, I wouldn't tempt fate by leaving all my stuff out and visible. When I leave my room I always stow any valuables and close the curtains (that way any potential thief a) doesn't know it's worth going in and searching, b) doesn't know if the room is occupied or not)
If you want to lock your room, you'll have to go to Europe. In the U.S., passenger train travel is still in the dark ages, featuring the latest 1970s-1990s technology & design.
@@NozomuYume I ended up doing business class and loved it. I felt safe as the employees were around constantly. I went from LA to Seattle alone. I noticed coach was mainly homeless people getting on taking trips from state to state. So I think I would've stressed out my entire trip trying to sleep in that car. NO judgment (I equally don't trust anyone lol, no matter their living situation) but especially as a young woman traveling solo, trying to watch after my belongings.. I would've worried about different people in that car getting on or off constantly. Many of the people in coach also had their bare feet out into the aisles, no masks, etc. (I'm pretty sure the employees got sick of asking them to keep masks on). Oh, AND an employee even yelled at a homeless man that had got on, tried to sit in business with a coach ticket, and he kept pacing from coach to business. Coach was drastically different than business in my opinion. I'd definitely recommend to anyone doing the same long trip alone to book business since they were less crowded and had more room to lay down & felt safe to leave my bags. (Or get a sleeper if you have the $$).
@@marissag.1226 You've basically hit on the only benefit of Business Class on the Coast Starlight. The seats are leather but aren't any roomier than coach. The drink credit is not really worth much, etc. The Starlight is the only long-distance Amtrak train with a business class. Business class on regional Amtrak trains usually has a better seat with more legroom, but on the long distance trains the coach seats are already huge. Thus they don't usually have a business class. On the Starlight the business class is mostly there for what you experienced -- to keep riffraff out. You pay more for what is mostly the same physical product. That said coach usually isn't *that* bad, I think the COVID situation has made it worse (most people aren't traveling, but the crazies still get on).
I go on amtrak every year and get the rommette your suitcase will be staying down stairs but if there is a extra bag you can try to fit t in the closet if not then you can put it on the steps
I will pass on AMTRAK. COVID reduced service but still full price and the food sucks; now you get microwave tv dinners. Not very classy, just as cheezy as flying coach-cost more and poor service (covid).
Yeah thumbs down on the new food. I really hope they bring the old food back when this is all over. That said, it's still the most comfortable way to travel because you get a level of privacy and space that you can't get on airplanes (other than those $20,000 suites on Etihad/Emirates). I can't stand flying coach. On long flights it's hours stuck crushed up like a pretzel, and on short flights the crush might be bearable but you're spending hours dealing with airport crap for a 60 minute flight. I'll switch to flying when they can put an airport in town instead of many miles away (rare exceptions like Chicago Midway exist, I know), put a bar and lounge in the airplane, give me enough space to lie down flat, the privacy to be naked if I feel like it, and don't charge me $20k for the privilege. When I'm forced to fly for time reasons I bite the bullet and pay for business class and it still kind of sucks.
My wife and I took the empire builder from Portland to Chicago, and didn't buy any sleeper cars. It was comfortable enough, more roomy than a plane. But next time we are surely getting a sleeper car.
I took the empire builder from Minneapolis to Seattle in 1972--it left from the old Mpls depot. It was a 38 hour trip and it was awful. I hated it-- the trains were so old and dirty and the food was not good.
I should have taken a dramamine before watching. The camera action made me really dizzy. I thought the roomettes had a toilet hidden under the first step and a fold-out sink.
There's a few places to put your luggage, first and foremost is in your cabin or room there is a few places a place it. Since most of the stuff you're gonna be bringing is bigger there is extra room on first floor of the sleeper cars just before you head up the stairs that you can put some of your luggage. But keep in mind this is a shared spot for everyone, so be mindful of what you put there. The last one is for large items and things you know you're not gonna need for the trip you can always check, basically meaning it'll go in the bag car at the front of the train.
