Comfort in Coach Seating on Overnight Trains

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Writer21

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May 2, 2010
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My first post!

I’m thinking of taking Amtrak from Chicago to Albany on the Lake Shore Limited. The train departs at 9:30 pm, arriving at 2:50 pm the following day. A little roomette would be nice, but the price ($394) is out of the question. That means I’d be sitting in a coach seat.

My question is, are you able to get a decent night’s sleep in these seats? I don’t expect complete comfort and never waking up, but it’d be nice to know that most people do sleep okay. Any tips and advice is certainly appreciated!

Thanks!
 
FYI, the lowest bucket for a roomette CHI-ALB is $168. If you want a roomette just for the night, the lowest bucket for CHI-BUF is $126. If you are at all flexible with your dates, it might be worth it to shop around. Given that meals are included (the wine and cheese thing leaving Chicago, plus breakfast and lunch before ALB), it's not a bad deal if you can get it. (If you're unfamiliar with Amtrak pricing, basically the prices go up as the train fills up. It really pays to book well in advance, especially for sleeper accomodations.)

Now, to actually answer your question. Riding from CHI to ALB, you will be in an Amfleet II car. The good news is that the seat pitch is excellent, and the seat has a generous recline. Here's a photo showing the reclined position. As you can probably tell from this picture, your overnight comfort depends in part on whether you'll end up with a seatmate. If you get a 2-seat module to yourself and have some room to spread out, it's quite comfortable. I should also note that by many accounts, Amfleet cars ride pretty rough, especially on that particular route. You can expect a somewhat bumpy night. I've ridden this route in both coach (Amfleet II) and sleeper (Viewliner) cars, and found Viewliners a lot more comfortable.
 
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We'll be "sleeping" in coach from Toledo to Washington DC in a couple of weeks. I plan to take a neck pillow which really seems to help when you aren't laying flat.
 
Writer21 said:
My first post!
I’m thinking of taking Amtrak from Chicago to Albany on the Lake Shore Limited. The train departs at 9:30 pm, arriving at 2:50 pm the following day. A little roomette would be nice, but the price ($394) is out of the question. That means I’d be sitting in a coach seat.

My question is, are you able to get a decent night’s sleep in these seats? I don’t expect complete comfort and never waking up, but it’d be nice to know that most people do sleep okay. Any tips and advice is certainly appreciated!

Thanks!
Click to expand...
You should have no problems, but you might want to avoid sitting at the ends of the coach cars, since the doors opening and closing all night may bother you. I would bring some sort of pillow and a blanket of some sort to keep you warm - if the air conditioning is on full blast. Head phones to block out any noise are also a good idea. The seats are spacious and recline enough to let you sleep comfortably. Enjoy your trip.
 
I went from LA to Chicago and back so slept 4 nights on the Southwest Chief in a 6 day period. It was no problem. But I can sleep easily in a reclining chair.

Dan
 
I've done coach on the Coast Starlight twice now in the last few years in its full run from L.A to Seattle and back, and as a 6'1 man, I sleep pretty decently in those seats Amtrak has. I never gone in a single story Amtrak car before, but I can imagine it wont be too bad if you have a pillow and blanket with you.
 
I insist on a u-shaped neck pillow when traveling in coach. I actually get some rest when I have one.
 
We'll be "sleeping" in coach from Toledo to Washington DC in a couple of weeks. I plan to take a neck pillow which really seems to help when you aren't laying flat.
Click to expand...
Bring:

1. Earplugs

2. Sleeping Mask

3. the Neck Pillow

4. A pair of extra socks

and be tired when boarding the train (sleep one hour less than usual).

I found the Amfleet II cars surprisingly comfortable and never had problems sleeping in them, but of course a Viewliner sleeper is much more comfortable.
 
My only experience is in Superliner coach. I don't sleep well anywhere but on a flat surface in the dark. I actually got a decent amount of sleep on the train though, not enough to hit the ground running at full productivity but better than a redeye flight. I had the seat in full recline and my seatmate was known to me.
 
Thanks all for the replies. Some great stuff!

Darien-l, a picture is worth a 1000 words. I especially thank you for that and the bucket information.
 
I just got off a train sleeping in coach overnight. I echo those suggestions above! ;)

As for the onboard upgrade, the key work to remember is ONBOARD! ;) If you ask before hand - even at the station with the train sitting outside - the agent MUST charge the current fare! But once you set foot on the train and ask the Conductor, that same room is available at THE LOWEST FARE! :cool:
 
One tip I would share.....I try to board a car when it is approximately half-full. Why? Because I prefer to choose my seatmate, rather than risk who might sit next to me.

I will look for the smallest person, so that I don't have to worry about some extra large person spreading into my area.
 
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