A Sleeper Is Worth the Extra Cost.
There is a world of difference between an overnight train ride in coach and making that same trip in a sleeping car. Yes, of course the sleeping car costs more, but if you figure it out carefully, it often is a reasonable alternative to sitting up all night in a coach seat. In a sleeper, you get …
1. Privacy. That can be priceless if the alternative is sitting up all night in a coach with 50 or 60 other passengers. Perhaps you’ve got an obnoxious person in the seat next to you. Or maybe there’s a mother with unruly kids sitting right behind you. In a sleeping car, regardless which type of room you’re in, you’ve got privacy and you’ve got quiet … and that’s worth paying for.
2. A Bed. This is a big one for me. If I had to sit up all night in a coach seat, I’d be lucky to get 90 minutes of actual sleep. There is no substitute for a bed. In coach, the movement of the train keeps me awake; in a sleeping car, lying at full length between the sheets with my head on a couple of pillows, it lulls me to sleep.
3. Your Meals. They’re included in your sleeping car fare, and this is a big deal, too. Menu prices in an Amtrak dining car are not cheap, so if you’re riding in coach, you have two practical choices: buy snacks and microwaved sandwiches from the lounge car, or eat in the dining car and pay for your meals. It’s permissible to bring your own food on board, but that’s really not a practical alternative for a two-night trip.
In a Superlunar roomette, the two facing seats slide together and flatten out. The car attendant places the bedding on top, adds a couple of pillows and your ready for bed.
Other Benefits. A sleeping car becomes much more affordable if you’re traveling with another person. Each of you will pay the basic rail fare, which is the cost of a seat in coach. But there is only one charge for a room in a sleeping car. It doesn’t matter if the room is occupied by one person or two.
And, if two of you are sharing a sleeping car room—either a roomette or a bedroom—dining car meals for both of you are included in the cost of the room.
That’s a big plus because there are quite a few meals served on most of Amtrak’s long-distance trains. On the California Zephyr, for instance, assuming you’re traveling the entire route from Chicago to Emeryville in the Bay area, each passenger will get two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinner meals. I’d estimate that as about a $225 value.
So before deciding you can’t afford to travel in an Amtrak sleeper, take the time to do the math. Chances are, the actual additional cost of the roomette or bedroom will turn out to be a lot less than you think.
A few years ago I was in a car accident that left me disabled. Walking is extremely difficult. I purchased a roomette from Atlanta to New York and New York to Buffalo. Best decision I could have made. It was a comfortable ride and the porter brought my meals to me since I couldn’t navigate my way through the rocking cars to the dining car (although I tried). Everyone was so helpful. I am looking forward ro taking a trip across country with my teen soon. Ahe has been all over the world but has never traveled stateside by train! She can’t wait and neither can I.
Thanks very much for this. During my many hundreds of train trips I have heard many rave reviews of Amtrak travel from people with every conceivable kind of disability. I appreciate your adding to those.
At 81 I traveled from San Diego to E Palatka Florida where my daughter lives. It was four days and 3 nights and with a room and bath I loved it . Food was wonderful and I had the time if my life! Would do it again!
My wife and I priced a two person bedroom from Phoenix to New Orleans round trip. The price was over $2,000! Opted for two non-stop SW Airlines tickets round trip and less than four hours for about $250 each. Of course we got a tiny bag of pretzels instead of those Amtrak meals but the $1,500 saved brought a lot of great meals in the Big Easy. This is why Amtrak is going the way of the iron horse.
There is no simple or short reply to your comment, so I will indulge myself and use my next post to respond in some detail.
Buying a “lot of meals in the Big Easy” may be important to you, but traveling cross country by rail in a sleeping car is an experience that is well-worth the price just for the novelty and new perspective. People spend huge amounts of money to experience novel things during their travels all over the world, this is no different.
I have traveled a couple of times by Amtrak (from San Francisco to Denver, and from San Francisco to Seattle). I only did one night on the way home from Denver in the sleeping car, and it was seriously the most fun trip I’ve ever had. The people we met, the card games we played, the stories we told and as we pulled into Denver about a dozen people who we had hung out with for the 30 hours previously had an impromptu birthday party for my daughter who had just turned 10—folks went to the snack bar to purchase snacks for all, some people gave her little souvenirs they purchased for themselves on their travels and the whole car (about 30 people) sung happy birthday, including a gospel singer who stood in the middle of the aisle and led us in song. A completely amazing experience and sleeping in the car, on the way home, with the gentle sway on the tracks and pulling into Salt Lake City in the middle of the night, where the whole town looks like a little Christmas village scene…amazing.
I thought Amtrak eliminated sleepers entirely.
Nope … still got ’em.
really I looking into a train to florida
Two trains go to Florida from New York City: the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor. Both have the same equipment, but the Star takes a bit longer because it angles across the State of Florida, stopping in Tampa and a couple of other cities on the Gulf Coast. Both trains terminate in Miami.
You are absolutely correct about the value of the sleeper! I love my roomette when I travel. There is nothing fiber than waking up at sunrise in an Amtrak sleeper!
Love your comment. A Roomette sounds so practical. Safer even for a 60 yr old gal. I grew up traveling on the Trains in the 1960s with Mom and my 3 brothers. Best sleep ever! The dining hall with red carpet and wonderful food was my favorite ;) Haven’t been on a train since 1969. I’m looking for a roomette from Laredo Texas to Kansas City, Kansas. I’ve been in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, 6 years and ready to come home ;) Thanks, Herod