This is a Superliner I built in the 1970's. They were refurbished in the early-mid 2000's, and are actually nicer than the Superliner IIs from the 1990's that are REALLY showing their age now.
Yes, most of the train is outdate, I would agree, maybe more than one outlet would be nice change. But in the end the trip is about the scenery not the train amenities, it was a pretty smooth ride.
The bedrooms have definitely gone up in price in the last several years, there's always the roomette that's slightly cheaper but those are still pricey compared to a plane ticket for the same place. You can look at the annual pass, that might help bring down some of the cost.
Thanks for showing both rooms but what room did you guys end up traveling in? i heard at the end that you said "we both slept on the bottom bunk". Was that in the roomette or the bedroom? Thanks
Traveling by train on Amtrak in 1st class is great for those who're not in a hurry or bore easily, don't mind sleeping & maneuvering in tight spaces, looking at outdated & worn out upholstery & equipment, paying about as much as a 1st class plane ticket, maybe more, no WiFi or cell service in certain remote areas. It's more of a relaxed mode of travel where you can see scenic areas cars don't travel. You meet & actually talk with folks who aren't on edge & they're friendly, you're not driving a car, & you can really unwind. All trains are non-smoking & smoke stops could take hours. Long distance train travel is not for everyone & a room can be very pricey. Those traveling in coach overnight find it incredibly comfortable & affordable, but cars can be noisy, even at night with folks coming & going or babies crying. Some are forced to sit with people they don't know when trains are heavily booked in coach class. Paying for the privacy & quiet of a room makes a train trip worthwhile & memorable. And all meals are included in the price of a 1st class ticket.
@@whiplashfatigue1430 Yup, none of the sleeper routes west of Chicago/New Orleans have Viewliners. Basically any train that has to go into the old tunnels in New York/Baltimore can't use the big Superliners, so the only eastern U.S. sleeper trains that use Superliners are the Capitol Limited and the Autotrain since neither of those go to New York.
Believe there is one bedroom on the lower level; some call it the handicap room. Advantage: It runs the "full width of the car" and you can see out both sides with the room door closed. Disadvantage: Limited availability as it is first reserved for the handicap and being on the lower level there may or may not be slightly more noise when the Superliner II car goes through the "frog" of a turnout (layman's term: switch) or the small gap of a crossing track at a junction.
Right now you can do from Chicago to Seattle for 525 for one person or 772 for two in a roommate which is about the same as we paid. the Bedroom is $1486 or $1731 for two people. Everything is included in both of them, so there is no additional cost on food.
You BOTH slept in the lower bunk of a roomette? I would think the only couple who could do that would be Ant-Man and the Wasp! Or did you mean you took turns?
@@ChrisFlaten Did you sleep next to each other's feet Charlie Bucket's grandparents style? The roomette bunks have single-sized mattresses. (Bedroom has twin-sized lower bunk, single-sized upper).
I have traveled Amtrak many times. Even though the bedroom is quite a bit more expensive than a roomette, I like the extra space and privacy. The in room bathroom is well worth the extra money.
shower also that public shower floor not my idea of germ free.
You get the same privacy in the roomettes as well, they are also completely closed. The problem really is the space and honestly it's mostly when the beds are made, we found the space sufficient during the day when the seats are up.
I have done the same from Minot to Seattle. I would not do anything other than the full bedroom. The privacy to me is about private shower and toilet.
@@danielueblacker9118 just a heads up 2 years later, wear shower shoes in any public shower.
Always take flip-flops/shower shoes. Always.
Excellent suggestion, as that is something people probably wouldn’t even think of doing!
Yes, I noticed right away that shower floor did not look so good.
I was thinking the same thing, the bottom of those showers look nasty.
I guess crocs do have a reason to exist 🤘🏼🤷🏼♀️
Right??!! 😁😁 The first thing I thought of was to pack a Mr eraser sponge in my luggage 😂😂
FYI...
Always wear flip flops in ANY public shower!
that shower floor made me almost hurl.
...and don’t forget your Lysol spray, gross shower pan!
