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Helpful hints for Amtrak sleeper car passengers.
If what I’ve read is accurate, there isn’t much etiquette to be found when it comes to flying. Since I haven’t been on a plane in over 25 years, I tend to believe most of what comes down the pike.
Amtrak, America’s passenger railroad, is unique. When it’s time to board, I’ve seen people form proper queues or at least they’re not pushing and shoving to get on their train. I can’t say the same for the popular European trains, though. Everyone shoves their way to be the first to board, suitcases are tossed onboard like misguided Frisbees even though the passengers have reserved seats.
Let’s start with my favorite way to travel on Amtrak; in a sleeper compartment. Here is my Amtrak advice for sleeper car passengers that I’ve learned over the years.
Your Car Attendant.
While not required, a gratuity is the norm, usually about $10 per person. If you and a companion are in the deluxe bedroom, then $10 per person ($20 total) is okay. Sometimes I’ll hand the attendant a $20 at the beginning of a two-night journey, especially if it’s a sold-out sleeper. Things can get pretty busy for one attendant to handle and it’s a nice gesture.
Be thoughtful.
Your room attendant sleeps in small bites of time. If you suspect he or she is getting a much-needed nap and your request isn’t urgent, wait a few minutes until either the next train stop or if you see or hear your attendant in the corridor.
Don’t overcrowd your space.
If you’re traveling solo in a roomette, you can bring your carry-on luggage in the room with you. To clear up space, stow your smaller bags and carry-ons “upstairs,” (on the upper bunk) or shelf. You can ask your room attendant to place them up there. However, if you’re traveling with huge pieces of luggage, you’ll want to check them through baggage. If you opt for the larger deluxe bedroom, there’s room for a few pieces of luggage.
About checked luggage.
If you decide to check your bags at the station, make sure the tag that’s put on your bags have the proper code for your destination (WPK is Winter Park, Florida and very close in the tag bin to WPB for West Palm Beach.) Maximum weight for checked baggage is 50 lbs. And it’s free!
Extra pillows.
Available from the upper bunk, they can be used for sleeping, but also to cover the adjustable air vent along the window. Ask for an extra blanket if you tend to get cold during the night. I’ve used my coat over my blanket when I forgot to ask.
Using the “facility” in a roomette.
Whether you have bashful kidneys or just want to block a draft in winter, here’s a solution. Take one of the hand towels from your sink, roll it lengthwise and set it along the gap under your door.
What’s included with a roomette or bedroom?
All meals, bottled water and juice are included for those in roomettes and deluxe bedrooms. Alcohol is additional.
Dining car procedures.
It’s community seating, four passengers per table. If you’re in a sleeper, walk towards the front of the train. Enter the dining car and wait to be seated.
To avoid congestion at peak dining times, the dining car attendant will walk through the sleeping cars and offer you three dining times to choose; usually around 5pm, 6:30pm and 8pm. Like buying a Groupon restaurant coupon, it’s courteous to leave a gratuity for your dining car server based on 15%-20% of the cost of the meal. Guidelines: $2 per person Breakfast; $2-3 Lunch, Dinner $5 or so.
There’s On Time and then there’s Amtrak Time.
Being “on time” on Amtrak means to allow a little bit of leeway. For me, anytime within 60 or so minutes is as good as on time. More times than not, though, we arrived on time.
Except for parts within the Acela network and the northeast corridor, Amtrak doesn’t own or maintain the tracks. Amtrak trains are at the mercy of the freight trains corporations like CSX and Burlington Northern. They own the tracks and have right-of-way privileges over passenger trains.
When a long delay happens, you have the best of both worlds. You’re relaxing in the privacy and comfort of your accommodation, there’s the observation car to pass the time and you don’t have to drive!
Whether you are going only a short distance in coach or coast-to-coast in a deluxe sleeper, knowing the lowdown on Amtrak etiquette and how to plan will help you to arrive rested and ready to hop off when you reach your destination.
For my Amtrak Etiquette tips for riding in coach, click here.
Author
Hi Chris, I’m glad you’re enjoying your time aboard the Lake Shore Limited. It’s really unfortunate that the higher-ups at Amtrak cut the dining car. But I’m also glad that you found the boxed meals to be good. Thanks for reading my article on tipping on Amtrak.
Sherry
Hi there. I am currently in a roomette on the Lake Shore Limited. Although I am a frequent coach passenger, this is the first time I have had a sleeper. I found this site after checking on tipping.
Dining is different now as all meals are pre-packaged. You have several options, and the two meals we tried were good with lots of food. Also, there was a complimentary drink at night.
Author
Hi Oliver, thank you for the kind comment. Glad to learn that my Amtrak article(s) are helpful. And excited that you’re going to try the Coast Starlight to San Francisco. Yes…you can have ALL of your meals in your compartment. Room service on a train…go figure. You simply mention to your car attendant that you’d like to see a menu to order your meal. He or she will take your order (be sure to think of everything you might want…even condiments) and you’ll be served in your roomette. At the end of a long trip, I almost always am burned out and I’ll have that first night’s dinner in my room. There should be a coffee urn in your car and first thing in the morning, your attendant brews a fresh pot and the coffee aroma finds its way into each compartment. So I’ll usually walk over and get a first cup and then take that with me into the dining car for breakfast. That way, if the waitstaff is swamped, I’ll at least have my first cup to sip while I wait.
Maybe you didn’t see this – https://cruisemaven.com/amtrak-coast-starlight-overnight-train-los-angeles-to-portland-oregon/ They may have stopped the wine and cheese party and the movie theatre isn’t there anymore.
Have a wonderful time and thanks again for your comment.
