Dining Car with Coach Passengers?

[ciship]

My daughter and I are going to be traveling The City of New Orleans in a roomette, but my husband, son, and nephew are going to be in coach the whole time.

When I make my reservations for meals in the dining car, are my husband, son, and nephew going to be able to join my daughter and I in the dining car at the same time?

I seem to remember in the past that coach passengers don't get the dining car option until all sleeper car passengers have dined.

Would I just have to get the latest dining time to be able to dine with them?

 

[Acela150]

IINM dinner reservations are taken in the lounge. IF that's the case, I would inform the Attendant how many will be in your party. On top of that since you have a sleeper ticket you and your family will have access to the lounges in CHI and NOL. Assuming you're traveling out of CHI.

 

[kbmiflyer]

Total guess here, but I think you can probably ask for a reservation for 5 when the sleeper reservations are taken (either in the lounge or on the train).

Keep in mind the diner car is a booth setup, so 5 people can't really sit comfortably together.

 

[jis]

In the past we have successfully gotten a group encompassing some sleeper passengers and some coach passengers to get reservation in the same seating. The Sleeper folks simply requested reservations for the coach passengers in their party in the same sitting and then arranged to arrive at about the same time. Usually the Diner crew will accommodate such.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

IINM dinner reservations are taken in the lounge. IF that's the case, I would inform the Attendant how many will be in your party. On top of that since you have a sleeper ticket you and your family will have access to the lounges in CHI and NOL. Assuming you're traveling out of CHI.

In my experience the lounge car was the very last car visited for accepting reservations. By that time they're probably down to one seating or none.

In the past we have successfully gotten a group encompassing some sleeper passengers and some coach passengers to get reservation in the same seating. The Sleeper folks simply requested reservations for the coach passengers in their party in the same sitting and then arranged to arrive at about the same time. Usually the Diner crew will accommodate such.

^ This is the way to do it. Coach passengers only get what's left over after every sleeper passenger has reserved their meal first. Chances are the coach passengers in your party won't be able to select the same seating so you might as well add them to your sleeper reservation first.

 

[zephyr17]

When they come through asking for reservations, have the sleeper folks make reservations for the WHOLE party. Then arrive all together when called.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

IINM dinner reservations are taken in the lounge. IF that's the case, I would inform the Attendant how many will be in your party. On top of that since you have a sleeper ticket you and your family will have access to the lounges in CHI and NOL. Assuming you're traveling out of CHI.

In my experience the lounge car was the very last car visited for accepting reservations. By that time they're probably down to one seating or none.

He meant the lounge at the stations (CHI / NOL) not on the train (though that was my first thought too).

 

[ciship]

IINM dinner reservations are taken in the lounge. IF that's the case, I would inform the Attendant how many will be in your party. On top of that since you have a sleeper ticket you and your family will have access to the lounges in CHI and NOL. Assuming you're traveling out of CHI.

We are departing from Chicago. I had no idea that they would let the coach passengers in my family have access to the private lounge in Chicago along with my daughter and myself. I just figured my daughter and I would have to sit with them out in the general seating waiting area. So, when they see that the 3 men with me only have coach reservations, they will still allow them in the lounge with me and my daughter? Just want to make sure I'm reading this correctly. If so, what happens when they board the sleeper passengers first? Will my "men folk" have to retreat to the general waiting area then?

 

[D.P. Roberts]

IINM dinner reservations are taken in the lounge. IF that's the case, I would inform the Attendant how many will be in your party. On top of that since you have a sleeper ticket you and your family will have access to the lounges in CHI and NOL. Assuming you're traveling out of CHI.

We are departing from Chicago. I had no idea that they would let the coach passengers in my family have access to the private lounge in Chicago along with my daughter and myself. I just figured my daughter and I would have to sit with them out in the general seating waiting area. So, when they see that the 3 men with me only have coach reservations, they will still allow them in the lounge with me and my daughter?