I was thinking it needed a bleach bomb! Gross! Even the walls in that bedroom around the closet door handles made me gag.🤢
Thank you for the video. We are traveling on Saturday and after seeing the roomette, we changed to a bedroom with a private bath...appreciate the tour!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for the tour. I'd be sure to carry a can of lysol spray for the public shower along with slippers. You look a little annoyed during the roomette portion. Personally, I'd choose the train over a plane any day of the week no matter what the amenities include. The ability to walk around, extend your legs, etc is absolutely priceless.
The ability to take your mask off, post-pandemic, in the privacy of the sleeper is worth the price, rather than having to wear one for the countless hours in the airport and on a plane.
Would you recommend train over plane if travelling with a baby?
@@chrissypacheco9635 if you have the extra money for a roomette, yes. Trains can be unreliable as far as being on time and will be a longer trip than a plane, but there's no carry on restrictions so you can bring all the baby gear you need, you'll have privacy and no cabin pressure issues on the young ears.
@@PaulMcCannWebBuilder Thanks. Im stuck on taking a 3 hrs flight and getting the travel done quickly or a 50+ HR train ride with a crawling 9 month old. Ugh. But thanks so much! 😊
You’ll have to do various sets of planks and certain yoga stretches to stay nimble since there’s not really anything aerobic that can be done for 2-3 nights on the train.
2:40 OMG! The floor of that shower stall is totally gross.
ikr and they wanna expensive prices for that?
I don’t think Amtrak makes much of a profit on these trains and I read their eliminating them soon. I guess it’s for the train lovers who will deal with the inconveniences and subpar rooms for the train experience.
This makes me want to take a trip on amtrak. What an awesome little room. I had no idea they came with the little bathrooms. That's so neat!
Treat the train trip as a vacation in itself , always stop at a discount store before your trip , to load up on food and snacks .
The shower floors on this train look gross. I like traveling in the roomettes.... note that Amtrak has downgraded the meals, used to be great now it's just microwaved items.
I did hear that the meals are not served hot anymore. This was at the beginning of 2020 before COVID was wide know problem so service is slightly different.
@@ChrisFlaten Service post-pandemic is more than slightly different. No food service on my trip due to staff or other issues on LakeShore Limited December 2020. They even had trouble providing coffee for sleeper passengers.
Food on that line was downgraded before the pandemic, at least sometime before December 2019.
Having taken Amtrak a few times, I recommend bringing your own food (non-perishable).
@@belle16117 If I bring microwaveable items (such as soup or chili) are there microwaves available for me to use?
I thought the food looked microwaved.
The bedrooms are twice as much as the roomettes, but worth it if you need the bathroom at 3am, and/or don't like waiting for an available public shower (with a dirty floor). If I had to travel these days, and the train was an option (they don't go everywhere) I'd spring for the bedroom...and have my meals in room.
For the price of a bedroom I could fly first class and get there quicker.
To be fair, that floor isn’t dirty. It’s just weathered paint/glazed. They are cleaned, constantly, while in service and in between.
To me this seems like a safer option than an airplane and their larger crowds thus far with covid.
Amtrak doesn't depart in Minneapolis. The other Twin City of Saint Paul is where the depot is located.
American trains have showers?!?! And you can even get a real stateroom with a private toilet and shower, just like a ship?!?! The styling looks a bit dated, butI'm impressed!!!
Yep! It is dated for sure, but it functions well. it's not quite as big as a ship state room, but there is plenty of room for two people and luggage.
Dated ? Not the Ritz,. Still great
Dated but still looks modern
good review, but a little advise, it appeared you were in a hurry as eh camera was moving fast and shaky.. Slow it down as you might get people sick..
These long-distance sleeper trains are not especially profitable, so Amtrak hopes to reduce or eliminate them eventually. Most of them have done away with their kitchens and serve only prepackaged foods, and I'm sure this will happen with the Empire Builder in the future. If you want a travel experience like this one you'd best do it soon!
😢 that's too bad to hear... I better get moving then. I want to do Philly or NY to Orlando in a roomette!
