First time trip planner with questions

[Hawkeye]

Hello I am very happy to have found this board! I've learned so much the past few days from just reading the great info here - the first timers forum is great!

I am in the process of planning our family's first Amtrak trip (Me, hubby and our 4-1/2-year-old son). We will be traveling from Omaha to Wash DC on the way out, and then Newark - DC - Omaha on the way back. We live about a 3-hour drive from Omaha.

I've got the trip pretty well planned out (I think!) using Amtrak's online reservations, but because I want to book three of us into bedrooms and roomettes at points, it appears I have to call Amtrak since the online res. won't let me book more than 2 adults into a roomette or a bedroom, yes?

I'd love any advice, suggestions on the route I've picked. Sound good for a small family? Any tips?

Here's what I've got planned:

On the way out

#6 CZ: Roomette (just so we have a place to go with the kiddo if he needs a quiet spot to nap, etc.)

#30 CL: Family Bedroom

On the way back

#143 NER: Coach

#29 CL: Bedroom (the Family Bedrooms were sold out)

# 5 CZ: Roomette (same reason as above, esp. since we get into Omaha at 10:29 p.m., well after the kid's bedtime)

I used the Fare option on the online res. to make sure what options were available. Is my next step to call Amtrak and book over the phone? Will they honor the online prices?

Thanks so much for any info/suggestions/tips

 

[AlanB]

Yes, you will need to call to put three people into the roomettes and the bedroom. It's the only way to book what you want without visiting a station.

And assuming that no rooms have been sold that kick prices higher, then you would get the same prices from the agent on the phone as you saw online. Amtrak doesn't discount trips booked via the internet.

The key is to book the trip ASAP if you're certain that you're going. Every minute you wait could see someone else come along and potentially get the last room at the price you saw, which would force you to pay more as the next available room is priced at a higher level or bucket as Amtrak calls it.

 

[Upstate]

I don't think there is any way they will put three in a roomette. There is nowhere for a third to sit or sleep. You would have to go with a bedroom or family bedroom.

The prices are the same on the phone and the internet unless they are running a internet sale. No sales that I know of going on right now.

 

[Ryan]

The key is to book the trip ASAP if you're certain are even thinking that you're going.

As long as you elect to pick up tickets at the station, as long as the tickets aren't printed you can cancel for a 100% refund (although with sleeping accommodations you need to cancel more than 2 weeks out).

Amtrak's amazing flexibility to change/cancel your plans are such an under appreciated bonus over rigidly locked in airplane tickets.

 

[Hawkeye]

Upstate - the roomette would not be for an overnight (the 9-hour trips between Omaha and Chicago), but you are right that's it's tiny. I was thinking that hubby and I could switch off being in there with the kiddo (and the other one could sit in coach or the lounge? Is that even possible? Might not be the best solution, though, you are right. Might be better to just stick with coach for those legs of the trip? DO you think it would be pretty easy for a kid to nap in coach? I realize it probably depends on the kid and how crowded the train is, but...

HokieNav - I was contemplating what to do about the tickets. If we were to pick them up, it would have to be the night before or the morning of the trip (we would leave from Omaha at 6:14 a.m. and would be coming from 3 hours north). I suppose I will need to check the hours of the Omaha station.

Thanks for the help

 

[p&sr]

I was contemplating what to do about the tickets. If we were to pick them up, it would have to be the night before or the morning of the trip...

Remember, Amtrak can mail them to you in advance.

 

[Hawkeye]

Remember, Amtrak can mail them to you in advance.

But then the tickets are not 100% refundable, correct? At least that's my understanding from what I've read and HokieNav's post.

 

[AlanB]

Remember, Amtrak can mail them to you in advance.

But then the tickets are not 100% refundable, correct? At least that's my understanding from what I've read and HokieNav's post.

Correct, they are not fully refundable. You can however get 100% of your money back in the form of a voucher good for travel on Amtrak during the next year.

 

[AlanB]

Upstate - the roomette would not be for an overnight (the 9-hour trips between Omaha and Chicago), but you are right that's it's tiny. I was thinking that hubby and I could switch off being in there with the kiddo (and the other one could sit in coach or the lounge? Is that even possible? Might not be the best solution, though, you are right. Might be better to just stick with coach for those legs of the trip? DO you think it would be pretty easy for a kid to nap in coach? I realize it probably depends on the kid and how crowded the train is, but...

Personally I'd think that he'd do much better trying to nap in the upper bunk while mommy and daddy sit below, than he would in the bright and noisy coaches. You can even ask the attendant to just drop the upper bunk regardless of whether he wants to nap or not. With the bunk down, he can sort of pretend that he's in a fort up top and play on that bunk while you guys are down below. Just make sure not to stand up quickly or you'll have a nice headache.

As for being elsewhere, one of you can always retreat to the lounge car, but unless coach is not sold out, you will not be permitted to sit in coach. Even if it's not sold out, depending on the crew you could still be told no.