Hmmm... from my experiences in Chicago, that has NOT been the case. I have seen several parties where some were in sleepers and some were in coach, and I have never seen the coach passengers allowed in the Metropolitan Lounge. The attendants in the lounge check the tickets, and only allow the ticketed passengers in.

 

[user 1215]

IINM dinner reservations are taken in the lounge. IF that's the case, I would inform the Attendant how many will be in your party. On top of that since you have a sleeper ticket you and your family will have access to the lounges in CHI and NOL. Assuming you're traveling out of CHI.

We are departing from Chicago. I had no idea that they would let the coach passengers in my family have access to the private lounge in Chicago along with my daughter and myself. I just figured my daughter and I would have to sit with them out in the general seating waiting area. So, when they see that the 3 men with me only have coach reservations, they will still allow them in the lounge with me and my daughter?

Hmmm... from my experiences in Chicago, that has NOT been the case. I have seen several parties where some were in sleepers and some were in coach, and I have never seen the coach passengers allowed in the Metropolitan Lounge. The attendants in the lounge check the tickets, and only allow the sleeping car ticketed passengers in.

 

[kbmiflyer]

Hmmm... from my experiences in Chicago, that has NOT been the case. I have seen several parties where some were in sleepers and some were in coach, and I have never seen the coach passengers allowed in the Metropolitan Lounge. The attendants in the lounge check the tickets, and only allow the ticketed passengers in.

That is my impression too. I think only sleeper (and business class passengers on local trains), are allowed in the lounge.

 

[William W.]

That's odd. According to the website, each ticketed first class passenger is allowed to bring in a guest, or immediate family members.

http://www.amtrak.com/station-lounges

 

[ciship]

That's odd. According to the website, each ticketed first class passenger is allowed to bring in a guest, or immediate family members.

http://www.amtrak.com/station-lounges

Is this what you're talking about on your link? If so, I have no idea what a United Club Member is? I know I don't have a United Club Card (whatever that is?)

• United Club Members with a valid United Club Card may bring in two guests or their spouses and children under the age of 21. Additionally, United Global First or United Business First passengers with a flight coupon or boarding pass with a segment in United Global First or United BusinessFirst.

 

[SarahZ]

That's odd. According to the website, each ticketed first class passenger is allowed to bring in a guest, or immediate family members.

http://www.amtrak.com/station-lounges

That's for ClubAcela Lounges only, which does not include Chicago.

Chicago has a Metropolitan Lounge.

Similar to ClubAcela, Metropolitan Lounges are available to sleeping car passengers, business class passengers with the same day travel ticket (departure or arrival) and Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Plus or Select Executive members [....]

 

[ciship]

That's odd. According to the website, each ticketed first class passenger is allowed to bring in a guest, or immediate family members.

http://www.amtrak.com/station-lounges

That's for ClubAcela Lounges only, which does not include Chicago.

Chicago has a Metropolitan Lounge.

Similar to ClubAcela, Metropolitan Lounges are available to sleeping car passengers, business class passengers with the same day travel ticket (departure or arrival) and Amtrak Guest Rewards Select Plus or Select Executive members [....]

Yes, I saw that as well.........but, it doesnt say anything about letting coach passengers in the lounge. What am I missing here?

 

[SarahZ]

By not including Coach passengers in that description, that means they aren't allowed in. They allow, as I quoted, sleeper car passengers, business class passengers, and AGR Select Plus or Select Executive members.

WW quoted the ClubAcela rules. Chicago does not have a ClubAcela. Chicago has a Metropolitan Lounge, which has different rules.

 

[TinCan782]

IINM dinner reservations are taken in the lounge. IF that's the case, I would inform the Attendant how many will be in your party. On top of that since you have a sleeper ticket you and your family will have access to the lounges in CHI and NOL. Assuming you're traveling out of CHI.

In my experience the lounge car was the very last car visited for accepting reservations. By that time they're probably down to one seating or none.

Same here, based on the announcements on recent trips, the lounge car was last for taking reservations.

 

[William W.]

Hmm, my bad. I thought that the rules were for all the lounges.

