What About the Family Bedroom?

Over the past few weeks, I’ve received several emails from people planning family vacations that will include long-distance train rides. Invariably, they have questions about the on board accommodations. In many cases, I’ve found that the Family Bedroom in a Superliner sleeping car has barely been considered. 

And that’s too bad, because there are a lot of pluses that go along with this option:

* It’s close to the luggage rack.

* It’s close to not one, but three lavatories.

* It’s close to the changing room/shower.

* It has an en suite sink with running water.

* The room runs across the entire width of the Superliner, which means you have views out of both sides of the train.

These accommodations are sometimes rejected because of concern about track noise. It’s true these rooms are on the lower level of the Superliner sleepers does mean that track noise will be somewhat louder. But in my personal experience—and this is backed up by other travelers—you’ll get used to it rather quickly and long before the end of your journey, it will stop being a factor.

And, yes, the view may be slightly better from the upper level, but 30 minutes into the journey, that will also be a forgotten issue.

As to cost, it’s not so easy to provide simple, clear comparisons because fares fluctuate. As a rule of thumb, however, the cost of a Family Bedroom ought to be about the same as the cost of two roomettes, but that number can fluctuate as much as plus-or-minus 10 percent. 

My only point here is this: If you’re traveling with one or two younger kids, take the time to compare the cost of two roomettes with the cost of a  Family Bedroom. At comparable costs, I’d go for the Family Bedroom in  heartbeat.