blanket and pillow?

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Joined
Mar 13, 2019
Messages
1,177
Location
Albuquerque, NM
I'm traveling coach from ABQ to Oakland, CA soon and want to have a blanket and pillow. I thought I remember reading that Amtrak sells those types of blanket you see on airplanes as well as small pillows, but am not sure if I did indeed see that or not. If Amtrak does sell those, does one get them on the train or at the station? I'll need it on the Southwest Chief during the overnight between ABQ and LA.
 
I think the on-board cafe sells a travel pack with a blanket, inflatable pillow, and maybe earplugs and eye mask. I imagine the blanket is quite thin, and I sure wouldn't like an inflatable pillow. I would suggest bringing a blanket and pillow from home.
 
I know in the past I saw that information somewhere. They were sold on the train, not sure if they are currently. I have always washed and stored my airline blankets for use on train trips as needed.
 
The "comfort kits" are sold at the ticket windows in some stations. I have seen them in the Miami station but do not recall seeing them in Orlando.
 
I think the on-board cafe sells a travel pack with a blanket, inflatable pillow, and maybe earplugs and eye mask. I imagine the blanket is quite thin, and I sure wouldn't like an inflatable pillow. I would suggest bringing a blanket and pillow from home.

I guess to each their own, on inflatable pillows. With having to sometimes rough out Amtrak long distance train trips in coach(due to in a lot of cases being too much to upgrade to a sleeper, and was thankful going back from Glacier National Park to Chicago for once it wasn't as expensive to upgrade), it'd be for myself much harder if not impossible to fall asleep in a coach seat, if I didn't have an inflatable pillow!

Yes as I remember you could buy things like pillows, earplugs, and blankets from the cafe car(lower level of sightseer/observation car). Just remember that cafe area closes at 11pm and doesn't reopen till 6am(and PA announcments aren't made till about 7am, as I recall on long distance trains), so don't decide to head down there too late! No idea how good the pillow and blanket are that is sold on the train, but if you're worried I would bring your own to be safe.
 
We actually bought this pack a few years ago, and still use the blanket when we're on the couch. It's actually a little thicker than the blanket I received from flying 1st Class on Delta a few years ago.

I was not much of a fan of the inflatable pillow.
 
I recently purchased this Comfort Kit from the online store for $10. The blanket is about the size and weight of a Receiving Blanket for a baby.
 

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I've tried a number of inflatable pillows and blankets through the years until I found this:

https://www.google.com/search?ei=Qf...i7i30j0i13j0i8i13i30j0i8i13i10i30.A_QM-S8Kzjk

Perhaps the best 'plug' I have is that in perhaps 25-30 nights in a roomette with these (I have 3), never has any of the inflatable pillows leaked! All others I have tried leaked after 5-10 nights and had to be replaced. Of course, the soft fuzzy side of the inflatable pillow that optionally holds the blanket when deflated and a soft, comfortable blanket makes it the perfect comfort set for me.
 
I put a travel pillow in a ziplock bag and squish it down so that it’s very thin for packing. When it comes out of the bag it fluffs back to its normal size.
 
One reason why I'd recommend bringing your own: There might not actually be any pillow-and-blanket packs available for sale on the train. Stocking of food and other items for sale on trains is spotty and not reliable.
 
I know in the past I saw that information somewhere. They were sold on the train, not sure if they are currently. I have always washed and stored my airline blankets for use on train trips as needed.


This is one of the many inconsistencies at Amtrak. While I understand why these kits are not available at unstaffed stations, I see no reason why they should not be available at all staffed stations and in cafe cars with trains having those cars.

I was on the Cascades this year out of Portland. They have a real nice display of them in the first class lounge. I didn't need one but sure could have used one in Eugene last year but there was none to be had.

They didn't even have them in Chicago station. I was bumped to coach due to a delay on the CZ. I survived but a blanket and pillow would have made the experience so much more comfortable.
 
I did buy one on the SWC on Thursday in the cafe. There were 2 for sale right next to the pizza, so I got a pizza also. The pillow was different than I expected, but I got it to work for me. Thank goodness for the eye mask. I wouldn't normally need that, but the car was totally full and I had to sit facing the connection to the next car and the connection's light never goes off. The eye mask blocked all photons. I would say about 60 people got on when I did in ABQ. That's unusual, isn't it or isn't it?
 
I am usually in a roomette and I still find it helpful to take a little travel pillow and the one I’m using these days is by ‘my pillow’. Got it on amazon and it squishes into a very small space. I also always take a Rayon scarf/sarong or two for an extra cover. I bought the Amtrak kit but find what I usually carry works better for me although I do think that little kit they sell is a good bargain.
 
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