Splitting Accommodations

Got a question:

This summer, I might be taking the train to Orlando if I go by myself. If it works out for me to go with some friends, it will be a road trip.

I live in Portsmouth, VA, so I would take the Northeast Regional from NPN to RVR. Then I would take the Silver Star or Silver Meteor from RVR to ORL.

My question is: If I were to choose a roomette on the SM or SS, would I be required to take a Business Class seat on the NER, or would I have the option to choose coach for a slightly lower fare on the NER segment of the trip? This is based on how the Amtrak website breaks down the various fare levels (saver, value, flexible, etc.).

Thanks!

LookingGlassTie said:

My question is: If I were to choose a roomette on the SM or SS, would I be required to take a Business Class seat on the NER, or would I have the option to choose coach for a slightly lower fare on the NER segment of the trip? This is based on how the Amtrak website breaks down the various fare levels (saver, value, flexible, etc.).

Click to expand...

No, I've always been able to choose a coach seat for the regional train portion and then a roomette for the LD train.

You have to book them as separate reservations to do this, though. Unfortunately, the website lumps both trains together when you make a connection.

The risk with separate reservations is that you lose your "guaranteed connection", but that shouldn't be an issue as long as you give yourself wiggle room between the NER segment and the Silvers segment.

Business or Coach, your choice. Of course, the roomette is considered premium.

SarahZ said:

LookingGlassTie said:

My question is: If I were to choose a roomette on the SM or SS, would I be required to take a Business Class seat on the NER, or would I have the option to choose coach for a slightly lower fare on the NER segment of the trip? This is based on how the Amtrak website breaks down the various fare levels (saver, value, flexible, etc.).

Click to expand...

No, I've always been able to choose a coach seat for the regional train portion and then a roomette for the LD train.

You have to book them as separate reservations to do this, though. Unfortunately, the website lumps both trains together when you make a connection.

The risk with separate reservations is that you lose your "guaranteed connection", but that shouldn't be an issue as long as you give yourself wiggle room between the NER segment and the Silvers segment.

Click to expand...

I don't know if that was always true before, but that's not true currently. By default the premium option is going to show the business class seat and roomette (or bedroom if roomettes are sold out), and you can just click the arrows to change the option on the Regional to show coach, and it will be repriced accordingly.

So, you can indeed book a coach to roomette connection on one ticket, or business class Regional to coach on the long haul, or whatever combination works.

You can book it as one reservation. The website is a little tricky with "Premium" defaulting to Business class for NER trains if you have a roomette in the next segment. Just click on the little arrow marks too change from BC to coach. Click on "Find trains" again and it will reprice with coach for that segment.and roomette for the other.

Triley was a faster typer than me. Ditto

Triley and Rick beat me to it. You definitely can select the accommodation you want for each segment of a multi-segment connection. Just click the tiny arrows to the left and right of the word "change" in order to rotate through the options.

Actually, you don't have to choose any premium fare. Just look to the left and click either the value fare column or the saver fare if it is avaialble and then click the appropriate "button" to add to your "cart". Then move on to the next part of your trip and scroll through the premium options if you want to check roomette. Just remember on each segment of your trip you choose between saver, value, and premium -- it's your choice.

PaulM said:

Triley and Rick beat me to it. You definitely can select the accommodation you want for each segment of a multi-segment connection. Just click the tiny arrows to the left and right of the word "change" in order to rotate through the options.

Click to expand...

That wasn't working for me. Maybe I need to refresh or smack something.

SarahZ said:

PaulM said:

Triley and Rick beat me to it. You definitely can select the accommodation you want for each segment of a multi-segment connection. Just click the tiny arrows to the left and right of the word "change" in order to rotate through the options.

Click to expand...

That wasn't working for me. Maybe I need to refresh or smack something.

Click to expand...

Now it's working. I THOUGHT that had changed recently, but since I haven't booked a long-distance trip in a couple of years, I couldn't trust my memory.

Turned out to be a browser issue. Smacking it worked.

Also, if I choose to stay in coach for the trip on the SM or SS, what type of pillow should I take?

LookingGlassTie said:

Also, if I choose to stay in coach for the trip on the SM or SS, what type of pillow should I take?

Click to expand...

I have a small travel pillow (not an inflatable one) that I put into a ziplock back (3 or 5 gal, I think) and squish down to a thin pillow for packing. Take it out of the bag and it fluffs right back up.

LookingGlassTie said:

Also, if I choose to stay in coach for the trip on the SM or SS, what type of pillow should I take?

Click to expand...

One that is comfortable, isn't prone to spontaneous combustion and preferably doesn't smother you while you sleep.

If you're up to some fun and adventure, you can bring this pillow:



The OBS crews tend to dim the lights after 10pm. As unsuspecting passengers fall asleep, you can emerge from your room in the wee hours of the night and hold it over juuuust above the the reclined seats. It would work out better if there was a vacant seat and you slid next to a passenger that was sleeping with their head opposite of your approach. When they turn their head, you can have a flashlight illuminating around the pillow.