This is true only of routes East of the Mississippi as Western long-distance trains are actually profitable. The dining cars are already back to pre-covid service.
@@afcgeo882 That's good news! Perhaps last year's reports created some feedback.
@@Bobrogers99 No… those were the original plans as the CEO presented them.
This video is great! This is the best Amtrak Video I have seen, and I have been trying to find a good one for 3 years. I have been on 2 overnight train trips in years. Good job!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You haven't looked hard enough. There are tons of these and are a bore because they've been done to death and there are no changes except food service. The others go slower and give you time to view. "Self-explanatory" doesn't help when you can't see it.
Where's your Wide Angle Room Shots?
Good info but your shots are too jerky. Slow down a little bit. You are not Casey Neistat you know..
Yea the shots got a little tossed around as the train was moving and made worse by needing to use a wide angle lens because it was so tight meaning the gimbal didn't really work, but still posted it as it answered most of the questions I had before I was going that other videos didn't cover and it is relevant to other trains as well. I tired to get through everything quickly as, someone could pause the video if they wanted to look at it more. I hate sitting through long video when doing research.
He looks soooo distressed as he points out the smaller roomette, affording only a little more satisfied smile in the larger room. Nice looking fellow, but only when he relaxes. Note: Our roomette was decent, food nice, showers nice, all clean and tidy for us. JDB
Make sure you microphone is in place. So much of this video I couldn't hear.
You are flipping the camera around so quickly I am getting dizzy and ... what's the point of making the video if the viewers can't see.
Millennials, camera needs to see the face, jump cuts etc
thanks for this. am planning a trip from whitefish to seattle just this very second.
I bet a lot of great authors ,film directors rode trains..if you agree,like below..
The communal bathroom shower floor is filthy.
It's not dirty, it's worn. They are pretty good about cleaning it. The finish has just come off because the superliners are old as shit and haven't even been refurbished in a long time.
Means people have getting in there with very dirty feet. Just imagine what lurks there.
@@NozomuYume That looked like dirt to me.
@@ellisjames7192 It's permanently stained. No amount of cleaning will get that out. The superliners haven't had a refresh since the 2000s. Just because it's stained doesn't mean it's unhygenic though -- they do clean and disinfect. Many car attendants leave the can of disinfectant in the shower room for guests who want to spray it on themselves just for peace of mind.
This is actually the sleeper dorms for all Amtrak Western long distance.
And if you book a bedroom, you are NOT guaranteed a spot on the right, they are switched.
IF you go back aboard, could you the the ADA room? That's what we will need. THANK YOU.
Thank you, well done!
And I like that you chose the roomette over the more expensive bedroom. That made it a review for cost conscious people and not some elitist got to have the best type attitude.
Thank you again!
Have taken countless trips on Amtrak, usually what they used to call the "Deluxe Room" instead of the roomette. I don't want to put the "kabash" on anything here but, at times the smell from the septic tank from the lower level bathrooms when staying in the "Deluxe Room" upstairs (which has its own bathroom w/ toilet) will come back up, and yes...you can smell it. So having your own bathroom is indeed cool but keep in mind it is connected to the public toilets downstairs via septic tank and one you notice the smell in your room you can't "un-smell it". You'll dream of taking a shower the moment you get off the train.
Oof. That's definitely good to know. Thanks.
Several years ago traveled on the Empire Builder from Denver to San Francisco. We booked a roomett which was comfortable but outdated. The outdoors view was wonderful and worth the trip. I would recommend to fly to Reno and take the train to San Francisco avoiding overnight on the train. If you don’t want to drive, take the train.
That's the California Zephyr. Empire Builder is Chicago to Seattle/Portland.
~ The communal shower ... _NO thanks !_ A big perk of the bedroom is a private shower 🚿
The private shower was dirty too!
@@ellisjames7192 - Oh _NO ..!_ 😨
Wear shower shoes in any public shower
That shower floor looks nasty as hell. Ewww!
