sleeping in coach seats?

[jojo144]

How comfortable are the coach seats on the Coast starlight for sleeping? (Anticipating a trip from Emeryville to Seattle and later return, about 24 hours each way).
Thanks in advance,
Joe

 

[dlagrua]

Far better than any seat on an aircraft. Plenty of room. .

 

[KmH]

Yep.

Superliner Coach Car seats are wider, have more padding, and recline more than airline seats, they also have a thigh rest and a foot rest.

A small pillow and a travel blanket will make things even more comfy.

 

[Fan Railer]

Having done the cross country trip (Emeryville - NYP) via the Zephyr and the LSL, the coach seats are very manageable in terms of sleepability. It is definitely better than flying in terms of seat space and comfort; the seat pitch is VERY generous. IDK if they still provide pillows on request, but I would recommend bringing a small one, and perhaps even a light blanket, if you are temperature sensitive as car temperatures can fluctuate a tiny bit.

 

[Big Iron]

Amtrak does not provide pillow or blanket anymore so plan on bringing your own. You can purchase, in the lounge car, a kit that has a tiny pillow, thin/small blanket and, I believe, an eye mask. I find that the coach seats dont support the small of your back well so should also consider bringing something to fill that space.

Also try to get a window seat so you can lean against the window for support.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

If there is a drawback to Coach seats it would be the lack of an armrest between the 2 seats.

 

[BoulderCO]

Yes, MUCH more room and comfort than what you would have in an airplane! Always try for a window seat and always hope for no one sitting next to you (won't always happen). If it does, you can lay horizontally across both seats for even more comfort.

I don't bother with an actual pillow. Usually stuff a light jacket or something into a small nylon bag and use that. Temperature seems to be regulated well, so a blanket isn't really required. But you should plan on long pants and shirt while sleeping.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

In my experience Amtrak coach seats are great for daytime lounging not that good for actual restful sleep, and this is coming from someone who can generally find a way to sleep on commercial aircraft. My own vehicle is more comfortable to sleep in than Amtrak's coach seat. I'm not sure what's missing but I think it's the lack of an armrest and the inability to lie flat.

Far better than any seat on an aircraft. Plenty of room.

I guess it depends on if you're only counting coach seats or all seats. There are many commercial airlines with premium seats that substantially outperform Amtrak coach seats and lay perfectly flat for a much more restful experience. There are first class suites that can rival sleeper compartments, including the shower.

I find that the coach seats don't support the small of your back well so should also consider bringing something to fill that space. Also try to get a window seat so you can lean against the window for support.

Agree on both counts.

If there is a drawback to Coach seats it would be the lack of an armrest between the 2 seats.

Agree with this as well. I never noticed how much I appreciated armrests until I started riding Amtrak. How on earth did Amtrak miss this and why haven't they fixed it?

 

[JayPea]

I personally find it next to impossible to get any kind of sleep in coach seats. But that is just me. I find it next to impossible to sleep on a plane either. I can doze here and there but that's about it.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I agree with the sentiment here. They have overloads of legroom, tons of padding, and recline a good amount, but their lumbar support is lackluster with the seat back being flat and their recline is restricted by the tray tables. I think a curvier seat back, armrests, and winged headrests would significantly boost sleeping comfort, as well as more recline with redesigned tray tables.

IMO, Amtrak doesn't actually have great seats, they just have great legroom which is what many people go after.

 

[SarahZ]

I could probably sleep in a coach seat if the seats had those "wings" you can rest your head against. Leaning against the window is uncomfortable, as the metal bar with the outlets digs into my arm. (Plus, my head bangs against the window every time we rock and bump.) I really wish Amtrak would use the winged headrests again.

 

[the_traveler]

What I do is place my rolled up coat/sweater/pillow between me and the window/ledge.

 

[Barciur]

Anybody has experience travelling with two people you are comfortable getting physically close to? I imagine this is a lot more comfortable than solo with a stranger seatmate, as you can make use of the two seats and somehow get comfortable together.

 

[spacecadet]

Anybody has experience travelling with two people you are comfortable getting physically close to?

Well, traveling with *two* people would be kind of moot, because each row is 2+2. So two people will be together, and the remaining "third wheel" will be either by themselves or with a stranger.

I have traveled with my wife in coach from Chicago to Wishram, Washington on the Empire Builder. The lack of a center armrest does become pretty much a non-issue when traveling with someone else. Also, over 2 days, your whole side of the row kind of becomes your little "house". You end up with all kinds of stuff on the seats and floor in your area. With a stranger, you may or may not be comfortable enough to do that. It depends on how well you get along.

I will say that I have also traveled alone in coach and it does kind of suck anticipating what a person who gets sat next to you might be like. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don't. Sometimes you get a talker, sometimes a loner, sometimes a weirdo. Sometimes you get a snorer. Very rarely (at least in my case) you get someone you can really relate to and like a lot. And sometimes you get two seats all to yourself the whole way.

As for the seats themselves, I concur with others that they are very comfortable. Pictures don't really convey it because the seats themselves are far larger than airline seats, so you lose the sense of scale. There's a ridiculous amount of legroom in the long distance coaches. It's better than business class on an airplane.

 

[SP&S]

In general, if you can sleep in a recliner, you can sleep in coach.

 

[firstcultural]

Something else worth noting - if your trip is between Emeryville and Seattle chances are good you'll probably be seated with the same person the whole trip and most people in your car will be sleeping as well. Those boarding between Eugene and Martinez get put in the "late night" car which is usually the only one with people getting on and off at weird hours of the night.

 

[NorthShore]

Coach seats are nice. I like them better than the ones in a roomette. But I always find them difficult to sleep in, unless I can stretch out across two (and elevate both footrests out horizontal) to make a little bed. I can sleep sitting up just fine in a La-Z-Boy. I wish Amtrak would collaborate with that company on a redesign, at least for any future car purchases or rebuilds.

 

[StriderGDM]

I have almost annually done coach overnight to Atlanta.

I find them just about comfortable, but not quite. Which in some ways is even MORE annoying. You keep thinking you're CLOSE to finding the right, comfortable position, and then realize you can't.

I heartily second the pillow for the small of your back.

If I try sleeping on my back, it gets sore.

If I sleep on my side, it's not quite flat enough.

One night is tolerable, 2 nights, would be too much for me.

 

[jojo144]

Thanks very much for the extensive replies. Sounds like it's worth a try for sure. All the suggestions are bound to make it better.

Regards,

Joe