Roomette vs Coach

[PJRACER]

Hello: Just to get your point of view.....after riding ORL - WAS on coach....I can get the Roomette from WAS-CHI for $180...................by leaving a day earlier than planned. On the way back that same roomette CHI - WAS is currently $129. I feel the $129 is worth it.......but do you think the $180 for the west bound to CHI is?????? I realize most on this forum are sleeper car riders as opposed to coach seat riders....but I would like the input. THANX

 

[boxcar479]

How much was it the first time you asked this question? hboy:

 

[Big Iron]

To put the pricing in some perspective, on the Capitol Ltd. $129.00 is the low bucket price, $180.00 medium and $233.00 the high price.

I think after riding ORL to WAS in coach you would like the roomette and you would get to use the Club Acela while in DC waiting for the CAP.

 

[PJRACER]

How much was it the first time you asked this question? hboy:

Oviously you didn't like my question...but you have so much time on your hands you answered with the above. IT WAS $233/////but thanks for you help!!!!!

 

[The Davy Crockett]

For the record, I don't take coach LD anymore. The last time I did I had a seriously sore back afterwards and decided then that an unsore back is worth the extra cost, but I do look for days when room prices are lower bucket. That said, I take the attitude that the cost of coach is transportation and the cost of a room over coach is lodging with meals included. I think, when looked at in this light, roomettes are often a pretty good deal, so $180, while not a bargain, doesn't seem too bad a price to me.

 

[PJRACER]

To put the pricing in some perspective, on the Capitol Ltd. $129.00 is the low bucket price, $180.00 medium and $233.00 the high price.

I think after riding ORL to WAS in coach you would like the roomette and you would get to use the Club Acela while in DC waiting for the CAP.

Thanks Big Iron....I just needed that little justification nudge from you...we have decided to move up the trip a day and take the $180 roomette, after calculating the couple of dinners and couple of breakfasts....it seems the correct thing to do, especially after the coach ride up to WAS from ORL. And I had not thought of the ACELA Club that you mentioned, which is a real plus if for nothing else than to leave our stuff....and take a little tour of our Capitol. Thanks again!!!!

 

[dlagrua]

On an overnight trip, some people like my wife and myself feel far more comfortable in the sleepers. Its private, at night you sleep horizontal, its far quieter and you need not be exposed to pasengers coughing cold & flu virus around you. We always travel overnight in a bedroom and reserve coach for day trips of a few hours. The roomettes are a bit smaller but they also serve their purpose well. If you can buy at low or mid bucket its a good buy as the meals are included.

 

[AlanB]

PJ,

It was a very good choice, as Big Iron is actually wrong. The high bucket price for a sleeper between DC & Chicago is $435 (might actually be a few bucks higher now after the latest price increase) but that's the high bucket price as of the October 2010 timetable.

 

[amamba]

$180 sounds like an excellent price to me for a roomette, considering I just paid that much for a one way BC ticket in acela between PVD - PHL.

 

[Big Iron]

PJ,

It was a very good choice, as Big Iron is actually wrong. The high bucket price for a sleeper between DC & Chicago is $435 (might actually be a few bucks higher now after the latest price increase) but that's the high bucket price as of the October 2010 timetable.

My apologies to PJ and the Forum for posting misinformation. I A$$umed $233.00 was the high bucket. I was contemplating a Cap Ltd trip over this long Presidents Day weekend and priced out a trip on Thursday, leaving Friday. The cost of the roomette was $233.00. Since it was so close to departure I a$$umed this was the high bucket.

In any event, PJ, glad I could be on assistance. Enjoy the rails.

 

[had8ley]

Just to add a little push towards the sleepers~ YOU have no control over what goes on in and around the coaches. Case in point~ Thanksgiving week Amtrak tacks only two coaches on # 1 and sells lower seats in both cars. Whadda they do? Stick a coach bag on as one of the two coaches. End result~ kids sleeping in the luggage racks; running up and down the stairs and parents who realized their only hope would be, "Maybe we'll get there early." In the sleeper you have your privacy and YOU decide what goes on within your four walls! Have a good trip...in the sleeper I hope!

