What if you have trouble sleeping on an Amtrak Train?

[Dakota 400]

it's kind of fun to wake up, peek out the window to see where we are, and then drift back to sleep.

I enjoy doing that as well. But, then, I wonder: Are we on time? If not, where are we? Not wearing my glasses, I don't always clearly see the station name.

 

[Dakota 400]

But it's dark outside. Can you see anything outside the window?

Surprisingly, yes. My most memorable night-time sightseeing was on the Empire Builder after a February snowfall. Rain when we left Seattle, turning to snow as we headed East. The snow continued to fall throughout the night and the snow helped to make the scenery a winter wonderland. The trip through Glacier NP after the newly fallen snow--while in the daylight--was even better than such a trip always is.

 

[chakk]

eyeshade and foam earplugs work for me so long as I lay off the caffeine drinks at least 5 hours before bedtime

 

[Sauve850]

I have seen wind farms. Nighttime scenery opens up a whole new world. I get my bed made early in the bedroom and turn off the lights and just watch. The night sky in rural areas is great whether clear or storms in the distance with some lightning, the small towns, the traffic along the interstate that parallels the trains at times and all those strange lights I seem to see. Sometimes a big old full moon pops up. Very cool. Its relaxing and helps me when Im ready to sleep.

 

[SarahZ]

I get my bed made early in the bedroom and turn off the lights and just watch.

Me too! I don't actually go to sleep until much later, but I love being comfortable while looking outside. I don't think I've ever turned the room light on. I prefer to watch the nighttime landscape.

 

[Manny T]

https://www.hammacher.com/product/authentic-sleep-sound-machine

 

[Skyline]

A nightcap or two, a good book, and the rhythmic rock/roll of the train put me to sleep. Scenery outside, when visible, creates a mood prior to settling in. Certainly better in a roomette than coach; even better in a bedroom.

 

[spinnaker]

Ambian and a sleeper room

Traveling in coach is just brutal for me. Even when taking Ambian, I rarely get much sleep. I am tall so even if I am lucky enough to get two seats to myself I simply can't get comfortable. I envy those shorter people that can curl op on two seats.

Had a sleeper on my recent cross country trip. Slept very well each night. I was a bit concerned on the Chicago to Pittsburgh run. That route can be pretty rough and my room had a bad rattle I could not detect the source. It didn't help that I knew I was losing an hour of sleep, crossing a time zone and would need to be up at 4:30AM to depart from the train. But I took my Ambian, tried to relax and I zonked out pretty quickly.

Somehow I woke just in time to prepare for my stop. I actually woke pretty refreshed considering the early hour.

 

[Chessie]

Recently rode the VIA Canadian and discovered watching the night sky and the stars in the skyline dome car. And during thunderstorms watching the lightning in distance.

 

[shelzp]

I haven’t taken coach at night as I always book a room but as others have mentioned headphones and Benadryl help quite a bit. I’m always on vacation so don’t need to have a good night of rest but what I’ve found on the train is to not fight the disruptions and accept it for what it is.