So much of what we do in life boils down to personal preference. Some folks may not like the idea of traveling by train. Some may have caught the train travel bug, but prefer to keep travel costs as low as possible. We’re not here to convince you otherwise. However, if you are intrigued by the idea of long-distance train travel and don’t mind paying a little extra to ensure comfort and leisure, then we recommend you consider an Amtrak roomette for your railway excursion. In this post, we’ll break down the details and benefits of booking a roomette accommodation.

First, let’s go over the different types of sleeping cars. The Amtrak long-distance fleet includes a Superliner and Viewliner. There are a few differences between the two and we’ll talk more about that. The primary difference is that the Superliner has two levels, while the Viewliner only has one level.

The train route you’re traveling will determine the type of train you’ll be riding on. Superliners are primarily on the long-distance routes in Western United States, while the Viewliners are primarily on Eastern routes.

LOUNGE ACCESS AND PRE-BOARDING

Roomette’s are considered first class accommodations and offer some pretty sweet perks. Some train stations offer private lounges to relax in or do work if you prefer. Your roomette accommodation will grant you free access to the lounge, with bathrooms, complementary snacks and drinks, and free WIFI!

In addition, to all of this awesomeness, you’ll get priority boarding. The lounge attendant will let you know when and where to board. I cannot stress enough how relaxed and easy this boarding experience is.

At boarding time, the conductor or other Amtrak staff will greet you at the gate. Your eTicket or printed ticket will show your sleeping car number and room number. Amtrak staff will verify your ticket and direct you to your accommodations. It’s a good idea to download the Amtrak App and make sure “Trip Updates & Status” is enabled in settings. This will also provide gate information and updates related to the status of your train departures and arrivals.

When you first enter your sleeper car, you’ll see a luggage rack for storing carry-on suitcases. You’re roomette only has space for smaller carry-ons and personal items, so you’ll definitely want to stow your luggage here. Many stations offer checked luggage service, so this may also be helpful if you plan to bring larger items or prefer not to hassle with luggage onboard the train.

ROOM ATTENDANT

Once onboard, you’ll be greeted by your designated room attendant. A good room attendant can make a huge difference in your overall travel experience. The attendant’s role is to set up and put away your bed, take reservations for meals, and take your order when you choose to have meals delivered to your room. They also keep the car tidy and provide fresh coffee and bottled water at a little coffee station in the car.

We’ve been lucky with room attendants, so far. The attendants we’ve had were helpful in communication where to find things on the train such as bathrooms, dining rooms, and other amenities. They let us know when we’re approaching our destination, and answer questions along the way. Your roomette will have a call button to alert the attendant, when you need something. The button turns on a little light in the hall above your room. You’ll need to be patient and wait for a time when the attendant’s in the hall where they can see your light.

TIPPING YOUR ATTENDANT

While tipping is not required, we think it’s good practice to let your attendant know that you appreciate their service. Of course, this is only if you feel the service has been helpful. Remember these folks work hard and are away from home and families for days at a time. We plan for about $10-20 a day. We often tip when they bring meals to our room and give a bigger tip, at the end, as we deboard.

ROOMETTE ACCOMODATIONS

One of our favorite reasons for booking a roomette is the combination of freedom and privacy offered and unique to sleeper accommodations. Coach class can be a little chaotic, with noisy people, and frequent passenger traffic moving through. The Amtrak roomettes are in their own car towards the back of the train and generally pretty quiet.

The roomette is a small room comprised of two comfortable seats, facing each other, and a pull down table. The seats pull together to form the lower bunk, with a top bunk that pulls down. We’ve heard people arrive at their roomette and express initial shock and surprise when they see the size of their accommodation. Yes, it’s a tight space – ideal for a solo traveler or a duo who are comfortable being in a confined space together.

The roomette includes bedding, linens, and towels. On Superliners, the bathroom is located at the end of your sleeper car, with shower access on the lower floor. The Older Viewliner roomettes have a sink and toilet in the room. This may be convenient for nighttime use, if you’re traveling solo. Either way, we prefer to use other restrooms available in the train. The restrooms are small but a good space to do a quick change of clothes, freshen up, and brush your teeth.