When they wake up and see that, the good times will surely roll. There are bonus points*** if you do this to a child.

That's the fun part.

Now for the adventure. Assuming you survive the forthcoming assault, the adventure will be what grade crossing does the train stop at and drop you off. What will the local sheriff think of your efforts? What will you do as you wait for the next train or bus out of the town? Obviously, you'll explore and isn't that part of the charm??

You're welcome!

I also give advice on what kind of towels to bring.

*** The bonus points consist of me paying 1/64th of your bail.

Thirdrail7 said:

LookingGlassTie said:

Also, if I choose to stay in coach for the trip on the SM or SS, what type of pillow should I take?

Click to expand...

*a bunch of stuff about a demon pillow*

Click to expand...

SarahZ said:

PaulM said:

Triley and Rick beat me to it. You definitely can select the accommodation you want for each segment of a multi-segment connection. Just click the tiny arrows to the left and right of the word "change" in order to rotate through the options.

Click to expand...

That wasn't working for me. Maybe I need to refresh or smack something.

Click to expand...

By clicking the "change" arrows, it is indeed possible on a 3 segment trip to book coach for segment #1, a roomette for segment #2 and a bedroom for segment #3!

Yes, as noted, it's working now.

Tennessee Traveler said:

Actually, you don't have to choose any premium fare. Just look to the left and click either the value fare column or the saver fare if it is avaialble and then click the appropriate "button" to add to your "cart". Then move on to the next part of your trip and scroll through the premium options if you want to check roomette. Just remember on each segment of your trip you choose between saver, value, and premium -- it's your choice.

Click to expand...

That sounds like a multi-city reservation, not a simple one-way or round-trip reservation. Otherwise you can't choose a saver ticket from NPN-RVR, and a premium ticket RVR-ORL.

Triley said:

Tennessee Traveler said:

Actually, you don't have to choose any premium fare. Just look to the left and click either the value fare column or the saver fare if it is avaialble and then click the appropriate "button" to add to your "cart". Then move on to the next part of your trip and scroll through the premium options if you want to check roomette. Just remember on each segment of your trip you choose between saver, value, and premium -- it's your choice.

Click to expand...

That sounds like a multi-city reservation, not a simple one-way or round-trip reservation. Otherwise you can't choose a saver ticket from NPN-RVR, and a premium ticket RVR-ORL.

Click to expand...

Correct. You can change to a coach seat, but it's still under the Premium column. That's where I was getting tripped up earlier.

I book my coach segment separately so I can choose the "saver" fare. All the shenanigans about the arrows had me second-guessing myself, and I forgot the original question.

I give up.

Triley said:

Tennessee Traveler said:

Actually, you don't have to choose any premium fare. Just look to the left and click either the value fare column or the saver fare if it is avaialble and then click the appropriate "button" to add to your "cart". Then move on to the next part of your trip and scroll through the premium options if you want to check roomette. Just remember on each segment of your trip you choose between saver, value, and premium -- it's your choice.

Click to expand...

That sounds like a multi-city reservation, not a simple one-way or round-trip reservation. Otherwise you can't choose a saver ticket from NPN-RVR, and a premium ticket RVR-ORL.

Click to expand...

You beat me to it again. As long as I can remember, coach fares (now called saver, value, or flexible) have been qouted per what I call a connection, not segment. On the other hand, what is now called premium have been quoted per segment.

So, for example, if you wanted to ride #7 in coach from CHI to MSP and roomette from MSP to Whitefish, you would have to go the multi-city route.

PaulM said:

Triley said:

Tennessee Traveler said:

Actually, you don't have to choose any premium fare. Just look to the left and click either the value fare column or the saver fare if it is avaialble and then click the appropriate "button" to add to your "cart". Then move on to the next part of your trip and scroll through the premium options if you want to check roomette. Just remember on each segment of your trip you choose between saver, value, and premium -- it's your choice.

Click to expand...

That sounds like a multi-city reservation, not a simple one-way or round-trip reservation. Otherwise you can't choose a saver ticket from NPN-RVR, and a premium ticket RVR-ORL.

Click to expand...

You beat me to it again. As long as I can remember, coach fares (now called saver, value, or flexible) have been qouted per what I call a connection, not segment. On the other hand, what is now called premium have been quoted per segment.

So, for example, if you wanted to ride #7 in coach from CHI to MSP and roomette from MSP to Whitefish, you would have to go the multi-city route.

Click to expand...

That's correct. What I mean though is for the OP if they have a connection in RVR they can ride coach NPN-RVR and a roomette RVR-ORL on a one-way ticket, but what I meant is that they wouldn't be able to specifically choose a saver ticket. It looks like if you book it the way I'm describing, it would book the coach ticket as a Value, not Saver ticket. But I'm not 100% sure. Not like I need to worry about any of that any more.