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!
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!
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 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........
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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!!!
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.
Great video young man👍👍, I was always trying to figure out the options available on Amtrak, I have watched several (shall we say lengthy) UA-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!!
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.
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.
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.
I once took a Roomette from Texarkana, TX to Normal, IL when I left my first trucking company, I willingly paid for that ticket rather than haul 3 big bags back on a series of buses. Was very comfy for the accommodations I had. Since I only stayed on one night, never did get to try the shower but the included meals was a nice touch. Plus the comfort of traveling in a room all to yourself and can lock away everyone else was the topper.
@@pepinocabron Right now on the west coast all train west from Chicago and San Antonio have traditional dinning plus the auto train which are real meals. All train east off Chicago and San Antonio have flexible dinning microwave meals and now only for sleeper car passenger, Coach Passengers are not allowed in the dinning car but that might change in a few months.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Amtrak tickets don't have a lot of changes in price over time and even less since the start of this year. I have found that tickets seam to go to their highest about 2 weeks before the trip.
@@ChrisFlaten Amtrak tickets don't change in price much except during times of extreme demand. Once in a while they have sales so if you are planning far in advance just keep watching the website for a promotion. Most of these promotions are for coach but sometimes you find a good one for all fares. You're right in that they are most expensive 2 weeks before but if they have empty seats on a train they sometimes drop down in price a little bit right before to the base price (that you would've gotten anyway by booking in advance). For instance earlier this year they had a free-companion deal for when you bought a roomette. (Adding a second person to a roomette normally costs the price of a full-fare coach ticket) Probably the best deals are when they offer double or triple reward points on their frequent traveler program. Even if you don't use Amtrak frequently, the points can rack up over the years. They only expire if you don't use Amtrak for 2 years.
@@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.
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.
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.
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).
Thinking of doing NY - Frisco Roomete or Room That’s the question Huge difference in money I wonder if any of your other views have done it and care to comment Thanks for posting
I have traveled a lot on Amtrak cross country in both roommates and full bedrooms. If you are traveling alone a roomette is the best way to go. There is enough room and you will be quite comfortable. With two people the roomette becomes problematic. It will work and is designed for two but it is quite tight with two people. A bedroom would be better if you can afford it. The roomette will work, though.
A: Don't call it Frisco. It's against the law here. Unless you mean you're going to a town in Texas. B: It depends. If you're alone, always go for the roomette unless there's not a big price difference. If you're with someone, the space can actually get to feel kind of cramped in the sit-down configuration over a long period. I've found that the roomette is best enjoyed -- whether alone or with someone -- in the bed configuration, because it gives you a large open surface to relax in. and it also enables sitting cross-legged, which is a comfortable and space-saving way to sit. Plus, you can lower the top bunk for the times the other person wants private space. On Viewliners this always works fine. On Superliners the upper bunk has less headroom and has no window. One idea, if you're going from New York to the SF Bay Area, is to book a roomette for the New York->Chicago, which is always on a Viewliner, then book a bedroom for the Chicago -> SF Bay Area section, which is always on a Superliner. That way you can use the superior upper bunk in the Viewliner without worrying about the cramped upper bunk on the Superliner. The Viewliner I roomettes have these weird in-room toilets are are off-putting to a lot of people, but as long as you aren't in a hurry you can go use the toilet in the lounge or in coach. The brand-new Viewliner IIs that started going into service this year don't have this issue as they have more toilets in the sleeper cars and no toilets in roomettes (though some people who travel alone love having the in-roomette toilet). By the way, for the NY -> Chicago portion, take the Cardinal rather than the Lake Shore Limited. The LSL is faster, but the Cardinal has way better scenery (including Washington DC and the Appalachian mountains in West Virginia).
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
Only the bedroom you could fit 2 people on the buttom bunk and on the superliner trains 2 floors cars they are on the top level and not wheelchair accessible, , viewliners they are on the 1rst floor. Also they have family bedroom only on the Superliner trains which have 4 beds in it but may not work for you.
They are like airline seats--the fewer that are left on a particular train, the more they cost. So the prices change constantly from train to train and day to day. I have seen bedrooms offered for anywhere from 3x the price of a roomette, to close to or even slightly less (because the price of a roomette has risen to close to the price of a bedroom).
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.
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.
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.
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.
@@ChrisFlaten But the food is NOT free. You are still paying for the food. Amtrak cannot afford to give food away. So, do not think you are getting something free.
All the rooms included dinning so they is why there are no prices on the menus. Some trains are still microwavalbe food called flexible dinning and some trains have traditional dinning back with cooked food on the train People in Coach are not allowed in the dinning car or be able to purchase the dinning car meals yet. For the flexible dinning I would tip $3.00 to $5.00 per person per meal, for the traditional dinning I would tip $5 - $10 for each meal and that is done in cash although they say its cashless so please make sure you bring small bills for tipping the food staff and the sleeping attendent when getting off the train and sleep attendent I would tip $10 to $15 per person per night. Here are the menu for each first flexible dinning www.amtrak.com/flexible-dining and here is the traditonal dinning www.amtrak.com/dining-car
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).