Joe was nice I want to put this on my bucket list looks like it will be a fun trip to
He’s pushing the bedroom not roomette he smiles on bedroom display and is gloomy on roomette
You know someone has clapped someones cheeks in that roomette
Dude you're showing things for literally a fraction of a second. Completely useless
So much better than the videos where they babble on endlessly making it a 30 minute tour of a TINY train room. This you can slow down or pause if you can't keep up, grandpa ;) 😛
Plus he rarely smiles. I recommend he add substitution rather than showing him.
That's exactly what I thought.right when I'm about to look at something he swings the camera.u would think jj abrams directed the video.hes known for shaky cams in movies
@@LuanNguyen-pc8yw What?? I appreciated this video and I'm not sure why he needs a fake smile.
I like quick videos ..to the point ....well doned
Great video!
Thumbs up!
Many greetings
Thomas🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
Best way to travel....never slept so well.....bottle of Pinch Bottle helped
I have traveled, on older equipment, overnight with comfort as a coach passenger. Very inexpensive. Good room at the end made up for what little uncomfort I had on the train. I am up often at night even at home. So no difference to me.
to fast too much camera movement, slow down brother...
I Can take a crap while washing my hair. Outstanding!
Go to japan their trains make Amtrak look like junk
I'll bet they do!!
I tried to go from NYC to Tokyo, but Amtrak does not have any trains that go that route_____________________________
Great video young man👍👍, I was always trying to figure out the options available on Amtrak, I have watched several (shall we say lengthy) TH-cam videos trying to get an idea. Your video was the best by far, it was concise, quick, and to the point. You also made great points for the roomette 👍👍 Thanks!!
Glad it was helpful!
Bedroom option every time. Private bathroom and shower. Much more space too.
The Bedroom is a great option and it's really not that much more.
Have taken the Empire Builder twice with a roomers, once solo, once with another person; perfectly comfortable but I think I will get a room next time - I am 20 years older and want more space and ribs you.
Would have loved knowing the price difference.
Prices change, but right now you can go from Chicago to Seattle for $525 for one person or $772 for two in a roommate or the Bedroom is $1486 or $1731 for two people. Everything is included in both of them, so there is no additional cost on food, but because of COVID they are not serving hot meals.
@@ChrisFlaten thank you.
@@ChrisFlaten What are they serving, cold sandwiches? You are still paying for the meals. Nothing is free.
i wanna know why roomettes have more closet space then the regular room
They do not.
Thank you for sharing!
Is there any way to lock your room/roomette, from the outside, when you are leaving your room? If not, anyone could easily steal items from your room.
no.
No, but theft in sleeper cars is extremely rare. The attendants are always around and there’s nowhere to hide. There are few passengers per car and there are cameras around.
Now I want French toast and Bacon
Good train video albeit short. Hope you do another!~
Are they still serving tv dinners instead of real food?
I'm not sure, this was in March of 2020, so we had full food service.
@@ChrisFlaten ok thanks
On some train the runs from the West from Chicago have real food cooked on the train only for sleeper passengers as of now.
@@chrisdobrowolski2783 ok thank you
@@pepinocabron Your Welcome.
Fun! Obviously, not if you are in a hurry, but what a great way to travel.
Looking at these young thin people... Amtrak hasn’t gotten the message that Americans are heavier, wider. I got claustrophobic just looking at the video.
Two fat people could not do it.
He furrows his brow so much. Is he stressed 😩 or in pain ?
Loved everything on the ride except that train goes full speed at night as well shaking quite a bit making it hard to get much sleep and with losing two nights of sleep makes you quite tired when you get to your destination.
I actually think the rocking and noise of the train can be soothing and help me sleep similar to how the sound of rain and thunder does.
@@analogkid4957 I agree with you, that would help me sleep!
For less movement reserve a room on the lower floor.
@@afcgeo882 That's what we do actually, we get a roomette on the lower floors.
Pretty decent! First floor shower floor was FILTHY.
