Superliner Bedroom Accommodations

[North Woods Hiawatha]

My wife and our daughters enjoyed our trips on the CS and EB during a 2001 vacation. We had bedroom accommodations on both trains during our trip. We've taken many midwest regional trips on the Illinois Zephyr and Hiawatha Service since then, so we're familiar with Amtrak from that perspective. My wife and I are a bit older now and are considering a one way trip from MKE to SCS during October 2020. We're comtemplating reserving a bedroom accommodation for our trip, but have a question about sleeping. We know that the lower berth has a 3'4" x 6'3" size. Is that enough room for 2 adults to sleep in (perhaps, not comfortably)? Both of us would have difficulty getting into/out of the upper berth at this point in our lives, lol. Also, if I remember correctly, there was an easy chair in the Superliner bedroom. With the lower berth out at night, would the chair be accessible, as that might be a viable sleeping option for one of us.

 

[andytiedye]

Two can sleep on the lower berth, though it is a bit cozy.

 

[ehbowen]

The lower berth is an inch wider than a standard Twin size bed. My sister and BIL shared one (in a Family bedroom) in preference to using the upper berth; of course they were much younger than senior status. It can be done, although if I were you I would not write off the upper berth completely. In the bedrooms Amtrak does provide an actual ladder which you can climb to get into it, although overhead clearance is still tight and some contortions are necessary. There is a safety net which you can clip up as a restraint once you're up there.

With the lower berth made up for sleeping the chair can be accessed, but it's tight. And I wouldn't characterize it as an "easy chair"; it is padded and comfortable enough for sitting, reading, etc., but it doesn't recline and I wouldn't care to sleep in it.

If you really need a lower berth at this stage of your lives, two Roomettes can often be had for the price of a Bedroom. If you call and speak to an agent you may be able to get two which are directly across the hall from each other; you can both sit on whichever one happens to be on the scenic side for conversation and time together during the day and then you'll both have separate lower berths for sleeping in at night.

 

[jiml]

The advice above is excellent and I can agree from experience. When we used to travel on Amtrak with our children - one or both (with both requiring the Family Bedroom) my wife and I could make do sharing the lower berth, with the kids doing the climbing. We're quite a bit older, and unfortunately less "compact" than we used to be, so it's no longer an option. On our recent VIA trip we had what used to be called a drawing room, with two lower berths. Another poster recently lamented their demise on Amtrak and it's a shame they're not an option. The closest you're going to get on Amtrak without shelling out big bucks for a bedroom "suite" is two roomettes across the hall, as noted above. We've done this once and it's fine, with the exception of no private bathroom. His advice about needing an agent, as opposed to booking online, is also correct.

 

[pennyk]

I am pretty small and I would not like to share a lower bedroom bunk with anyone. Last night I slept in a Superliner bedroom lower bunk (alone) and was very comfortable.

 

[Maglev]

I agree with you about not wanting to climb into an upper berth--I have had trouble climbing into them since I was in my limber thirties. But I have never considered actually trying to spend the whole night sleeping with my wife on the lower berth--it's just too small. And I think EHBowen is being generous describing the chair as comfortable--the cushions are quite hard (I remember the folding chairs they replaced, which were not only stowable but also wider and softer).

The lower berth in a Bedroom is 3' 4" wide. One of the widest beds available on scheduled rail routes is the open section, at 3' 7"--these are still available in Canada. On the Toronto to Vancouver train, there are Prestige Class rooms with "double " beds (which are 4' 6" wide--bigger than two Roomette upper berths). But they go for something like $5,000.

 

[Skyline]

I am pretty small and I would not like to share a lower bedroom bunk with anyone. Last night I slept in a Superliner bedroom lower bunk (alone) and was very comfortable.

I've slept in tents that aren't much wider than that with two people in it. Very cramped. Y'all better be thin and very much in love!

 

[Palmland]

I used to hate the upper bunk because it was so hard to get in/out and the ceiling was so low. On our last trip I learned to not it hate it as much. The aha! Moment was when I took down the netting and kept it down. Much easier to slither out sideways esp. in the middle of the night when it’s dark. No I didn’t fall out either.

What I miss though is not being able to look out the window, but that probably helps me sleep better as I’m not tempted to take a quick look in the middle of the night.

 

[Casinocim]

Sleep feet to head. It’s kinda of strange but a little more comfortable. I have done this with my mom. Both of you have separate blankets.

 

[F900ElCapitan]

My wife and I slept on the lower bunk together in bedrooms when we took our vacation this past September. It was a little tight but doable and I’m 6’2” and 215. I think as long as you enjoy being close to each other it’s not a problem. We also tried out having 2 roomettes across the hall from each other and we enjoyed that too. Especially going through the Sierra’s on the CZ as we could hop back and forth to see whichever side we wanted and didn’t have to fight for a seat in the SSL.

 

[Sauve850]

Lots of people have some trouble sleeping the first night on a train trip. Two in the bottom bunk I think compounds that issue. Its pretty small. The second night on the train most sleep better as they are making up on lost sleep.

 

[North Woods Hiawatha]

I realize that there are shared bathrooms and shower room on the lower level of Superliner sleeping cars. In looking at a car diagram of Superliner sleeping cars, it appears that there is also a bathroom on the upper level, located close to the stairway to the lower level. Is that true? Is this bathroom found on the upper level of all Superliner sleeping cars?

 

[pennyk]

I realize that there are shared bathrooms and shower room on the lower level of Superliner sleeping cars. In looking at a car diagram of Superliner sleeping cars, it appears that there is also a bathroom on the upper level, located close to the stairway to the lower level. Is that true? Is this bathroom found on the upper level of all Superliner sleeping cars?

Yes, there is one restroom upstairs in all standard Superliner sleeper cars (that I have seen).

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yes, there is one restroom upstairs in all standard Superliner sleeper cars (that I have seen).

The Transdorms ( Crew Cars) have 2 Restroom/Showers Upstairs, one for the Crew and one for Revenue Passengers.

 

[the_traveler]

You may also possibly considering getting 2 roomettes. Especially if you can get both across the aisle from each other.

True, you will not have a private bathroom or shower. You can both sit together in one room, you will have windows on both sides of the train and most importantly at night, you will both have lower berths! And many times (but not always) the cost of 2 roomettes may be lower than the cost of 1 bedroom!

 

[Shortline]

While it’s obviously more expensive. Often prohibitively so, we sometimes each get a connecting bedroom, opened into a suite. Lots of benefits on a multi night trip-guaranteed forward facing couch, a dedicated shower, and a dedicated bathroom (hate a wet bathroom...) both get a larger lower berth, and by day the extra space is so nice to have. Can’t always do it, but when we do it’s a great solution.

 

[me_little_me]

I realize that there are shared bathrooms and shower room on the lower level of Superliner sleeping cars. In looking at a car diagram of Superliner sleeping cars, it appears that there is also a bathroom on the upper level, located close to the stairway to the lower level. Is that true? Is this bathroom found on the upper level of all Superliner sleeping cars?

Yes, but it is more used (nobody wants to go downstairs to the bathroom?) than the three downstairs ones and therefore more likely to be occupied. I always go downstairs when I have an upstairs roomette.