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 😂😂
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.
FYI...
Always wear flip flops in ANY public shower!
that shower floor made me almost hurl.
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!
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!
Im booked for a roomette in September travelling from Chicago to Portland, Oregon to see family. Thanks this was very useful.
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.
Fun! Obviously, not if you are in a hurry, but what a great way to travel.
...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.🤢
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 .
thanks for this. am planning a trip from whitefish to seattle just this very second.
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........
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Best way to travel....never slept so well.....bottle of Pinch Bottle helped
Joe was nice I want to put this on my bucket list looks like it will be a fun trip to
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
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.
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
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 Can take a crap while washing my hair. Outstanding!
Great video young man👍👍, I was always trying to figure out the options available on Amtrak, I have watched several (shall we say lengthy) UA-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!
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.
Amtrak doesn't depart in Minneapolis. The other Twin City of Saint Paul is where the depot is located.
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.
Good train video albeit short. Hope you do another!~
Great video!
Thumbs up!
Many greetings
Thomas🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
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.
Now I want French toast and Bacon
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.
I once took a Roomette from Texarkana, TX to Normal, IL when I left my first trucking company, I willingly paid for that ticket rather than haul 3 big bags back on a series of buses. Was very comfy for the accommodations I had. Since I only stayed on one night, never did get to try the shower but the included meals was a nice touch. Plus the comfort of traveling in a room all to yourself and can lock away everyone else was the topper.
Are they serving tv dinners or real food?
The roomettes are fantastic for one person, and doable for two, though not ideal.
@@pepinocabron Right now on the west coast all train west from Chicago and San Antonio have traditional dinning plus the auto train which are real meals. All train east off Chicago and San Antonio have flexible dinning microwave meals and now only for sleeper car passenger, Coach Passengers are not allowed in the dinning car but that might change in a few months.
@@chrisdobrowolski2783 thank you Chris.
IF you go back aboard, could you the the ADA room? That's what we will need. THANK YOU.
Good show. Perfect 👌👍 info
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.
Traveled in both and seats. Like all 3, remember your meals are included in the rooms. All you need to add is a tip.
Thank you for sharing!
Great video family.. Salute✊
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!
Thanks bro was looking for this video
Welcome 👍
Thanks for sharing bro! Loved it
Glad you enjoyed it!
really great review!!! loved the video!!
Glad you liked it!!
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.
~ The communal shower ... _NO thanks !_ A big perk of the bedroom is a private shower 🚿
The private shower was dirty too!
@@ellisjames7192 - Oh _NO ..!_ 😨
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.
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.
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.
Great video Chris. I'm thinking of doing it spring 2021 Philadelphia to Orlando. Nice job... thank you!
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..
Thank you, bro really appreciated the vid looking to do this next month your videos extremely helpful.
No problem 👍
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.
Hi can you tell me the route in 4:51?? I love the view and tks for the video!
I can't tell you exactly where this was taken, but it was along the Puget Sound just north of Seattle, WA
0:07 - The falls from Twin Peaks.
Very helpful. Thank you!
So glad!
Gotta love how America is still stuck in the 60s & 70s with these trains.
i absolutely love this comment 💯
I bet a lot of great authors ,film directors rode trains..if you agree,like below..
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.
I know it's not buffet style meals but could you ask for seconds and/or are the meals big enough? Thanks
You can get more food, but it's not included in the room. You would pay just like you would if you were in coach.
Thanks, great video. Coming into Seattle from where?
We travel from the the Twin Cities. left from Union Depot in St. Paul, MN
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.
I'm going again in May 2021. When is the best be time to buy the tickets. From Florida to NYC?
Amtrak tickets don't have a lot of changes in price over time and even less since the start of this year. I have found that tickets seam to go to their highest about 2 weeks before the trip.
@@ChrisFlaten Amtrak tickets don't change in price much except during times of extreme demand. Once in a while they have sales so if you are planning far in advance just keep watching the website for a promotion. Most of these promotions are for coach but sometimes you find a good one for all fares. You're right in that they are most expensive 2 weeks before but if they have empty seats on a train they sometimes drop down in price a little bit right before to the base price (that you would've gotten anyway by booking in advance).
For instance earlier this year they had a free-companion deal for when you bought a roomette. (Adding a second person to a roomette normally costs the price of a full-fare coach ticket)
Probably the best deals are when they offer double or triple reward points on their frequent traveler program. Even if you don't use Amtrak frequently, the points can rack up over the years. They only expire if you don't use Amtrak for 2 years.
@@ChrisFlaten Sign up at the website to get notices of discounts.
Acutaly the earlier you buy it would be cheaper, when the train fills up, the prices goes up, so earliest as possible I will book.
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.
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.
Where's your Wide Angle Room Shots?
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.
Do you get coffee In the bedroom?
i was just in a train same one not the same train but the sam thing i has this room before
How do you get coffee in coach?
2:33 - Does it come with complimentary flip flops?
No, it's just like a hotel, providing the basics.
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).
Wear shower shoes in any public shower
Make sure you microphone is in place. So much of this video I couldn't hear.
Great info
Glad it was helpful!
Thinking of doing NY - Frisco
Roomete or Room
That’s the question
Huge difference in money
I wonder if any of your other views have done it and care to comment
Thanks for posting
I have traveled a lot on Amtrak cross country in both roommates and full bedrooms. If you are traveling alone a roomette is the best way to go. There is enough room and you will be quite comfortable. With two people the roomette becomes problematic. It will work and is designed for two but it is quite tight with two people. A bedroom would be better if you can afford it. The roomette will work, though.
@@JamesThompson-oz8kh thanks for the explanation cheers
A: Don't call it Frisco. It's against the law here. Unless you mean you're going to a town in Texas.
B: It depends. If you're alone, always go for the roomette unless there's not a big price difference. If you're with someone, the space can actually get to feel kind of cramped in the sit-down configuration over a long period. I've found that the roomette is best enjoyed -- whether alone or with someone -- in the bed configuration, because it gives you a large open surface to relax in. and it also enables sitting cross-legged, which is a comfortable and space-saving way to sit. Plus, you can lower the top bunk for the times the other person wants private space. On Viewliners this always works fine. On Superliners the upper bunk has less headroom and has no window.
One idea, if you're going from New York to the SF Bay Area, is to book a roomette for the New York->Chicago, which is always on a Viewliner, then book a bedroom for the Chicago -> SF Bay Area section, which is always on a Superliner. That way you can use the superior upper bunk in the Viewliner without worrying about the cramped upper bunk on the Superliner. The Viewliner I roomettes have these weird in-room toilets are are off-putting to a lot of people, but as long as you aren't in a hurry you can go use the toilet in the lounge or in coach. The brand-new Viewliner IIs that started going into service this year don't have this issue as they have more toilets in the sleeper cars and no toilets in roomettes (though some people who travel alone love having the in-roomette toilet).
By the way, for the NY -> Chicago portion, take the Cardinal rather than the Lake Shore Limited. The LSL is faster, but the Cardinal has way better scenery (including Washington DC and the Appalachian mountains in West Virginia).
@@NozomuYume I didn’t- auto correct did I hadn’t noticed
Awesome thanks. Do they have bedroom options leaving NYC Penn? Thx
Yes
i wanna know why roomettes have more closet space then the regular room
They do not.
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
@@nicholas_chavez-gf Awesome! Thank you!
How does it work? Having a shower and a toilet in the same little space (for the bedroom)?
The toilet is covered, so you just turn on the shower and use it. There is a drain on the floor and it’s all designed for it.
@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
What’s the price comparison tho?!
can the bottom bunker fit two people to sleep?
Only the bedroom you could fit 2 people on the buttom bunk and on the superliner trains 2 floors cars they are on the top level and not wheelchair accessible, , viewliners they are on the 1rst floor. Also they have family bedroom only on the Superliner trains which have 4 beds in it but may not work for you.
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.
How much are the big rooms?
You know someone has clapped someones cheeks in that roomette
Flip-flops needed for shower floors
I use shower sandals for any public shower.
saint paul not minneapolis is where the union station is. Saint paul is the capitol of minnesota.
That is correct. Living in Minneapolis it's a habit to say that.
are the prices for the two options ( the differences ) a secret ?
They are like airline seats--the fewer that are left on a particular train, the more they cost. So the prices change constantly from train to train and day to day. I have seen bedrooms offered for anywhere from 3x the price of a roomette, to close to or even slightly less (because the price of a roomette has risen to close to the price of a bedroom).
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.
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.
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.
Thank you
You're welcome
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.
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.
What’s the price difference,, in rooms food?
Food is included in both rooms ticket
@@ChrisFlaten But the food is NOT free. You are still paying for the food. Amtrak cannot afford to give food away. So, do not think you are getting something free.
All the rooms included dinning so they is why there are no prices on the menus. Some trains are still microwavalbe food called flexible dinning and some trains have traditional dinning back with cooked food on the train People in Coach are not allowed in the dinning car or be able to purchase the dinning car meals yet. For the flexible dinning I would tip $3.00 to $5.00 per person per meal, for the traditional dinning I would tip $5 - $10 for each meal and that is done in cash although they say its cashless so please make sure you bring small bills for tipping the food staff and the sleeping attendent when getting off the train and sleep attendent I would tip $10 to $15 per person per night. Here are the menu for each first flexible dinning www.amtrak.com/flexible-dining and here is the traditonal dinning www.amtrak.com/dining-car
I think spending more money for just because the roomette is really small. I can’t sit in a shoebox lest sleep in one.
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).
Where is the scene at 4:51? Is that an ocean or a lake?
I'm guessing the lake at Seattle. Rode there from Minneapolis.