So was the toilet area floor in the bedroom...and they expect you to shower in there???! Yikes on trikes!😬😬
@@atlladyleo1 geesh it's not bad, likely just stain it has built up over the years. if you're really concerned, in addition to wearing shower shoes, just bring a small bottle of bleach or some sort of heavy disinfectant and spray it down yourself before you use it. come on this is a first world country not a third world issue
These are sleeper trains they are not supposed to be Marriotts or even Holiday Inns. In countries like India trains play a vital role in transporting people and their conditions would make Amtrak look world class. Americans can be spoiled. It’s more for the train experience and the nostalgia inasmuch as sleeper trains were popular in the early 20th century and prior.
It’s not filthy. It’s worn out, in need of paint.
A poorly made video
I have been in a roomette and think it is just fine. One thing to remember is that the bedroom has you sleeping perpendicular to the tracks while you are sleeping parallel to the tracks in a roomette. Many people in a bedroom complain that-as the car pitches from side-to-side, they feel as if they are on a ship on the ocean with their head & feet going up & down as opposed to being rocked side-to-side in a roomette........
Please , prepare better, cool down, and buy a stabilizer, or follow a training how to position and how to keep your camera positioned.
Yea the shots got a little tossed around as the train was moving and made worse by needing to use a wide angle lens because it was so tight meaning the gimbal didn't really work, but still posted it as it answered most of the questions I had before I was going that other videos didn't cover and it is relevant to other trains as well. I tired to get through everything quickly as, someone could pause the video if they wanted to look at it more. I hate sitting through long video when doing research.
When you leave your private room/roomette, can you lock your things in the space? I'm thinking of going alone soon, but I'm worried that if I leave to use the restroom someone can go thru my things OR be in my room at all.
There is no way to lock the room from the outside, but the attendant was always around and knew us by name and always said hi. So it made us feel comfortable to leave our stuff, even expensive camera gear and computers in the room.
@@ChrisFlaten Yup. Over in the sleeper section you don't run into many of the type of people who would be stealing stuff anyway. First of all just getting a roomette costs $150-$300 extra over the cost of a coach ticket, with no guarantee that there's anything to steal. Second, if it's known that a thief is on board, they're trapped on the train until the next stop -- and it has to be a stop you have transportation from, so the window of opportunity for a potential thief to steal and exit the train before the theft is potentially noticed is very short.
I've heard of stuff getting stolen in coach occasionally, but never from a sleeper room.
That said, I wouldn't tempt fate by leaving all my stuff out and visible. When I leave my room I always stow any valuables and close the curtains (that way any potential thief a) doesn't know it's worth going in and searching, b) doesn't know if the room is occupied or not)
If you want to lock your room, you'll have to go to Europe. In the U.S., passenger train travel is still in the dark ages, featuring the latest 1970s-1990s technology & design.
@@NozomuYume I ended up doing business class and loved it. I felt safe as the employees were around constantly. I went from LA to Seattle alone.
I noticed coach was mainly homeless people getting on taking trips from state to state. So I think I would've stressed out my entire trip trying to sleep in that car. NO judgment (I equally don't trust anyone lol, no matter their living situation) but especially as a young woman traveling solo, trying to watch after my belongings.. I would've worried about different people in that car getting on or off constantly.
Many of the people in coach also had their bare feet out into the aisles, no masks, etc. (I'm pretty sure the employees got sick of asking them to keep masks on). Oh, AND an employee even yelled at a homeless man that had got on, tried to sit in business with a coach ticket, and he kept pacing from coach to business. Coach was drastically different than business in my opinion.
I'd definitely recommend to anyone doing the same long trip alone to book business since they were less crowded and had more room to lay down & felt safe to leave my bags. (Or get a sleeper if you have the $$).
@@marissag.1226 You've basically hit on the only benefit of Business Class on the Coast Starlight. The seats are leather but aren't any roomier than coach. The drink credit is not really worth much, etc. The Starlight is the only long-distance Amtrak train with a business class. Business class on regional Amtrak trains usually has a better seat with more legroom, but on the long distance trains the coach seats are already huge. Thus they don't usually have a business class.
