After arrival--sleeping in on the Texas Eagle at LA?

[Blackshirt Husker]

Has anyone tried this yet? There was a lot of debate when the TE/SL schedule changed about how successful it would be to allow Sleeping Car passengers to "stay in their accomodations until 6:30 AM". Are they really "welcome" to do so as the Amtrak site says? What have your experiences been so far?

 

[Steve4031]

I think it will depend somewhat on the attendant. You will probably be allowed to remain on board. However it will probably be a bit noisy. I would not count on sleeping soundly until 6:15 or so and then getting off.

 

[Rail Freak]

I've had attendants shuffling me off to another room so they could make up mine & get a head start to get off at the terminating stop, themselves. Can't really blame them. This is a change to passengers & changes take time to get accustomed to, but we will!!!

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

Too bad there is not a way they can keep the Sleeper Attendants on the clock for a little extra time past 0630 to allow pax to rest without being shuffled off early.

 

[AlanB]

Too bad there is not a way they can keep the Sleeper Attendants on the clock for a little extra time past 0630 to allow pax to rest without being shuffled off early.

Well there is a way. Just pay the employees to stay there for longer. The question is, is there a will.

And then there is still the issue of tying up a track at the station during rush hour.

 

[Texan Eagle]

I won't be surprised if the staff insists the sleeper passengers get off the train once it has reached its destination. After all, when you buy a ticket on Amtrak, you are purchasing travel. Amtrak's duty is to take you safely to your destination, not to ensure you get your additional hours of beauty sleep. If a hotel tries to push me out of my room before check out time I might be pissed, since hotel is basically an accommodation facility, but Amtrak is a train, the fact that it happens to have sleeping accommodation is additional perk. Once the train has deposited you in one piece at your destination station, their duty is done. You are expected to get off the train. I wonder if anyone has tried (and succeeded) to get to stay on board for an hour or so after reaching the destination on a plane or a bus. I was once flying Lufthansa to Frankfurt and my flight reached FRA full one hour before scheduled arrival time, landing in sub-zero temperature at ungodly 5.15am. The flight attendants did not let anyone sit/sleep in the stationary plane for an hour simply because their "scheduled" arrival time was 6.15am. Megabus reaches their destination before time often (though I am sure nobody in right sense of mind would want to sit in a bus for an extra hour )

 

[jphjaxfl]

If the timetable advertises that Sleeping Car passengers can occupy their accompdations until 6:30am, that is the transportation that Amtrak is providing and they must honor what they advertise.

 

[Texan Eagle]

If the timetable advertises that Sleeping Car passengers can occupy their accompdations until 6:30am, that is the transportation that Amtrak is providing and they must honor what they advertise.

Yes, just saw that. If they mention it on the timetable, they ought to allow passengers sleep until 6.30am. If I was traveling I would surely keep a copy of that timetable with me and show it to the attendant if he/she came to wake me up earlier.

 

[Donctor]

If the timetable advertises that Sleeping Car passengers can occupy their accompdations until 6:30am, that is the transportation that Amtrak is providing and they must honor what they advertise.

Yes, just saw that. If they mention it on the timetable, they ought to allow passengers sleep until 6.30am. If I was traveling I would surely keep a copy of that timetable with me and show it to the attendant if he/she came to wake me up earlier.

Isn't the SCA supposed to place a timetable in each room anyway?

 

[johnny.menhennet]

I won't be surprised if the staff insists the sleeper passengers get off the train once it has reached its destination. After all, when you buy a ticket on Amtrak, you are purchasing travel. Amtrak's duty is to take you safely to your destination, not to ensure you get your additional hours of beauty sleep. If a hotel tries to push me out of my room before check out time I might be pissed, since hotel is basically an accommodation facility, but Amtrak is a train, the fact that it happens to have sleeping accommodation is additional perk. Once the train has deposited you in one piece at your destination station, their duty is done. You are expected to get off the train. I wonder if anyone has tried (and succeeded) to get to stay on board for an hour or so after reaching the destination on a plane or a bus. I was once flying Lufthansa to Frankfurt and my flight reached FRA full one hour before scheduled arrival time, landing in sub-zero temperature at ungodly 5.15am. The flight attendants did not let anyone sit/sleep in the stationary plane for an hour simply because their "scheduled" arrival time was 6.15am. Megabus reaches their destination before time often (though I am sure nobody in right sense of mind would want to sit in a bus for an extra hour )

You seemed to put an emphasis on accommodation to represent the fact that Amtrak is delivering you to the final destination rather than actually serving you. On the actual SL/TE schedule, it says that all sleeper pax are welcome to stay in their accommodations until 6:30. For sleeper passengers, they are in a sense, paying for a moving hotel. This may be argued, but I genuinely believe that the people paying for sleeper service are paying for accommodations.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I won't be surprised if the staff insists the sleeper passengers get off the train once it has reached its destination. After all, when you buy a ticket on Amtrak, you are purchasing travel. Amtrak's duty is to take you safely to your destination, not to ensure you get your additional hours of beauty sleep. If a hotel tries to push me out of my room before check out time I might be pissed, since hotel is basically an accommodation facility, but Amtrak is a train, the fact that it happens to have sleeping accommodation is additional perk. Once the train has deposited you in one piece at your destination station, their duty is done.

So if it's an "accommodation" service then we can reasonably expect the checkout time to be honored?

I wonder what Amtrak has to say about that...

Frequently Asked Questions

How are sleeping accommodations priced?

The purchase of sleeping accommodations is considered to be an upgrade to your regular rail fare. When you share a sleeper, you will be charged only one accommodation charge for all parties sharing the sleeping accommodation. Each passenger pays regular rail fare.

Sleeping car accommodation charges vary according to customer demand. In general, we suggest you book early to get the best price.

Are meals included with my sleeping accommodations?

Yes. Sleeping accommodations are considered "Sleeper Service" accommodations aboard Amtrak. As Sleeper Service passengers, you and your sleeping car companions (up to the maximum passenger capacity for your accommodation) are entitled to receive all regular meals as part of your accommodations.

How do I book sleeping accommodations?

You can reserve sleeping accommodations when you make your reservations. Sleeping car accommodations are subject to availability. We suggest that you plan ahead and reserve your preferred sleeping accommodations early.

Are there any perks?

Yes. Sleeping car passengers are entitled to a range of hotel-like amenities, including fresh linen and towel service, complimentary bottled water and daily newspapers. In addition, as Sleeper Service passengers, you and your companions enjoy access during your voyage to ClubAcela and Amtrak's Metropolitan Lounges located at select stations.

Can I upgrade to sleeping accommodations once I'm onboard a train?

Sometimes, yes. If unsold space is still available, you can purchase sleeping accommodations onboard trains. Please speak with the Conductor for more information.

Although sleeping accommodations are occasionally available onboard, it is unwise to rely on last-minute availability. Sleeping car accommodations often sell out completely. For best results, please book well in advance of travel.

I suppose these hotel-like sleeping accommodations explain that silly 2-4x coach fare "accommodation charge" I've been paying all these years. <_<