Showers

Does the California Zephyr have showers that are accessible to coach passengers?

No

Not even for a fee?

No

I have traveled overnight in coach. The restrooms are small, but the sinks have drain stoppers and plenty of hot water. I recommend you pack a small bottle of soap, and a washcloth in a ziploc bag. Just take some clean undies in with you, put a couple of paper towels on the floor, and do what you need to get clean. You may have to resign yourself to not washing your hair for two days.

It used to be possible for women to have more room for a sink wash-up in the "ladies lounge", but now that the lounges are unisex (and the outer door does not lock), I wouldn't try it. The largest of the other restrooms is the one on the right, between the handicap rest room and the "lounge".

Just to clarify the abrupt "No" answers, there are no options to use showers on any Amtrak trains for coach seat passengers.

Showers are available for sleeper passengers only.

As Jennifer says, it is possible to freshen up and be hygenic even with the limited coach facilities.

Ed.

One option is to look for a deal in a roomette for a portion of the journey. If during the day, you would get meals for that portion plus the opportunity to use the showers. So coach for portion. Roomette for a portion. Coach for the remainder. Or just coach for the beginning and roomette to the end.

There are bathing wipes, like used in the hospitals, that you can use to bath yourself. Maybe not the same as a shower, but better than nothing. Do check the roomette fares, sometimes there are some good deals. Not only do you get to use the shower, but meals are included and you get a bed to sleep in or rest.

Wendy Tompkins said:

Not even for a fee?

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&

AmtrakBlue said:

No

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You could say the "fee" for coach passengers to use the shower is the cost of a roomette. If sleepers are sold out or overpriced for a given trip I simply drive or fly instead. Riding in Amtrak coach makes me feel like an unwanted third rate customer.

me_little_me said:

One option is to look for a deal in a roomette for a portion of the journey. If during the day, you would get meals for that portion plus the opportunity to use the showers. So coach for portion. Roomette for a portion. Coach for the remainder. Or just coach for the beginning and roomette to the end.

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I've seen this suggestion many times but never seen it actually result in a meaningful discount for my own trips. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if the discount is simply no longer applicable under the current rate structure.

me_little_me said:

One option is to look for a deal in a roomette for a portion of the journey. If during the day, you would get meals for that portion plus the opportunity to use the showers. So coach for portion. Roomette for a portion. Coach for the remainder. Or just coach for the beginning and roomette to the end.

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I've done that a couple of times on the California Zephyr.

I board in Ottumwa. The CZ (if on-time) leaves Ottumwa at close to 7PM.

I ride coach to Denver the first night. At Denver in the morning I move to the roomette I have booked from there.

The first time I only had the roomette to Reno the next morning.

The second time I realized it cost about as much more to book the roomette all the way to my destination (Sacramento or Davis) as lunch in the Dining car would cost.

Next week I'm riding the Southwest Chief to LA. 2 nights in coach. I got a supply of disposable, 8" x 8", rinse free washcloths at the local Walmart.

The night I get to LA I'm getting on the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle. I have a roomette booked in the SL sleeper. It was almost 1/2 the price from LA to Alpine, TX of a roomette in the TE sleeper car.

I'll shower as we leave LA, and I'll shower again just before we get to Alpine.

In Alpine it's back to coach (in the TE Coach car to Chicago so I can sleep through the train reconfig at SAS) for 2 more nights.

If traveling through Chicago and leaving in a sleeper or BC, you have access to the ML which also has 2 showers, if you arrived in Coach.

If arriving and/or departing Chicago by coach you can purchase admission to the Legacy Club Lounge. They offer some nice amenities, WIFI, soft drink beverages, Starbucks Coffee and a better non-public area bathroom facility (but no showers). I don't see any problem if you wish to wash up and change there.