On the Starlight the business class is mostly there for what you experienced -- to keep riffraff out. You pay more for what is mostly the same physical product.
That said coach usually isn't *that* bad, I think the COVID situation has made it worse (most people aren't traveling, but the crazies still get on).
If I have a roommette, is there an area I could stash my luggage in so it’s not taking up space?
I go on amtrak every year and get the rommette your suitcase will be staying down stairs but if there is a extra bag you can try to fit t in the closet if not then you can put it on the steps
@@pinkbibbleslay Awesome! Thank you!
slow down,man, freaking headache
sang tran TOTALLY
stop complaining.
I will pass on AMTRAK. COVID reduced service but still full price and the food sucks; now you get microwave tv dinners. Not very classy, just as cheezy as flying coach-cost more and poor service (covid).
Yeah thumbs down on the new food. I really hope they bring the old food back when this is all over. That said, it's still the most comfortable way to travel because you get a level of privacy and space that you can't get on airplanes (other than those $20,000 suites on Etihad/Emirates). I can't stand flying coach. On long flights it's hours stuck crushed up like a pretzel, and on short flights the crush might be bearable but you're spending hours dealing with airport crap for a 60 minute flight.
I'll switch to flying when they can put an airport in town instead of many miles away (rare exceptions like Chicago Midway exist, I know), put a bar and lounge in the airplane, give me enough space to lie down flat, the privacy to be naked if I feel like it, and don't charge me $20k for the privilege.
When I'm forced to fly for time reasons I bite the bullet and pay for business class and it still kind of sucks.
I totally agree. For the price of the rooms I could fly first class with better food and a shorter travel time. No thanks on Amtrak for me,never.
They changed the food on 5 routes to real cooked food.
i was just in a train same one not the same train but the sam thing i has this room before
My wife and I took the empire builder from Portland to Chicago, and didn't buy any sleeper cars. It was comfortable enough, more roomy than a plane. But next time we are surely getting a sleeper car.
0:07 - The falls from Twin Peaks.
I took the empire builder from Minneapolis to Seattle in 1972--it left from the old Mpls depot. It was a 38 hour trip and it was awful. I hated it-- the trains were so old and dirty and the food was not good.
I should have taken a dramamine before watching. The camera action made me really dizzy. I thought the roomettes had a toilet hidden under the first step and a fold-out sink.
Good show. Perfect 👌👍 info
Traveled in both and seats. Like all 3, remember your meals are included in the rooms. All you need to add is a tip.
really great review!!! loved the video!!
Glad you liked it!!
4:51 not gonna lie, when I saw that ocean I thought you were on a cruise ship instead of a train for a minute there!
Anyone who stands barefoot in that shower is a bozo. Always bring something to wear and rinse the floor with bleach.
The toilet is in the shower? Just ewe!!
Thanks bro was looking for this video
Welcome 👍
Public showers???? No thank you.
It's to small,l believe it's safe!
where do you put your luggage? If you need clothes and so forth?
There's a few places to put your luggage, first and foremost is in your cabin or room there is a few places a place it. Since most of the stuff you're gonna be bringing is bigger there is extra room on first floor of the sleeper cars just before you head up the stairs that you can put some of your luggage. But keep in mind this is a shared spot for everyone, so be mindful of what you put there. The last one is for large items and things you know you're not gonna need for the trip you can always check, basically meaning it'll go in the bag car at the front of the train.
What is with the filthy shower floor 2:38? Yuck!!!!!
Think how many naked bottoms have sat on the shower bench. Ewww! The bedroom looks updated. Is this a newer car?
This is a Superliner I built in the 1970's. They were refurbished in the early-mid 2000's, and are actually nicer than the Superliner IIs from the 1990's that are REALLY showing their age now.
Is sooo outdated... sharing bathrooms gross 🤢. They need to change it
Yes, most of the train is outdate, I would agree, maybe more than one outlet would be nice change. But in the end the trip is about the scenery not the train amenities, it was a pretty smooth ride.
I would love to do this but I was pricing a bedroom on this train and it's over $2600 one way. That's insane!
