Coach Seating

[the_traveler]

We have already purchased our tickets for coach. Could they ever be upgraded to sleepertte?

As said, you can upgrade at anytime - if the roomettes are available.

If the tickets have not yet been printed (and I recommend you do not until you get to the station that day), it is very easy, as you can make your roomette reservations and then cancel your coach reservations. If they were printed, it's a little more work, as you can get the roomettes (if available), but you have to go to the station to get them re-ticketed. The old tickets can be used to apply 100% of the value of those (old) tickets to the cost of the new tickets.

As an additional thought about upgrading, tickets on Amtrak are sold by "buckets". That is the more tickets are sold, the buckets rise (in price). Thus sometimes (not always) the coach seats may be high bucket and the roomettes low bucket - and the roomettes are actually less than coach!

And when you see the accommodation (room) charge, note that is PER ROOM, not per person!

Another think is I would recommend ALL of you to join Amtrak Guest Rewards (AGR) prior to your trip! AGR is similar to an airlines frequent flyer program, granting you FREE travel. I assume you live in or around LA. There are many trips you can take for only 1,000 AGR points around CA by train! Just this one trip will provide you many of those trips!

If you would like a referral to join AGR, just send me a PM (Private Message) with you email addresses. (Each account needs a separate email address.)

One more thing - buy your tickets ASAP! As long as sleeper tickets are cancelled at least 7 days prior to departure, or coach tickets at any time prior to departure, there is NO penalty!

 

[rejoicingmom]

We have already purchased our tickets for coach. Could they ever be upgraded to sleepertte?

Start by calling Amtrak, or visiting an agent in your local station if that's convenient, and discuss the costs before you do anything. If you find that the costs are more than you are willing to pay you can just stick with what you have. However, once you board the train, speak with the conductor onboard the train. If there are still rooms left, he/she will upgrade you for what's called the low bucket price. Sleepera have 5 buckets or price levels. As they sell out, the prices rise higher and higher. But once the train has left the station where you boarded, the price drops back to the lowest price level.

For Los Angeles to Seattle, the prices can range from a low of $218 for one room to a high of $478. You would need 2 rooms for your party.

I just checked and it says that " other options are sold out"..........so we go coach.

 

[Pastor Dave]

I just checked and it says that " other options are sold out"..........so we go coach.

You can always check back to see if there was a cancellation.

 

[the_traveler]

As Pastor Dave said, there may be a cancellation. So keep checking often!

You may happen to be checking just at the right time!

IF you do find a room, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, book that reservation right then before YOU CANCEL the original reservation! Otherwise, you may find that room sold before you get back to book it, and then find your seats are sold too - and there is no space on the train!

Another idea is to check other city pairs!

I assume you only checked LAX-SEA. You may want to check like Oakland (OKJ)-SEA, Emeryville (EMY)-SEA, Martinez (MTZ-SEA) or Sacramento (SAC)-SEA. Even though it is a day trip from LAX to those places, many book sleepers to get the included meals and to use the Pacific Parlour Car (PPC)! Coach passengers can not use the PPC.

 

[rejoicingmom]

As Pastor Dave said, there may be a cancellation. So keep checking often!

You may happen to be checking just at the right time!

IF you do find a room, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, book that reservation right then before YOU CANCEL the original reservation! Otherwise, you may find that room sold before you get back to book it, and then find your seats are sold too - and there is no space on the train!

Another idea is to check other city pairs!

I assume you only checked LAX-SEA. You may want to check like Oakland (OKJ)-SEA, Emeryville (EMY)-SEA, Martinez (MTZ-SEA) or Sacramento (SAC)-SEA. Even though it is a day trip from LAX to those places, many book sleepers to get the included meals and to use the Pacific Parlour Car (PPC)! Coach passengers can not use the PPC.

Thanks Pastor Dave and Traveler. I think this is exciting. NOw to decide.......sleeperette or no sleeperette!