Onboard sleeper upgrades

[PPorro]

A revised sleeping car upgrade policy was issued, effective 10/1/12. The basic difference appears to be that the price onboard will be whatever the current bucket price is showing in the Arrow system (including any applicable discount). That and it specifically states that the Pax. must decide immediately, no holds for decisions later.

OK someone help me because I'm new to all of this. Arrow is the Amtrak reservation system. How do I look at it myself? Where do I find bucket prices for a train that's already in route. (I did a search, are there five bucket prices for every situation?) This is complicated!

Here's why I'm asking. Hypothetical but could very likely be reality.

I'm on the California Zephyr and decide I've had enough fun, it's getting dark and I'd like to get a Roomette (because I'm cheap and I booked Coach for the portion until I get bored or can't sleep in a seat)

Do I ask and the answer is whatever they say and I have no way of checking in advance? No option to ask later say in Denver? Can I ask which rooms are available or do I get what they decide to give me?

Can I look right now and see an example since the train is in Iowa, it's dark and it's headed for eight hours of dark, no scenery. So I'd have an idea of what to expect in the future.

I might add, how do I access the Internet from a moving train, since Amtrak doesn't provide WiFi?

Seems all kind of smoke and mirrors and no way to check in advance, without committing?

 

[Guest]

If you have a smart phone, you can check while on the train. However, you do not have access to Arrow directly, you can go to amtrak.com to check current availability.

 

[amamba]

I might add, how do I access the Internet from a moving train, since Amtrak doesn't provide WiFi?

Seems all kind of smoke and mirrors and no way to check in advance, without committing?

You use your iPhone or Android (or whatever) smart phone with internet access based on cell towers. check the amtrak app.

If you don't have the amtrak app, you can easily call reservations yourself at 1800USARAIL and check on the price from a future station to your destination. They should be able to tell you the price.

 

[jis]

Yes, but the price for an international upgrade is still usually pretty hefty.

At least on Delta, which is my airline of choice, I've never seen an international upgrade go for less than $1500 at the gate.

And you need to book an upgrade 24+ hours in advance if you're going to use miles.

If could be different on other, non-skyteam, airlines though.

Domestic flights are a different story though...

Well, my recent experience was that I had a S fare round trip ticket from EWR to DEL nonstop of about $1300. On each segment at checkin I was offered an upgrade for about $1000 and I took it. If I had tried to book the ticket originally in BF it would have cost me a shade over $10,000. So yes of course the upgrade costs a lot. But then compare that with the actual regular fare and it looks pretty cheap. Getting to travel in sleeper seat for 7,800 miles twice each leg of the order of 15 hours is a hugely expensive thing in general.

As far as upgrade on international segments go I have seen everything starting from $0 (comp) to free up seats in the back to the one I described above. There are all sorts of other combos in between involving, miles or miles and money, waitlisted vs. confirmed etc. etc. offered at various times before the flight with different costs. Too many to spell out. Point is that they are very very good at getting as much money as they can out of each of those seats, while generating a considerable amount of goodwill too. The whole thing is handled as a business activity and not as a reluctant foot dragging exercise as at Amtrak.

 

[PPorro]

If you have a smart phone, you can check while on the train. However, you do not have access to Arrow directly, you can go to amtrak.com to check current availability.

Thanks, I didn't know "there's an app for that" for Amtrak. I have an iPhone 3GS picked up recently used, no data plan, long story, not important. :blink:

At least I know I can start practicing looking at rates. I was making notes on the days of the week, which seem to make a big difference. Since it doesn't matter to me, I'll roll on the cheaper days. Then I need to see when and where there are opening for a cutt rate Roomette.

Thanks for all the help. Reading here is very educational.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If you have a smart phone, you can check while on the train. However, you do not have access to Arrow directly, you can go to amtrak.com to check current availability.

