do people book roomettes for really short morning trips?(2 to 6 hours)

do people book roomettes for really short morning trips?(2 to 6 hours)

just wondering... I was trying to book 2 upcoming short trips. one is 2.5 hours long and the other one 5 hours 45 minutes. Both depart around 7AM.

not sure why, but the fare difference between coach and the Superliner roomette is only $32 and $46, respectively. there are two of us, so I guess I can look at this as upgrade fees, which ends up being $18 and $23 for each person... that makes it cheaper than a coach to business upgrade on similar length trips on trains with only coach/business cars.

what do you guys think?

Sounds like the price is right, so I'd say go for it.

Presumably you will be able to have breakfast in the diner during each of those trips, so that makes the upgrade almost free if you had planned on eating in the diner anyhow.

fairviewroad said:

Sounds like the price is right, so I'd say go for it.

Presumably you will be able to have breakfast in the diner during each of those trips, so that makes the upgrade almost free if you had planned on eating in the diner anyhow.

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Do they really provide free breakfast for when someone whose ride is only 2.5 hours? (2.5 hours is between my station and the train's final destination, Chicago Union Station)

If it is during meals hours, sure. They will provide you with a meal.

Heck, afterall they do serve all those meals in Acela First Class on runs that seldom exceed three hours and often are as short as one hour or even less.

Even if space cannot be found in the Diner, one can always do a take out to ones room.

ToniCounter said:

fairviewroad said:

Sounds like the price is right, so I'd say go for it.

Presumably you will be able to have breakfast in the diner during each of those trips, so that makes the upgrade almost free if you had planned on eating in the diner anyhow.

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Do they really provide free breakfast for when someone whose ride is only 2.5 hours? (2.5 hours is between my station and the train's final destination, Chicago Union Station)

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If you are in a roomette the dining car staff doesn't know nor care where you began your ride. I myself have had breakfast included in the ticket price several times riding from Champaign to Chicago in a roomette.

JayPea said:

If you are in a roomette the dining car staff doesn't know nor care where you began your ride. I myself have had breakfast included in the ticket price several times riding from Champaign to Chicago in a roomette.

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so we can just throw out bags in the room and head to the dining car as soon as we board?

thanks!

As the others have said, if the price is right, it's a brilliant idea!

I've booked Roomettes on the Texas Eagle between Austin and Dallas or Ft Worth ( same Fare) and Vice Versa (a 5-6 Hour Trip) which included 2 Meals for 2 pax ( Breakfast and Lunch and Lunch and Dinner) for as little as a $25 upgrade over the Rail Fare. ( Lowest Bucket Coach)

Same thing between LAX and SBA on the Coast Starlight where one can have Lunch in the wonderfulPacific Parlour Car while rolling up the rails. Lots of people do this one!

Book it Danno!

ToniCounter said:

so we can just throw out bags in the room and head to the dining car as soon as we board?

thanks!

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Yes, but make sure your ticket is scanned first.

SarahZ said:

Yes, but make sure your ticket is scanned first.

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by the sleeping car attendant, right? or does the dining room servers also scan the ticket?

Thanks!

Usually the conductor. Probably not the car attendant and definitely not in the dining car.

I suppose one possible issue is if the train is late and you miss the breakfast window. If it's really late you might even miss the lunch window. If you're past the breakfast window (and I've missed it before because the train was an our late getting into EMY) you might need to track down someone about the lunch reservation. On top of that, there's the chance of cutting it close.

However, the one advantage of sleepers is consuming your own personal alcohol in your room.

BCL said:

However, the one advantage of sleepers is consuming your own personal alcohol in your room.

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at 7AM? now you're talking!

ToniCounter said:

BCL said:

However, the one advantage of sleepers is consuming your own personal alcohol in your room.

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at 7AM? now you're talking!

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Even on a morning commute, I've heard the cafe car attendant mention the alcoholic beverages for sale over the train's PA system. When I took the Coast Starlight about a week ago, as soon as the cafe car was open for business in the morning, the announcement emphasized the selection of beer, wine, and liquor.

There were people on my recent trip going Seattle-Portland on the Coast Starlight in a sleeper. Just a couple of people, but it does happen. Further down the trip there was a group who filled the family bedroom from Oakland to San Luis Obispo while dad drove the car south to meet them there. Not sure why they chose to miss the best scenery of the route, but they wanted to experience the Parlor Car while getting lunch, which they did.

SarahZ said:

ToniCounter said:

so we can just throw out bags in the room and head to the dining car as soon as we board?

thanks!

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Yes, but make sure your ticket is scanned first.

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Dumb question but, why so important to get ticket scanned?

anumberone said:

SarahZ said:

ToniCounter said:

so we can just throw out bags in the room and head to the dining car as soon as we board?

thanks!

Click to expand...

Yes, but make sure your ticket is scanned first.

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Dumb question but, why so important to get ticket scanned?

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1) If you have other trains on your reservation, they could be cancelled as you will be a "no show"

2) If you're an AGR member, you won't get your points.

I have booked a roomette on the Texas eagle from BNL to CHI several times. Like you said it is often only $40 or $50 more. For that money , I get:

1. Access to the metro lounge in Chicago

2. Pre-reserved seating for me and my companion (usually my son)

3. Avoid having to stand in the cattle call line and worry about where my seat is going to be.

3. Lunch if heading northbound.

That, for me , is worth it.

My sister frequently books the family room on the CZ from EMY - TRU (Truckee) for her family for the same reasons.

Still worth it, even if you're on the no-meals-included Silver Star. The privacy, access to shower, coffee, and if you need it - the bed - are all real nice perks.

Amtrak sells lots of day rooms to people. I think they've discovered its a huge revenue generator. I've gone from AUS to FTW for only about $40 extra and get a lunch plus a bed to take a nap. LAX-SF, NOL-ATL, CHI-MSP, are also routes I've gotten an upgrade for a reasonable price. However, as of late, I've seen day room prices go up. This is probably to keep from selling too many and keeping the even higher revenue overnight passengers from getting a room for the night. It's a tricky line to follow for revenue management.

There are many days that being able to close that roomette door is priceless. I would happily pay another $20-40 for the extra comfort, the door, and a meal. Plus, if you're in certain cities, you get lounge access.

Hey! I have done KIS to TPA and back in Roomette. It is not even that expensive usually, since a lot of the accommodation frees up at Orlando and Tampa going south and is free upto Tampa or Orlando going north.

SarahZ said:

ToniCounter said:

so we can just throw out bags in the room and head to the dining car as soon as we board?

thanks!

Click to expand...

Yes, but make sure your ticket is scanned first.

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I was in the dining car of the Crescent last week. The conductor came thru and noticed some new folks and asked for their tickets. Don't know how he knew they had recently boarded, but he did the scanning right then and there.

Sometimes I check the dining options just to see how the pricing looks, but I would definitely book a room for a short trip. I had done that from DFW to AUS and the trip is usually 6 hours, but the train was 3 hours late. Glad I got the room. Got a nap in and didn't have to stress out.

JATX

I recently checked out a bedroom on the Silver Star from NYP-ALX. At the time I booked, it was less expensive than taking the Acela and I a) don't feel bad about talking in a normal voice in a room to myself and b) have all the space I want to stretch out.

Plus, even though the Star is a slower train, if going to points in NOVA it's about the same time as the Acela after you factor in getting a cab. I suppose certain NERs would be most time efficient, but you really can't beat the space.

I am traveling to South Florida from Orlando later this week and booked a roomette both ways. Since one way is on the Silver Star, the meal availability is irrelevant. I like the idea of having my own restroom facilities for 4 - 6+ hour trips.