Boarding Coach in Pittsburgh

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Joined
May 1, 2017
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1,087
Location
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Heading to Chicago from Pittsburgh next month and am still debating between coach and roomette. I customarily don't sleep well in coach. But just wondering if anyone has boarded coach in Pittsburgh on the westbound Capitol, how much of a hassle it is that late at night, whether you climb over a bunch of sleeping people, or how much disruption there is during the night with other passengers training and de-training along the way. For that matter, on the eastbound, how much of a hassle is getting off at 5 a.m.? Certainly prefer roomette but thinking about saving some money, maybe just one way by coach. Appreciate any perspective.
 
I traveled LD in coach several times and longer distances than CHI-PGH (CHI-LAX the longest in a one seat ride several times). If you get the aisle seat you don't have to worry about climbing over someone but do have to worry about someone climbing over you. Since you don't sleep well it could potentially be problematic (hopefully your seatmate will and there will be minimal times he/she will climb over you). I can't believe there's ever a case of more than two seats next to each other (this isn't an airplane) so don't worry about more than one person. It's of course preferable to travel with someone if you can but good luck finding someone to travel LD with you (although CHI-PGH is a short distance and overnight).

As for the disruptions, if you are sleepy enough you will sleep through it. I often want to see CLE and TOL but am asleep at the point the train stops at those stations (and awake in the middle of nowhere in Ohio). The departure/arrival times in PGH heading to/from CHI on the CL are bad although there are worse in the Amtrak system. At least once you get off the train in PGH at 5 in the morning you can leave the station once your ride or transportation gets there as opposed to the Pennsylvanian. If I were you I'd go to bed early to make up for it.

As for coach vs. sleeper, find out how much difference in cost and ask yourself how much does that difference mean to you? Cheapest one way fares I saw from Amsmag at the beginning of October were $57 coach and $165 roomette. If $108 each way is a lot of money to you, get coach. If you sneeze at $108 each way, get a sleeper.
 
In coach there's often a separate train car (or close to a full car) assigned for people detraining in Pittsburgh, so there may be quite a few seats opening up when you board. (When I took the CL a few years ago, boarding in Washington the coaches were divided between Pittsburgh, Ohio/Indiana, and Chicago.) You may be assigned a seat or given a choice. If you're by yourself and strike up a conversation at the station, you might also find someone you're comfortable sitting with as opposed to seeing whoever ends up next to you.
 
My body no longer allows me the choice between Coach and Roomette for overnight travel. Lying down makes the difference between an enjoyable trip or one that ends feeling miserable.
 
Remember also you will get supper going eastbound and breakfast going westbound..;probably cleaner restrooms...a quiet place to sleep. I always opt for a roomette, but some can still handle an overnight in coach..
 
Hopefully one day my wallet allows me the choice between Coach and Roomette one day...
Going back more than thirty years now, there have been many overnight coach trips that I wish I had taken in sleeper. There is not a single overnight sleeper trip that, looking back, I wish I had saved the money and gone coach.
 
Yeah, I used to do long rides in coach both in America (SEA-CHI most often) and Europe in my 20s and early 30s but my middle-aged back can't do that anymore. I like to be social on a train so that's why I always liked riding coach, seemed to meet more people that way. I'd still do it if it wasn't for knowing I'd be in pain for about a week after the ride.

When I lived in NYC I would take the train to Chicago by way of the Pennsylvanian to Pitt then switch to Captiol Ltd to Chicago. Always got a sleeper on the Cap so I could hop on and just crash in to my berth. So worth the extra cost.
 
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