We’re hopping on the Empire Builder tomorrow aft in Portland on our way to Wisconsin Dells, WI. On the way there we have a bedroom, and on the way back, a roomette. Do the bedrooms have a bathroom? The other question is about tipping. So when, how much, and how often? Thinking about the car attendant in particular. We’ll be on train #28, car #2830, bedroom C going out, and coming back on train #27, car 2730, and room 005. Thanks for any info. Oh, and will there WiFi on board?
The regular bedrooms (and the H bedroom downstairs) have bathrooms. (It's just a curtain in the H bedroom so wheelchairs can get in and out, but the bathrooms have a door in the regular bedrooms. They are combined toilet/shower units. To use the shower, you put down the toilet lid, pull down a cover over the toilet paper dispenser so it doesn't get soaked, close the door to contain the shower water. I think the entire floor is waterproof and has a drain for the shower water, which goes to separate holding tank from the toilet (I think.) Anyway the waste water is contained and this is probably way more than you wanted to know!
The family bedroom and the roomettes do not have private bathrooms. There are 3 shared bathrooms on the lower level and one upstairs, right at the top of the stairs. (That's one of the benefits of roomettes 11-14, 4 roomettes and one family bedroom sharing 3 bathrooms vs. 10 roomettes with only one bathroom upstairs. I've found that on average, when I'm upstairs, the bathroom is occupied about 1/4 to 1/3 of the time so I have to go downstairs. On the other hand, on the few occasions I've been in a downstairs roomette, all 3 bathrooms were occupied only once. (I think one of them was broken and locked off that time...) Also, since the upstairs bathroom sees much more use, it sometimes gets smelly, but usually the attendant does a good job of keeping it clean. Yet another reason to tip them well!
I usually tip about $10 per night for sleepers, more if they provide any above and beyond service. Technically, you aren't required and they don't expect tips, but practically, I think most passengers do tip. Also, I tip the dining car attendants about what I would for a similar restaurant meal, e.g. $2-3 for breakfast, $5 for lunch and $10 for dinner. (This works out to be about 15-20% of the "list price" which used to be printed on the menus when coach passengers could buy meals in the diners. Since that isn't allowed on most trains any more, I think they no longer print the prices on the menus, making it harder to judge the tip.) Again, they get a good wage and tipping is not required, but they often go above and beyond normal service.
Don't forget the Red Caps; If they meet me at the curb and bring my luggage into the station, usually about $2/bag. However, if they bring me and my luggage to the train and help me get it on board, usually I tip $5. I think the Red Caps are much more dependent on tips than the on-board services people.
Other people will tell you other formulas, but I think mine is about average.