 

[ceblack]

I personally would prefer a Bedroom over the Family Bedroom (although with two kids in the family our choice is now 2 Roomettes or the Family Bedroom). The bigger window and better views from the upper level are what really sway my decision. The Family Bedroom has more room & beds, but I think the Bedroom is plenty big for two adults & 1 child. Plus, you get the convenience of an in-room sink, toilet & shower... and two adults can sit across from each other at the fold-out table without being knee-to-crotch!

Best of all, a Bedroom can be cheaper than a Family Bedroom if you are able to get it at the lowest bucket price.

Having said that, I'd probably leave your reservation the way you have it now and try each accomodation once. That way you can decide for future trips which accomodation you prefer and what premium (if any) you are willing to pay for it.

 

[Ryan]

HokieNav - I was contemplating what to do about the tickets. If we were to pick them up, it would have to be the night before or the morning of the trip (we would leave from Omaha at 6:14 a.m. and would be coming from 3 hours north). I suppose I will need to check the hours of the Omaha station.

9:30 pm - 6:30 am, so you can just arrive for the trip and then print your tickets at a QuickTrack machine, or pick them up from an agent.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...ge&code=OMA

As far as rooms, we just did a family bedroom one way and the standard bedroom on the return trip on the Auto Train. Both of them were very nice, but I agree that the family bedroom was a little nicer (bigger windows, bathroom in the room). Ours is 5 1/2, so you should have plenty of space in either.

 

[sky12065]

I am in the process of planning our family's first Amtrak trip (Me, hubby and our 4-1/2-year-old son). We will be traveling from Omaha to Wash DC on the way out, and then Newark - DC - Omaha on the way back. We live about a 3-hour drive from Omaha.
I've got the trip pretty well planned out (I think!) using Amtrak's online reservations, but because I want to book three of us into bedrooms and roomettes at points, it appears I have to call Amtrak since the online res. won't let me book more than 2 adults into a roomette or a bedroom, yes?

I'd love any advice, suggestions on the route I've picked. Sound good for a small family? Any tips?

Here's what I've got planned:

On the way out

#6 CZ: Roomette (just so we have a place to go with the kiddo if he needs a quiet spot to nap, etc.)

#30 CL: Family Bedroom

On the way back

#143 NER: Coach

#29 CL: Bedroom (the Family Bedrooms were sold out)

# 5 CZ: Roomette (same reason as above, esp. since we get into Omaha at 10:29 p.m., well after the kid's bedtime)

I used the Fare option on the online res. to make sure what options were available. Is my next step to call Amtrak and book over the phone? Will they honor the online prices?

Thanks so much for any info/suggestions/tips

Hawkeye, I noticed you're going to be using the same train (CL) to come East and to return back home. Unless there is some factor that would rule it out, I would consider taking the regional north to NYP instead of south and transfer to the Lake Shore Limited back to Chicago instead of the CL in order to avail yourselves of different experiences and scenery. B) Either way, enjoy the trip!

 

[Hawkeye]

sky12065 - I looked at that option, too, but for the two days we could return, I didn't get a Sunday option (which I thought was weird b/c the schedule says it's daily) on the online res site, and there were only roomettes available on Monday I would prefer to take a different route home if possible. Am I doing something wrong on the res site to not get a Sunday departure? I was looking at Sunday 6/28. **ETA: I did just get a quote for NYP to CHI for that Sunday - $863 for a bedroom! Yikes!

And thanks for the great tips on the bedrooms and family bedrooms. So, family bedrooms are always on the lower level on Superliners? I did find a layout of the cars online, but wanted to double check.

AlanB - great tip on the roomette - thanks! Your suggestion makes me think it would be worthwhile to have the roomettes for the Omaha - Chicago/Chicago - Omaha legs.

 

[AlanB]

As far as rooms, we just did a family bedroom one way and the standard bedroom on the return trip on the Auto Train. Both of them were very nice, but I agree that the family bedroom was a little nicer (bigger windows, bathroom in the room). Ours is 5 1/2, so you should have plenty of space in either.

There are no bathrooms in the family rooms. Only the Handicapped rooms and Bedrooms have bathrooms inside the room.

That said, the bathrooms are just down the hall from the family room, as is the shower.

 

[AlanB]

And thanks for the great tips on the bedrooms and family bedrooms. So, family bedrooms are always on the lower level on Superliners? I did find a layout of the cars online, but wanted to double check.

Yes, with the bi-level cars one passes from car to car on the upper level. That allows Amtrak to have a room downstairs at the end of the car that runs the full width of the train. In fact there are two rooms that do that, the family room and the handicapped room. This gives you the ability to look out either side of the train, something that is rather unique.

 

[Ryan]

As far as rooms, we just did a family bedroom one way and the standard bedroom on the return trip on the Auto Train. Both of them were very nice, but I agree that the family bedroom was a little nicer (bigger windows, bathroom in the room). Ours is 5 1/2, so you should have plenty of space in either.

There are no bathrooms in the family rooms. Only the Handicapped rooms and Bedrooms have bathrooms inside the room.

That said, the bathrooms are just down the hall from the family room, as is the shower.

Yeah, I gooned that one up - I meant to say that the standard bedroom is better for the reasons given.