Thanks, I didn't know "there's an app for that" for Amtrak. I have an iPhone 3GS picked up recently used, no data plan, long story, not important. :blink:

At least I know I can start practicing looking at rates. I was making notes on the days of the week, which seem to make a big difference. Since it doesn't matter to me, I'll roll on the cheaper days. Then I need to see when and where there are opening for a cutt rate Roomette.

Thanks for all the help. Reading here is very educational.

Have you tried Amsnag.net? You can see up to 30 days.

 

[PPorro]

If you have a smart phone, you can check while on the train. However, you do not have access to Arrow directly, you can go to amtrak.com to check current availability.

Thanks, I didn't know "there's an app for that" for Amtrak. I have an iPhone 3GS picked up recently used, no data plan, long story, not important. :blink:

At least I know I can start practicing looking at rates. I was making notes on the days of the week, which seem to make a big difference. Since it doesn't matter to me, I'll roll on the cheaper days. Then I need to see when and where there are opening for a cutt rate Roomette.

Thanks for all the help. Reading here is very educational.

Just for the record I'll have a netbook and an iPhone along on the trip. I loaded the app after the advise, and I need to add amsnag. I don't pay for WiFI or data on any devices. So I guess I' d have to catch a signal at a station. Probably in the dark while we're on the move. Data plans just cost too much for my taste and almost everywhere I go, there's free WiFi. (except Amtrak of course...)

When I looked, I couldn't see any upgrade so I'm assuming I missed the point. :giggle:

If I'm already on the train and want an upgrade I need to look at the next station, and how much it is for a Roomette from that station to my destination. Did I finally get it?

Might as well ask. And this is kind of strange but what is there to keep me from booking for a segment and going back to coach? So hypothetically I start at A go to B, get a roomette from B until about sunrise at C and then from C to D I'm reserved coach again.

And while I'm learning. I get on at A and along the way a roomette becomes available/vacant because someone gets off. Do they change the linens or what happens to that cabin? Idle for the duration or what?

I'm amused by the cost and meals part. I may bring a friend and pay for her ticket because she only costs a coach ticket, if I pay for a roomette for the two of us. Right?

 

[Ryan]

If I'm already on the train and want an upgrade I need to look at the next station, and how much it is for a Roomette from that station to my destination. Did I finally get it?

Yes.

Might as well ask. And this is kind of strange but what is there to keep me from booking for a segment and going back to coach? So hypothetically I start at A go to B, get a roomette from B until about sunrise at C and then from C to D I'm reserved coach again.

Yes.

And while I'm learning. I get on at A and along the way a roomette becomes available/vacant because someone gets off. Do they change the linens or what happens to that cabin? Idle for the duration or what?

Yes.

I'm amused by the cost and meals part. I may bring a friend and pay for her ticket because she only costs a coach ticket, if I pay for a roomette for the two of us. Right?

Yes. And the "rail fare" she'll need is always a low bucket (cheapest) coach ticket, no matter what price the a coach seat is selling for at the time.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I guess that just want people to book in advance instead of holding off. I've heard of plenty of people saying, "Sleeper's too expensive, but since it's a long trip I'll see if I can get an upgrade onboard."

Yeah, Amtrak dosen't want that.

 

[PPorro]

I guess that just want people to book in advance instead of holding off. I've heard of plenty of people saying, "Sleeper's too expensive, but since it's a long trip I'll see if I can get an upgrade onboard."

Yeah, Amtrak dosen't want that.

Thanks Ryan and yes, I can see that.

What I've been doing is figuring out how I locate where the train is right now and then look at examples of the room rates. Tonight for example I checked the Texas Eagle, once for the standard fare from Chicago to Dallas, and once just before it was supposed to arrive at St. Louis same destination, and checked the price for the Roomette. Thirty Bucks difference. Not worth the effort and savings. I guess I'll have to get a notebook open a database and start entering all the stops along the way for prices for an upgrade. :unsure:

Everyone here has been very helpful at helping someone new to the whole system. Thank You. (I'll take photos of the trip and write a travel report...)