 

[Dovecote]

Hmmm... from my experiences in Chicago, that has NOT been the case. I have seen several parties where some were in sleepers and some were in coach, and I have never seen the coach passengers allowed in the Metropolitan Lounge. The attendants in the lounge check the tickets, and only allow the ticketed passengers in.

That is my impression too. I think only sleeper (and business class passengers on local trains), are allowed in the lounge.

That is usually the case but their are exceptions. If you are in a sleeping car arriving in Chicago you have access to the Metropolitan Lounge to begin your next leg of the trip. This is regardless whether your next travel segment is in a sleeping car or not. I have done this numerous times traveling from the south to CHI in a sleeper and then coach later in the day on the Empire Builder to St. Paul. The other exception is having a one day lounge pass from Amtrak Guest Rewards.

 

[ciship]

Ok.....so, hubby, son, and nephew will not be allowed in the Metro lounge with us. Got it!

Thanks everyone!

 

[fairviewroad]

Still not addressed is the fact that the OP wants 5 seats together. Unless one of the individuals is a lap child, this request will

likely not be granted. I'm sure someone, somewhere has witnessed/experienced an exception to that rule, but IME they are

pretty steadfast about not letting more than 4 at a table.

Bear in mind you can't really pull up a chair and sit in the aisle, because this would create a major hazard/bottleneck for dining

car personnel and other passengers. [not to mention the fact that they probably don't actually have any chairs that you could

use]. So the only way to pull it off would be 3 on one side...might work if the kids are under 10.

Now I'm curious...has anyone successfully gotten 5 to a table (not counting lap children)?

 

[the_traveler]

I think the OP is not asking about 5 seated at the table, but is only asking if when the LSA comes to the room, can they say there will be 5 for dinner. To the OP, ask at the ML if the others in coach can wait with you in the ML. The worst they can say is "No" but the answer may in fact be yes! And they may even allow the "men folk" to board at the same time as you do!

 

[ciship]

There is no way that five of us can sit in one booth. Big men in my family! Maybe we can sit across the aisle from each other at the very least.

 

[D.P. Roberts]

There is no way that five of us can sit in one booth. Big men in my family! Maybe we can sit across the aisle from each other at the very least.

Probably not. Passengers are seated according to the dining car attendant's not-always-obvious plan to fill the tables. So, some members of your party may be seated at one table, but the other members may be several tables away, or even at the other end of the car.

So, assuming you don't want to split up your party with 4 at one table and 1 person by himself/herself, you're back to splitting up with 2 at one table and 3 at the other, and almost certainly not able to chat with each other during meals.

So, since you're splitting up during meals anyway, eating at the same time may not be worth the hassle. If you want to hang out together on the train, you're probably better off just trying to get some seats together in the lounge car between meals.

What you probably CAN do is swap members of your party at each table. So, one person from the sleeper can eat with 2 people from coach (but the people from coach will pay cash for their meals, while the person in the sleepers will not).

 

[Meat Puppet]

IINM dinner reservations are taken in the lounge. IF that's the case, I would inform the Attendant how many will be in your party. On top of that since you have a sleeper ticket you and your family will have access to the lounges in CHI and NOL. Assuming you're traveling out of CHI.

We are departing from Chicago. I had no idea that they would let the coach passengers in my family have access to the private lounge in Chicago along with my daughter and myself. I just figured my daughter and I would have to sit with them out in the general seating waiting area. So, when they see that the 3 men with me only have coach reservations, they will still allow them in the lounge with me and my daughter?

Hmmm... from my experiences in Chicago, that has NOT been the case. I have seen several parties where some were in sleepers and some were in coach, and I have never seen the coach passengers allowed in the Metropolitan Lounge. The attendants in the lounge check the tickets, and only allow the ticketed passengers in.

Ive had people who weren't even taking the train with me, just dropping me off at the station, wait for my train with me in the lounge simply by nicely asking the lounge Cerebrus. It was only 1 person each time and it wasn't at Chicago and wasn't busy. The lounge Cerebrus at Chicago are notoriously mean.