Sharing roomette

Just wondering - is there any mechanism, formal or informal, by which I can be paired with someone willing to split the roomette upgrade fee? I am hoping to travel across the country in May of 2009 - tentative plan is the Cardinal from NYP/PHL to CHI, Empire Builder to SEA with stops in MSP, GPK, and SPT, and the Coast Starlight down to EMY with a stop in PDX. I'll only need sleeper service on some of those legs. I took the Silver service last year from PHL to PAK and it was enough to convince me to get a roomette next time, but I'm on a student budget. Advice? Thanks!

If you had been doing that a couple of months later, perhaps you could have shared with me; I have the same problem!

Poor student said:

Just wondering - is there any mechanism, formal or informal, by which I can be paired with someone willing to split the roomette upgrade fee? I am hoping to travel across the country in May of 2009 - tentative plan is the Cardinal from NYP/PHL to CHI, Empire Builder to SEA with stops in MSP, GPK, and SPT, and the Coast Starlight down to EMY with a stop in PDX. I'll only need sleeper service on some of those legs. I took the Silver service last year from PHL to PAK and it was enough to convince me to get a roomette next time, but I'm on a student budget. Advice? Thanks!

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It would be a nice service, but unless it were offered on Amtrak's website (and through their phone reps) I doubt it would work. A third-party traveler-matching website wouldn't attract sufficient travelers to make many matches, and by the time matches were made and paired travelers notified, fares would have gone up (or roomettes simply become unavailable). That doesn't stop me from wishing it existed too.

Actually, I wish there were just an option for the "six person compartment class" the way there is in France.

You can try and do that in coach with an onboard upgrade, maybe. Although I have never heard of it being done.

Green Maned Lion said:

You can try and do that in coach with an onboard upgrade, maybe. Although I have never heard of it being done.

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I tried once, when on the Empire Builder westbound. I struck up a conversation with a fellow seated near me in coach, he turned out to be a nice guy, and later that day I asked the conductor about the availability of upgrades (and price), and then asked this fellow if he was interested (he was also going all the way to Portland). But he thought the price (even low bucket, shared between two people) was too expensive for him; I was also unable to persuade him to try the dining car instead of the cafe, so he didn't know what he was missing out on and could have gotten for free Oh well.

Posting an ad on Craigslist may be worth a try.

wayman said:

Actually, I wish there were just an option for the "six person compartment class" the way there is in France.

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Ineed, I always think it a shame neither Amtrak nor Scotrail in Great Britain do couchettes.

darien-l said:

Posting an ad on Craigslist may be worth a try.

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I would reserve the roomette, to lock in a price, but not have the actual ticket issued.

Since you are a student, possibly look into putting an ad at your student union or student paper about looking for another student to share expenses. Since you locked in a price, you have be specific.

If no one comes forward, you can always cancel the roomette, and get your money back.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I may give craigslist or similar a shot, or just wait and try for an onboard upgrade if anyone else is also interested. I've been reading in some of the other threads that going westbound I might have better day time scenery if I take the Lake Shore and the Zephyr - thoughts? I'd like to make those stops on the EB route to visit people but I may not have the time anyway.

I am not quite sure how an on board upgrade works.. do you always get the lowest possible bucket price roomette by getting one, if available, aboard train?

Ed B)

caravanman said:

I am not quite sure how an on board upgrade works.. do you always get the lowest possible bucket price roomette by getting one, if available, aboard train?
Ed B)

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Yes.