 

[had8ley]

PJ,

It was a very good choice, as Big Iron is actually wrong. The high bucket price for a sleeper between DC & Chicago is $435 (might actually be a few bucks higher now after the latest price increase) but that's the high bucket price as of the October 2010 timetable.

Alan; Are we looking at an across the board increase or just sleepers? Also, just how much of an increase is it? Thanks... :help:

 

[AlanB]

PJ,

It was a very good choice, as Big Iron is actually wrong. The high bucket price for a sleeper between DC & Chicago is $435 (might actually be a few bucks higher now after the latest price increase) but that's the high bucket price as of the October 2010 timetable.

Alan; Are we looking at an across the board increase or just sleepers? Also, just how much of an increase is it? Thanks... :help:

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm assuming that it was an across the board increase. Acela fares went up a bit from what's posted in the TT, as did sleeper fares. Seems like maybe an average of $4 or $5.

 

[GlobalistPotato]

Well, if you're on the route for more than one night, a roomette is definitely a better buy than coach, factoring in meals and all.

If you're riding with someone else, it becomes an even better deal. Almost a no brainer.

Part of the reason why someone would sleep in coach for a LD trip is due budgeting concerns (they can't afford a roomette). Although Amtrak LD coach is far from ideal, it's still MUCH better than sleeping on a bus!

But what I'm wondering is if it's worth it to sleep in a roomette while riding solo for a one night trip, like the Texas Eagle or CONO or any one night section of a LD train. There's less meals and trip time to justify the cost.

The example I'm thinking of is AUS-CHI. Low bucket price seems to be $122 for a coach seat and at least $185 for a roomette. 28 hr train ride with 5 meals. I'm not sure of the prices for the dinner items, so maybe someone could help me with that.

 

[Ryan]

PJ,

It was a very good choice, as Big Iron is actually wrong. The high bucket price for a sleeper between DC & Chicago is $435 (might actually be a few bucks higher now after the latest price increase) but that's the high bucket price as of the October 2010 timetable.

Alan; Are we looking at an across the board increase or just sleepers? Also, just how much of an increase is it? Thanks... :help:

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm assuming that it was an across the board increase. Acela fares went up a bit from what's posted in the TT, as did sleeper fares. Seems like maybe an average of $4 or $5.

It went up $8 to $443.

 

[the_traveler]

PJ,

It was a very good choice, as Big Iron is actually wrong. The high bucket price for a sleeper between DC & Chicago is $435 (might actually be a few bucks higher now after the latest price increase) but that's the high bucket price as of the October 2010 timetable.

Alan; Are we looking at an across the board increase or just sleepers? Also, just how much of an increase is it? Thanks... :help:

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm assuming that it was an across the board increase. Acela fares went up a bit from what's posted in the TT, as did sleeper fares. Seems like maybe an average of $4 or $5.

I think is is across the board, KIN-BOS coach (Regional) went from $20 to $21. AE from boss to NYP went from $95 to $99.

I can't afford these increases!

 

[had8ley]

PJ,

It was a very good choice, as Big Iron is actually wrong. The high bucket price for a sleeper between DC & Chicago is $435 (might actually be a few bucks higher now after the latest price increase) but that's the high bucket price as of the October 2010 timetable.

Alan; Are we looking at an across the board increase or just sleepers? Also, just how much of an increase is it? Thanks... :help:

I'm not 100% sure, but I'm assuming that it was an across the board increase. Acela fares went up a bit from what's posted in the TT, as did sleeper fares. Seems like maybe an average of $4 or $5.

I think is is across the board, KIN-BOS coach (Regional) went from $20 to $21. AE from boss to NYP went from $95 to $99.

I can't afford these increases!

I think your only worry Dave would be if AGR raises its points requirements. :lol: