My first Amtrak trip questions

[trimetbusfan]

Thank you for the insight. 58/59 are the trains operating Chicago to NOLA. So we will go east then west coming home to the midwest. I was about to ask why you would choose 2 roomettes over one bedroom? The roomettes are $84 less, but don't allow hubby and I to be in the same room that has a shower and restroom. After 45 years of marriage... I have no problem him being opposite me in his own roomette (BIG LOL on that one), but just comparing and I would go for the $84 more for the bedroom. What are anyones thoughts on this?

The cost between a roomette and bedroom is usually much more than $84 on other routes. If you can swing it, take the upgrade!

 

[Rasputin]

Generally the cost of a bedroom on the City of New Orleans is only $100 or so more than the cost of a roomette. This is not true on other Amtrak trains where a bedroom can cost hundreds of dollars more than a roomette. My wife and I almost always travel in one roomette but on the City we book a bedroom due to the minor additional cost. We have never seen a need for two roomettes.

Go for the bedroom. It will make for a much more pleasant trip.

 

[Brian Battuello]

I agree, especially going for the bedroom. As you know, the trip is 19 hours and that's a long time to sit and sleep in a coach seat, even with trips to the sightseer lounge. If you can justify the cost of the bedroom, it is well worth it. Too bad you won't also get the full dining car experience, but that is probably why the prices are lower than on trains with a diner.

There are some advantages to double roomettes. Assuming you can get rooms across from each other, or nearby, you should have windows on both sides. And you both get a lower bunk. OTOH, the bedrooms are larger and nicer, with private toilets and showers, and a larger lower bed. Don't worry about climbing into the upper bunk, if you can climb four rungs of a stepladder, you'll be fine. Personally, I'd go for the bedroom.

As mentioned, you'll get free food from the cafe car, and you'll be generally okay. They usually have some good breakfast options. I personally like the sausage sandwich, although some disagree. If you have some favorite snacks you might want to bring them.

If you get a bedroom, you should have a really good trip. Occasionally things go wrong, the train is late, something in the room doesn't work, it is too hot or cold, but in general it is a great way to travel.

Let us know what you decide, and write trip reports here as you go!

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

OMG, small world! We literally do, too!

The hubby and I live about 2 hours SW of Chicago (via I-55 or the Lincoln Service tracks), and about an hour S of Aurora, so not that far from you and @pparish . A small world, indeed!

 

[BlackDiamond]

On the western trains there is not a lot of headroom in the top bunk, ok if you want to just slide in and fall asleep immediately. Eastern trains are a little better. I don't know if the 59 is an eastern or western train.

The CONO is a Superliner train (i.e. same as Western trains) so the top bunk has limited headroom and can be hard to get in and out of. Sometimes referred to as "the coffin".

 

[MccfamschoolMom]

The CONO is a Superliner train (i.e. same as Western trains) so the top bunk has limited headroom and can be hard to get in and out of. Sometimes referred to as "the coffin".

The Grounded Life Travel channel on YouTube has videos demonstrating the difference between roomettes/bedrooms/family bedrooms/accessible bedrooms on Amtrak, including the differences in top bunks between Superliners and Viewliners.

 

[pparish]

The hubby and I live about 2 hours SW of Chicago (via I-55 or the Lincoln Service tracks), and about an hour S of Aurora, so not that far from you and @pparish . A small world, indeed!

A small world of Midwesterners!

 

[AZAmtrakfan]

We're currently in a similar situation and I've decided that if for no other reason than safety, two roomettes are a better choice than one bedroom. I slept (tried to) in an upper roomette bunk about twenty years ago and it was not good. When we had a bedroom, DW took the upper (she was much smaller than me). That was before her knee crapped out. Now, I refuse to consider either of us climbing into any type of upper bunk. I had mostly written off any future Amtrak trips until it occurred to me that a pair of roomettes would work fine. That's now our plan for what will be our first long distance Amtrak trip in over ten years. We've never done the CZ, but that's our target. Kind of a bucket list item for me.

 

[pparish]

I agree and just booked two roomettes across from each other for hubby and myself. We got #7 and 8 round trip from Chicago to NOLA. This way we have views on both sides and can go back and forth as we please. It just made sense for us. I want to be comfortable without either one of us catapulting into a top bunk and possibly causing a derailment upon landing in the bunk or not... ha ha ha! Now we only have to worry about getting to the bathroom on time.

 

[AZAmtrakfan]

I want to be comfortable without either one of us catapulting into a top bunk

I'm more concerned about somebody falling on the way up or way down. Spending a few days in a hospital in the middle-of-nowhere Colorado or Utah is not my idea of "fun."

 

[amtrakp42]

We might be "almost neighbors" as we live an hour W of Chicago in Aurora. We're in a similar situation of both of us finally being retired and planning a bucket list trip. Hubby has been talking about wanting to do a LD train West for over 20 years. I'm more of a cruise person myself, but I'm down for a new adventure. We're doing the RT loop of EB to Seattle, CS to San Francisco, and CZ back home to Chicago in June. Hope you enjoy your upcoming trip and tell us all about it!

I've rode all 3 trains many times. Rode Empire Builder and Northern Pacific in the late 50s. My suggestion is to reverse the trip. Empire Builder going west if u are running late Glacier Park maybe during the dark. Going east u are getting to Glacier Park in AM so if ĺate it will be all during daylight! The Coast Starlight going south it is dark going thru mountains into Klamath Falls. Then CZ going east running late may not be daylight thru the great scenery thru mounains from Glenwood Springs east. So going west on CZ will generally have most daylight thru the great scenery even if 2 to 3 hrs late. Going north on CS same situation. Same for going east on Empire thru Glacier Park. So if are 2-3 hrs late on any 3 it could ruin ur whole trip. And Bedroom prices are too high to take that chance. Just my 2 cents woŕh from riding these routes every year for last 10 or 12 years.

 

[Willbridge]

I've rode all 3 trains many times. Rode Empire Builder and Northern Pacific in the late 50s. My suggestion is to reverse the trip. Empire Builder going west if u are running late Glacier Park maybe during the dark. Going east u are getting to Glacier Park in AM so if ĺate it will be all during daylight! The Coast Starlight going south it is dark going thru mountains into Klamath Falls. Then CZ going east running late may not be daylight thru the great scenery thru mounains from Glenwood Springs east. So going west on CZ will generally have most daylight thru the great scenery even if 2 to 3 hrs late. Going north on CS same situation. Same for going east on Empire thru Glacier Park. So if are 2-3 hrs late on any 3 it could ruin ur whole trip. And Bedroom prices are too high to take that chance. Just my 2 cents woŕh from riding these routes every year for last 10 or 12 years.

I've traveled all these routes, in both directions to get places, and if you are planning a "bucket list" trip then clockwise is the way to go.

Klamath Lake at breakfast time on Train 14.


Klamath Falls from coach seat on Train 11.