# Questions about reserving an accessible room on Amtrak



## Diana M. (Apr 23, 2017)

I am fairly new to Amtrak, having traveled on it once many years ago from Syracuse to Buffalo. I rode coach on the way and first class coming back.

I'm thinking about taking a longer trip this time, but with a private room. I am disabled and use a power wheelchair, sometimes I use a walker. How hard would it be to reserve an accessible room? I searched for such rooms on Amtrak's website but saw only one accessible room on it. For the most part I found viewliner and superliner roomettes, family bedrooms, coach and business class seats.

Can I get on an Amtrak train with my wheelchair?

How wide are the hallways on Amtrak trains? I watched a number of YouTube videos re. Amtrak and they seem so narrow.

Are accessible rooms near the dining and observation cars? How close are they to self-serve coffee & juice areas I've seen on some of those videos?

Is it possible for someone to reserve an accessible room, get onboard, and then find it was given to someone else? I heard many horror stories about airline passengers getting bumped. Does this happen on Amtrak?

Lastly, is there a way I could secure my room if I needed to go to another part of the train? All the videos I've watched so far say that they can only be locked from the inside.

Thanks!


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## the_traveler (Apr 23, 2017)

There is only 1 accessible room per sleeping car. The best way to book one is via phone (1-800-USA-RAIL) with an agent. You are also entitled to a 15% disability discount.

On eastern single level trains, the H-room of the first sleeper is right next to the dining car. On western double level trains, the H-room is on the lower level of the car, and all access between cars is only via the upper level. Thus, you can not go to other cars. In both cases, the sleeping car attendant (SCA) can bring meals to your room if desired. (Meals from the dining car are included in the sleeping car fare!) The SCA will also bring you coffee and juice if desired.

The aisles in the cars are not wide enough for a wheelchair or walker to pass a thru the car.

Once you reserve a room, it is your's alone - like when you reserve a hotel room. You will not be "bumped"!

Room can only be locked from the inside. But consider that the only passengers allowed in the sleeping cars are other passengers in the sleeping cars - who have the same "problem". I have traveled on Amtrak since it began in 1971, and I've never had a problem.


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## AmtrakBlue (Apr 23, 2017)

If you want to use the Amtrak's website to get ideas of prices for the accessible room, select

"Person with disability" in the drop-down box where it shows Adult for the first passenger type. Then click Find Trains. This will bring you to a screen that lets you identify that you are using a power chair - which qualifies you for the Accessible room and it will show up under the premium column


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## Diana (Apr 23, 2017)

the_traveler said:


> There is only 1 accessible room per sleeping car. The best way to book one is via phone (1-800-USA-RAIL) with an agent. You are also entitled to a 15% disability discount.
> 
> On eastern single level trains, the H-room of the first sleeper is right next to the dining car. On western double level trains, the H-room is on the lower level of the car, and all access between cars is only via the upper level. Thus, you can not go to other cars. In both cases, the sleeping car attendant (SCA) can bring meals to your room if desired. (Meals from the dining car are included in the sleeping car fare!) The SCA will also bring you coffee and juice if desired.
> 
> ...


If need be, I could go to the dining car with a cane if my room will be that close to it. Should I travel out West, I'll have to reserve one on the lower level like you said and have meals brought to me. 

I have a great deal to learn since I haven't been on a train in years, and even then it wasn't a sleeper car. I can't wait! Thank you!


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## Diana (Apr 23, 2017)

AmtrakBlue said:


> If you want to use the Amtrak's website to get ideas of prices for the accessible room, select
> 
> "Person with disability" in the drop-down box where it shows Adult for the first passenger type. Then click Find Trains. This will bring you to a screen that lets you identify that you are using a power chair - which qualifies you for the Accessible room and it will show up under the premium column


I'm going to try that right now. Thank you!


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