Online reservation system unresponsive? Glitch? Also sleeper questions

[Piper909]

Hi; I'm new here but planning a trip on the train from Austin to Illinois this fall. My wife and I went to the Austin station this week to ask some basic questions and pick up materials and schedules. I'm puzzled when I look online at the reservation system -- the price doesn't seem to recalculate when I change the options from one-way to round trip, why is that? And I only see departure information displayed for the outgoing/northbound part of the trip; nothing about the return from Illinois. I can make the price adjust when I change the number of travellers or some other new input, but going back and forth from one-way to round trip makes no difference in the price or other display. What is wrong here? Am I going to have to rely on handling this over the phone to get accurate information?

Another item that is baffling is that I do not see the full range of sleeper car options displayed. I've tried all sorts of date combinations and I've also played with the San Antonio-Los Angeles connection train, but I never see the Superliner Bedroom option -- the sleeper compartment with a toilet, sink, and shower that is noted on brochures and on the website accommodations pages. But the Texas Eagle is supposed to be Superliner train. If I don't see a seating option, should I assume they're all sold out/reserved, not available? Or is there some bug in the system or another factor I'm not aware of?

How many seats ARE on the Texas Eagle train, anyway? And how many sleeping compartments? How hard is it to reserve one for a long-distance trip where a coach seat would be less than ideal, and how many months out should I make reservations?

Another curiosity: Since the Sightseer Lounge looks so much more inviting and roomy than coach seating, what prevents passengers (esp. a Coach passenger) from parking themselves in this lounge for their entire trip and blocking any other passenger from having a turn at a view or snack?

I've been navigating around and reading LOTS of useful information here, glad to have found this forum and to be a part of it. Thanks to all who contribute.

 

[CCC1007]

The online price for a round trip is listed as two consecutive one way purchases, so the price displayed is the price for that particular segment. Hope that helps you to understand the pricing.

There really isn't any option to keep people from sitting in the sightseer for their entire trip, and there isn't any really good way to restrict that type of usage.

 

[oregon pioneer]

1. As the member above posted, you first make your choice of train and accommodations for the outbound reservation, add it to your cart, and then proceed to the next page to make your choices for the return trip. Each direction is priced separately, because the fare may be different due to demand, or you may actually choose a different route each direction. There is often more than one route option for a given destination.

2. To see the different sleeper accommodations, use the "change" arrow inside the accommodations box:

3. There does tend to be turnover in the Sightseer Lounge, as people often need something from their seat. Leaving an item on a chair in the SSL car does not "reserve" it. You should feel free to move such items if no owner is visible and you want to sit down. The tables turn over faster than the chairs and benches, as the seating isn't quite as comfy. Downstairs tables are reserved for people purchasing food or drink from the cafe. They are usually free, as most people take their food upstairs or back to their seats. I often buy a cup of tea in order to have the privilege of relaxing there.

 

[the_traveler]

To see the other options for rooms, click on the arrows next to where it says "change". That toggles from roomettes to bedrooms and family bedrooms.

 

[Lonestar648]

One could camp out in the SSL, though most people I have found offer their seating when they have been in the SSL a while and there are people waiting.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Please see my post on your Introduction Post where I discuss taking an introductory trip on the Texas Eagle from Austin North.

 

[ehbowen]

How many seats ARE on the Texas Eagle train, anyway? And how many sleeping compartments? How hard is it to reserve one for a long-distance trip where a coach seat would be less than ideal, and how many months out should I make reservations?

See, that's one thing about trains: It's very easy to add or subtract cars to meet passenger demand, provided equipment is available. (Unfortunately at present it usually isn't, due to lack of capital investment over the years.) The Texas Eagle between Chicago and San Antonio usually runs with one full sleeper, three coaches, and one "transition sleeper" which is mostly crew dormitory but which is partially used for revenue sleeper space. A full Superliner sleeper has 5 bedrooms with two berths, a family bedroom with two adult berths and two child-size berths, an accessible room with handicap toilet and upper and lower berths, and thirteen revenue roomettes (nine upper level, four lower level) with two berths plus an additional roomette for the sleeper attendant. The transition sleeper/dormitory has sixteen roomettes with six or so being available to paying passengers. A standard Amtrak Superliner coach has 62 seats on the upper level (two usually reserved for the attendant) and 12 on the lower level; some cars delete the lower level seating in favor of baggage space (Coach/Baggage) or a snack bar/lounge. There is also a dining car (or Cross-Country Cafe...don't ask!) and a Sightseer Lounge (or sometimes another of those roundly disliked Cross-Country Cafes) as well as a baggage car (unless all baggage is being carried in a Coach/Baggage, which sometimes happens). Often the Texas Eagle will add one additional Superliner coach just for the trip between Chicago and St. Louis; it is switched out in St. Louis and sent back the next day. (This extra coach shows up as "Train 321/322" when booking; the through sleeper and coach which run all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles via San Antonio show up as "Train 421/422." Same train, just different usage and routing of equipment.)

Another curiosity: Since the Sightseer Lounge looks so much more inviting and roomy than coach seating, what prevents passengers (esp. a Coach passenger) from parking themselves in this lounge for their entire trip and blocking any other passenger from having a turn at a view or snack?

Nothing "prevents" it, per se, but once you arrive on board you will find that the roomy and reclining coach seats are much more comfortable than the Sightseer Lounge seating, especially if you'll be spending several hours in them. However, you are correct that the Lounge is a pleasant place to spend an hour or two at a time enjoying the better view and the change of pace from coach, and many if not most passengers do. Traveling by Amtrak gives you that option; it's a good one.

 

[KmH]

If all 5 of the bedrooms in a Superliner sleeper car are already booked, none will show on the reservation booking options page at Amtrak.com.

If all the Roomettes are already booked I think it states 'None Left'.

 

[Ryan]

If all 5 of the bedrooms in a Superliner sleeper car are already booked, none will show on the reservation booking options page at Amtrak.com.

If all the Roomettes are already booked I think it states 'None Left'.

False. All rooms will show with a "none left".







(PS, if you want to go WAS-CHI on 29 today, there's only a single accessible bedroom left on the whole train)

 

[AKA]

If all 5 of the bedrooms in a Superliner sleeper car are already booked, none will show on the reservation booking options page at Amtrak.com.If all the Roomettes are already booked I think it states 'None Left'.

False. All rooms will show with a "none left".

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 10.15.37 AM.png

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 10.16.36 AM.png

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 10.16.43 AM.png(PS, if you want to go WAS-CHI on 29 today, there's only a single accessible bedroom left on the whole train)

How do you get the information on the accessable bedroom ?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If all 5 of the bedrooms in a Superliner sleeper car are already booked, none will show on the reservation booking options page at Amtrak.com.If all the Roomettes are already booked I think it states 'None Left'.

False. All rooms will show with a "none left".

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 10.15.37 AM.png

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 10.16.36 AM.png

Screen Shot 2017-04-01 at 10.16.43 AM.png(PS, if you want to go WAS-CHI on 29 today, there's only a single accessible bedroom left on the whole train)

How do you get the information on the accessable bedroom ?

Accessible bedrooms are available 2 weeks before departure if they have not already been booked. Prior to that, if you meet their criteria, you can book it either by calling or using the Passengers with Disability's drop-down choice online (where Adult is the default choice).

 

[Ryan]

How do you get the information on the accessable bedroom ?

Click the same arrow again: