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!
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 We booked a roomett which was comfortable but outdated.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.
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.
Great video young man👍👍, I was always trying to figure out the options available on Amtrak, I have watched several (shall we say lengthy) RU-vid 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!!
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........
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.
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 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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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 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.
In one vid, I thought they said the roomettes had the bathroom inside the room. Now this one says the bedrooms have the bathrooms inside the room. Which is it?
It's both. In single-level Viewliner sleeper cars, which run along the East Coast, the roomettes have in-room toilets. (In the brand-new Viewliner II sleeper cars, the in-room toilet has been eliminated, though they still have a sink.) In the dual-level Superliner sleeper cars, which run from the Midwest to the West Coast, the roomettes have never had in-room toilets.
Boy before I go anywhere I'm going to make sure they have bathrooms in the rooms they used to have in the 1950s what happened? if a room wasn't first class and they had the little sink with a toilet that came out from under. That's great with kids are in the middle of the night
Only the Viewliner 1 train cars have a toliet in the room/next to the bed and seat you sit next to. The Viewliner 2 cars do not have a toliet in the roommate but in the hallway, but both the Vielwiners have sinks in the roommate Those are 1 floor train cars and always leave from New York or head to New York.. If you want a private toilet, shower ccombo you need the bedroom for that.
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.
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.
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.
It's just worn, not dirty. They are pretty good about cleaning the showers. On some trains the staff are nice enough to leave a bottle of Lysol in the shower room for if you're extra paranoid.
The Amtrak crew are really good about cleaning usually, and the linens are always fresh. I've never had an experience with a dirty room in the many dozens of trips I've taken. I've encountered a dirty toilet before but I told the attendant and they fixed it right away (and I just used another toilet in the meantime). I don't know what trains you're comparing it to, but this is not like the NYC subway or whatever. The worst I could say is that some of the older cars are a bit shabby, but they're clean. Definitely better than many motels I've stayed in.
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.
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.
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.
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!!!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