Every roomette includes a large window for gazing at the diverse U.S. landscapes. Some of our favorite views include passing through the stunning Rocky Mountains or routes that hug the scenic Colorado and Columbia Rivers for extended periods of time. We love the lazy mornings, watching the sunrise, while drinking coffee in the cozy roomette space.

Your attendant will typically ask you what time you would like your beds taken down. If not specified, they will most likely take down beds when you’re having dinner. We prefer to take down our own beds, when we’re ready, and will communicate this plan to our attendant. We make sure we have the space tidied up, so they can put away beds in the morning.

If you drew the short straw and get to sleep in the top bunk, you may find it a bit challenging to get in and out of your bed. There are a few steps, but it still requires some agility to maneuver into the upper bunk The Viewliner’s upper bunk has more space and a window, offering a little more comfort. The Superliners, on the other hand, can feel pretty cramped up there in the top bunk.

I tossed and turned, my first night in the upper bunk, but was able to get a good night’s sleep the second night. The bottom bunk is pretty comfortable. But like anything, it may take a night before you get acclimated to the rhythms and sounds of the train.

The small space of a roomette is arranged conveniently with little nooks and crannies to store items you need to have close by. You’ll find hooks to hang small bags on and some roomettes even have a narrow little closet to stow things away in. We find it to be enough space for us each to have our own backpacks with what we need for the night, in addition to a small travel cooler.

Another feature of the roomette, is the temperature control panel. Temperatures on trains can vary quite a bit. We, personally, have not had the greatest success with adjusting room temperatures when we needed to. We’ve found ourselves sweating on an overnight route through the humid midwest and feeling the chill as we rolled along through the Rocky Mountains. Just pack comfortable clothing, that you can easily layer on and off, as temperatures change. If you find yourself feeling uncomfortably warm or cold, make sure to alert your room attendant.

COMPLEMENTARY MEALS

Another huge perk to booking a room in an Amtrak sleeper car is that meals are included in your booking price. That’s right! Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, are a complementary service for first class accommodations! Mealtimes are preset and will be announced over the intercom as mealtimes are approaching. You’ll be asked to keep your door and curtain open so your attendant can stop by and take your reservation.

First class passengers have priority seating in the dining car. Coach passengers may be invited to have meals in the dining car if there’s space available. Coach passengers pay $20 for breakfast, $25 for lunch, and $45 for dinner. So when you hesitate over paying the extra cost of a room accommodation, consider what you’re saving on meals. We’ve had a few really good meals, especially on the Superliners where you get fresh-cooked meals of steak, pasta, and burgers, along with some yummy dessert and breakfast options. Children’s menus are also available.

Dining car meals are a communal dining experience. If you’re traveling solo or as a couple, you will most likely be seated with other passengers. When you arrive for your scheduled time, you’ll need to wait to be seated. Wait patiently, for the dining car attendant to show you to your seats as they tend to get cranky if you try to seat yourself. The communal dining provides great opportunities to get to know your fellow passengers. We’ve met so many interesting people and always enjoy swapping travel tails! 

It’s also important to note that you may want to bring a few smaller bills to tip your dining staff. We usually tip $5 per meal.

While we love meeting and visiting with the passengers and dining room staff, we also love having some of our meals in our room. It’s nice to have this option, when you’re not feeling up for the communal dining experience. You may also choose to have your meal brought to your room and then take it with you to the Observation Car for a change of scenery.

OBSERVATION CAR

If you’re booked on an Amtrak Superliner, you’ll most likely have access to an Observation Car (also called Sightseer Lounge). The Observation Car is on the upper deck and includes huge windows that curve up into the ceiling for an awesome viewing experience. You can choose from seats facing the scenery or you a booth with a table. It’s a perfect space for gazing at the landscape, socializing with other passengers, and playing a card game or two. The Observation Car is open to all passengers and is available on a first come first served basis.

CAFE CAR

Most Amtrak trains have a Cafe Car, where you can purchase a variety of meals, snacks, and drinks. This service is available to all passengers and offers tables and seats for sitting while you eat. We’ve been on a few trains, where those seats were being used as work and break space for Amtrak staff and not open to passengers. If this is the case, you can order you’re food and take it back to your room or to the Observation Car.

