Booking accessible, then changing

[Winecliff Station]

Good morning! I am traveling on Silver Meteor at the end of September, and may still be on crutches by the time of my trip due to knee surgery. I would like to book the accessible room if I need it, but would hate to deprive someone if I end up being more ambulatory by then. Should I risk waiting, or book it now and give it up if I don't need it?

 

[Qapla]

If you are going to book it, you will need to either call Amtrak to book or enter that you are using a wheelchair on the website ... if you enter that you are using crutches, it will not give you the H-Room option

 

[Winecliff Station]

If you are going to book it, you will need to either call Amtrak to book or enter that you are using a wheelchair on the website ... if you enter that you are using crutches, it will not give you the H-Room option

So, call to book H-Room, and then call to switch to a regular bedroom if I get off the crutches before I leave?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

The H rooms becomes available, if not sold out, to everyone 14 days before departure. So don't feel bad if you find you're no longer on crutches near your travel date. Even if you're off the crutches, you may still benefit from the room.

 

[Qapla]

Call to see if you can book the H-Room ... since you are on crutches, not a wheelchair - they will make the determination.

I have a friend who uses crutches ... he has been missing his left leg since he was a child. He is quite agile on his crutches. However, when I spoke to Amtrak I was told that, since his leg is off to the hip, he would qualify for the H-Room even without a wheelchair

 

[Winecliff Station]

The H rooms becomes available, if not sold out, to everyone 14 days before departure. So don't feel bad if you find you're no longer on crutches near your travel date. Even if you're off the crutches, you may still benefit from the room.

Oh ok, I didn't know that..... I'd probably want to call anyway to make sure no one had it waitlisted who was actually in a wheelchair, but it is good to know I won't get the hairy eyeball if I end up keeping it without the crutches.

As a rule I don't like using H hotel rooms or even restroom stalls if I don't need it, I feel like someone is going to give me a ticket when I get out lol.

 

[Winecliff Station]

Call to see if you can book the H-Room ... since you are on crutches, not a wheelchair - they will make the determination.

I have a friend who uses crutches ... he has been missing his left leg since he was a child. He is quite agile on his crutches. However, when I spoke to Amtrak I was told that, since his leg is off to the hip, he would qualify for the H-Room even without a wheelchair

Wow, well I won't be in that drastic of a situation, I am having knee replacement next week but the six week mark is when they say most people are back to normal. I will call them and find out if the H room is available.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Oh ok, I didn't know that..... I'd probably want to call anyway to make sure no one had it waitlisted who was actually in a wheelchair, but it is good to know I won't get the hairy eyeball if I end up keeping it without the crutches.

As a rule I don't like using H hotel rooms or even restroom stalls if I don't need it, I feel like someone is going to give me a ticket when I get out lol.

I use a H hotel room, for hearing accessibility. If a hotel has hearing accessible rooms that are not also mobility accessible, I'll book those, otherwise I need to book the fully accessible rooms. As to bathroom stalls, if there's a line and there is someone a few spots behind me who would benefit from the H stall, I will let them go ahead of me if the H stall opens next. Otherwise, I'll use them. They're available to give them more room to maneuver and have handle bars but are not exclusively for them. Parking spots are exclusive because there's no way to know when someone will need the spot while you're doing your thing (working, shopping, eating). I've found when booking an accessible room online, a pop up will appear verifying that you need the room. Of course, people could lie about it, but at least it makes sure someone wasn't paying attention when they selected a room type.

 

[flitcraft]

A while back, I broke an ankle badly--still have 2 plates and 13 screws as a memento. Crutches were really not my friend, since I also hurt a wrist in the same fall. But I figured I didn't need the H room, so we just booked our usual sleeper. When my SCA saw me struggling up the spiral stairs, he quickly checked to see whether the H room was available--it wasn't, but he did say that he thought it would have been allowable to have booked the H room. Of course, SCAs don't make the rules, so he might have been wrong.

 

[Winecliff Station]

Thanks for the input everyone, I did book the H room and it cost me less points than the regular bedroom. If I end up not needing the crutches anymore the agent said not to worry about it because all 3 of the H rooms were still available, and the last week of September on a Monday is not a busy time for the Meteor. Of course I was thinking that may change when word gets out about the dining car removal. My concern was that I'm not sure if I can get a note from my doctor if I don't actually need the crutches by then. The agent didn't seem concerned, maybe because it's a points booking and Amtrak isn't losing actual cash. Still I wouldn't mind giving back the points difference but trying to do that might make things more complicated. The burden of trying to do the right thing lol....

 

[Winecliff Station]

A while back, I broke an ankle badly--still have 2 plates and 13 screws as a memento. Crutches were really not my friend, since I also hurt a wrist in the same fall. But I figured I didn't need the H room, so we just booked our usual sleeper. When my SCA saw me struggling up the spiral stairs, he quickly checked to see whether the H room was available--it wasn't, but he did say that he thought it would have been allowable to have booked the H room. Of course, SCAs don't make the rules, so he might have been wrong.

I didn't know there is a spiral staircase...although it don't think this train has an upper level so maybe that won't be an issue for me.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I didn't know there is a spiral staircase...although it don't think this train has an upper level so maybe that won't be an issue for me.

Yeah, the Meteor only has the steps from the platform IF you're not boarding at a high level platform.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Thanks for the input everyone, I did book the H room and it cost me less points than the regular bedroom. If I end up not needing the crutches anymore the agent said not to worry about it because all 3 of the H rooms were still available, and the last week of September on a Monday is not a busy time for the Meteor. Of course I was thinking that may change when word gets out about the dining car removal. My concern was that I'm not sure if I can get a note from my doctor if I don't actually need the crutches by then. The agent didn't seem concerned, maybe because it's a points booking and Amtrak isn't losing actual cash. Still I wouldn't mind giving back the points difference but trying to do that might make things more complicated. The burden of trying to do the right thing lol....

Again, the H room, if still available 14 days before departure is available to all. Since you booked it before then, you're getting it for the same price as a roomette. I wouldn't worry about the difference in price, assuming you don't "need" it by your travel date. "Fixing" that would be too much of a hassle.