The bedrooms have definitely gone up in price in the last several years, there's always the roomette that's slightly cheaper but those are still pricey compared to a plane ticket for the same place. You can look at the annual pass, that might help bring down some of the cost.
Thanks for showing both rooms but what room did you guys end up traveling in? i heard at the end that you said "we both slept on the bottom bunk". Was that in the roomette or the bedroom? Thanks
ugh. nevermind.. lol i hadnt read through your whole caption. Thanks for the great video.
@4:50 WHERE ARE YOU that THE WATER LEVEL IS THAT HIGH?? LOL
I can't tell you exactly where this was taken, but it was along the Puget Sound just north of Seattle, WA
Traveling by train on Amtrak in 1st class is great for those who're not in a hurry or bore easily, don't mind sleeping & maneuvering in tight spaces, looking at outdated & worn out upholstery & equipment, paying about as much as a 1st class plane ticket, maybe more, no WiFi or cell service in certain remote areas. It's more of a relaxed mode of travel where you can see scenic areas cars don't travel. You meet & actually talk with folks who aren't on edge & they're friendly, you're not driving a car, & you can really unwind. All trains are non-smoking & smoke stops could take hours. Long distance train travel is not for everyone & a room can be very pricey. Those traveling in coach overnight find it incredibly comfortable & affordable, but cars can be noisy, even at night with folks coming & going or babies crying. Some are forced to sit with people they don't know when trains are heavily booked in coach class. Paying for the privacy & quiet of a room makes a train trip worthwhile & memorable. And all meals are included in the price of a 1st class ticket.
In the thumbnail u kinda look like vegan tracher
You didn't show the sink and toilet in the roomette
There isn’t a toilet or sink in the roomettes.
I think I saw a video that showcased them on the California Zephyr - Not Empire Builder though
Sink and toilet are in the Viewliner single level sleeping cars. He was in a Superliner car (two levels, hence the stairs)
@@whiplashfatigue1430 Yup, none of the sleeper routes west of Chicago/New Orleans have Viewliners. Basically any train that has to go into the old tunnels in New York/Baltimore can't use the big Superliners, so the only eastern U.S. sleeper trains that use Superliners are the Capitol Limited and the Autotrain since neither of those go to New York.
omg, stop flipping the camera all over the place!
Believe there is one bedroom on the lower level; some call it the handicap room. Advantage: It runs the "full width of the car" and you can see out both sides with the room door closed. Disadvantage: Limited availability as it is first reserved for the handicap and being on the lower level there may or may not be slightly more noise when the Superliner II car goes through the "frog" of a turnout (layman's term: switch) or the small gap of a crossing track at a junction.
what with the unfriendly and frown face?
The toilet paper thing being inside the same space as the shower sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.
I thought the same thing at first! but there is a plastic cover that come down over the top of it to protect it from getting wet.
@@ChrisFlaten I see. Thank you.
I'm getting seasick
What's the difference price wise
Right now you can do from Chicago to Seattle for 525 for one person or 772 for two in a roommate which is about the same as we paid. the Bedroom is $1486 or $1731 for two people. Everything is included in both of them, so there is no additional cost on food.
@@ChrisFlaten thank you!
@@ChrisFlaten There is a cost for food. It is included in the price of the ticket.
Dizzy, dizzy, dizzy. Whew!
Thanks for saying that...I thought the same thing plus it was really difficult to actually see what he's showing with all the jumping of the camera.
You BOTH slept in the lower bunk of a roomette? I would think the only couple who could do that would be Ant-Man and the Wasp! Or did you mean you took turns?
Yep, we slept in the lower one together, it was just easier, that way we could spread out of stuff on top.
@@ChrisFlaten Did you sleep next to each other's feet Charlie Bucket's grandparents style? The roomette bunks have single-sized mattresses. (Bedroom has twin-sized lower bunk, single-sized upper).
Do you get coffee In the bedroom?
Very helpful. Thank you!
So glad!
How do you get coffee in coach?
How do you get coffee in coach?