Cafe Car offerings vary by route, but may include items like sandwiches, burgers, pizza, cup of noodles, oatmeal, bagels, and cheese and crackers, and other snack items. Beverages include sodas, juices, coffee, tea, wine, hard cider, alcohol, and beer. If you’re luck, you may have a Cafe Car attendant willing to provide something a little extra. We once had a cafe attendant announce that she was making Bloody Marys, and boy were they good! Again, tips are a common courtesy when you receive good service. 

TOP 10 PACKING ESSENTIALS

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• Power strip – There’s only one outlet in the roomette and it’s not suitable for multiple devices. It’s also located in an awkward position near the head of one of the seats. Here’s the power strip with surge protector we purchased on Amazon. It’s worked out perfect.

• Blanket – As mentioned, it can get chilly on the train. I tend to run cold, so bought myself this travel blanket. It’s super soft and can attach to your suitcase handle for easy carrying.

• Ear plugs – The walls are thin in the roomettes. You’ll hear folks talking in the halls in, mornings and evenings, and hear the train horns blowing as you approach crossings throughout the night. To ensure a good night’s sleep, we recommend these noise-cancelling ear plugs.

• Eye mask – If you’re sensitive to light, you may consider buying an eye mask like this one. The roomette is enclosed but does get some light filtering in throughout the night.

• Face and/or body cleaning wipes – I like to have wet wipes to clean up with. Remember you’re in a small space and want to avoid getting too smelly. My favorite wipes are Neutrogena because they’re the softest and do the most thorough job.

• Sanitizing wipes – Train vary in age and levels of cleanliness. I always pack these Lysol sanitizing wipes to give the table and space a little wipe down before settling in.

• Flip flops – Pack some slip on waterproof footwear, if you’re planning to use the shower.

• Snacks and beverages – Pack a few snacks and drinks to enjoy in your roomette. If the train is delayed, it makes a big difference to have our own food available. You’re permitted to pack and drink your own adult beverages in the privacy of your roomette. We like to pack a bottle of whiskey. You can ask your attendant to bring you cups of us or head on down to the cafe car and ask for a few cups of ice.

• Travel cooler – If you plan to pack snacks and drinks, it will be nice to have a small cooler with ice packs to keep your items cool in. This sturdy lunch box has worked out quite well for us!

• Books and Games – Although watching the scenery pass can be plenty entertaining, you’ll probably want a game, deck of cards, or your favorite book to pass the time. We like playing Yhatzee and found this felt-lined dice cup came in handy for dice shaking without disturbing our neighbors.

COSTS AND BOOKING

The cost to book a roomette will vary depending on the route. Costs are calculated based on a general room charge, in addition to the cost of each individual passenger. For the best rate, book as early as possible. Typically, as the train books up, the prices go up.

There are a few ways you can save on this type of accommodation. You can sign up to receive emails from Amtrak. They’ll send out notices when the BOGO discount is available allowing you to pay for one passenger and get the second passenger fare free. You can also check Amtrak’s website, where they have a Deals Section with details on discounts and promotions.

You can make your reservations online at www.amtrak.com or make your reservations over the phone by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL. International visitors will need to call (001) 215-856-7924. Booking opens 11 months in advance. An e-ticket will be emailed to you, so you can print it out or simply show the ticket on your phone during boarding.

TRAVEL TIP

Take advantage of the fresh air stops along the route. The conductor will announce upcoming stops and let you know how long you’ll be stopping for. If they tell you it’s a “fresh air stop”, this means the passengers can get out for a smoke break, stretch their legs, and maybe even have enough time to grab snacks, medicine, or toiletries from a nearby market. Just make sure you pay close attention to time, as the train will leave with or without you.

TAKEAWAY

It’s true, you’ll pay a good chunk more for a roomette. You’re paying for a much more comfortable travel experience where you have the freedom a be as social as you want or to take shelter in the privacy of your room. You’ll be saving on what you may have paid for meals, hotels, and gas using other means of travel. To top it off, you’ll be missing all the airline and traffic hassles. Well worth it in our opinion!