Sherry
Absolutely fantastic read, and helped a lot in weighing my options. As a frequent flier, I thought I’d ought to give the train a chance from LA up to San Fran/Oakland at least once when I’m not in such a rush. I do wonder though, as a sleeper car passenger in a roomette, can you order all the meals (perhaps breakfast aside) to your room, and can you order whatever you’d like off the menu, or are there just certain items? Thanks for your help and again, great read!
Author
Hi Debbie,
Wow…that really brings back memories. You didn’t mention which train you will be on for this adventure. If you’re heading out west, yes, there will be No Service areas…you’re traveling through some of the most beautiful parts of our country. If you’re going between Florida and New York…there’s service almost everywhere, depending upon your provider. In fact, the Silver Service trains have wifi…though when everyone else is on, the bandwidth can get jammed. Some of the trains heading west also have wifi but again, you’re on a moving vehicle trying to relay to a satellite and back to earth again. He’ll be fine, I hope!
Sherry
Sherry,
I will be traveling with a teenager who is dreading the separation from his girlfriend. Despite assurances that we’ll pay for data overages and a mobile hotspot, he is convinced there are significant portions of the trip that won’t be covered by cell service. Can you provide any details / assurances?
Author
Hi Tim,
Great question and one that’s familiar to me, too. Sometimes it depends on your car attendant. When I’ve had a post-midnight boarding (due to a late train) I’ve found my bed already made up and ready. Since you’re supposed to board at 10PM, there’s a good chance that your room attendant will then ask you what time you’d like your bed made-up for the night. He or she will also show you to your sleeper, and give you a quick rundown on the various buttons on the panels. Have a nice train ride!
Sherry
We are boarding a the Coast Starlight (Superliner) in Klamath Falls at 10:00 pm. What is the procedure for converting the Roomette into a sleeping accommodation? Is it already made up at that late hour? Or must you request the steward to do so once on board?
Thank you for any information you might have.
Some things to clarify regarding the “comforts” of sleepers.
Superliner cars such as you show the full size bedrooms have a shower/commode area. Roomettes on Superliners DO NOT have toilets in the room. Toilets for those guests are on the lower level as is a shower room.
Viewliner sleepers has the following “comfort” accomadations .. ALL Roomettes have a commode (that is the photo you show with the two seats). Fullsize bedrooms have a combo toliet/shower/sink “room”.
In both types of sleeping cars “access available” bedrooms have combo toilet/shower/sink however while the Viewliner is a seperate “room” on the Superliner the area is seperated by a “curtain”.
You can look at the link from Amtrak (as of 1/2017) for layout of the rooms for both Superliner and Viewliner cars.
I thought it necessary to write this as we wouldn’t want anyone to be disappointed in rail travel nor Amtrak.
I like Sherry tend to take dinner in my room .. but breakfast and lunch in the diner. And if you have a sleeper get out and about the train depending which added cars are available such as a cafe/lounge car and/or “observation” car. And be considerate of other travelers and don’t “hog” a seat. Stay a reasonable time and then “move on” so others can enjoy the car too.
One extra bonus for sleeper car passengers you’re considered First Class. As such in NYC-Chicago-LA you can use The Metropolitan Lounge (in Boston for the Lake Shore Limited – The Acela Lounge). These lounges have comp non-alcoholic beverages, TV to watch, Wi-Fi and comfortable chairs to relax while waiting for boarding or a catnap for extended wait hours for same day connections in Chicago.
All Aboard and enjoy your land cruise across the US on Amtrak.
http://www.amtrakvacations.com/trip-planning/onboard-the-train
Author
Hi Lii, Glad to hear you’re moving to Amtrak. In my years of traveling Amtrak and even before (I was very little!) I have never encountered a rude sleeping car attendant. Occasionally, one of the wait staff in the dining car is sullen but when I realize how overworked they are, I understand. Usually the entire car becomes like one big family dining event! I always leave a tip even though our meals are included with the accommodations fare. Bad food? It’s come a long way…and mostly downhill. However, eggs are still cooked fresh in the morning and having a hot meal in the dining car is compensation enough for me. Enjoy your travels!
I am giving up on air travel. After reading over 500 consumer complaints regarding Amtrak, it was refreshing to read your columns.
Traveling in a sleeper car is a prerequisite for an enjoyable cross country journey for me. I realize delays are sometimes unavoidable and being able to retreat to the privacy of your compartment would alleviate some discomfort. However, have you not typically encountered rude service, bad food, etc.?
Author
Hi Ellen, sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner. So glad you enjoyed the narration by the docent. By now it’s too late. I took the Empire Builder twice last year and never noticed anyone giving a tip. If you have a chance, please let me know the outcome. Thanks! Sherry
Hi can you tell me if we tip the National Park Docents who are riding the Empire Builder with us right now? They are phenomenal!
Author
You can bring your own if you have a sleeping compartment. According to Amtrak’s online cafe car menu, beer can range from $4.50 to $7.00 depending upon what you choose. Thank you for your email.
Do you happen to know what the charges are for beer / a glass of wine.
Can you bring your own?
Great article, lots of great information….however, I have a little problem with tipping the dining room staff at the normal 15 to 20%. My son is a waiter and I waited tables and bartended through my early years so I am a chronic over-tipper. That said, my son currently makes $7.50 per hour waiting tables (before his tips) and that is considered high for a lot of restaurants. I believe the Amtrak union employees in the dining car make $25-$35 per hour (before tips). If I’m correct on their wage, then I intend to leave more like 10% per meal.
Hi Keith,
Glad you and your son had a good train trip. Your video is cute!
Sherry
Hi Jenni,
Thank you for reading the article. Unfortunately, roomettes on your trains do not have an en suite bathroom. There is one or sometimes there are two on the upper level. The main level has 3 or 4 plus a shower room. My suggestion is to pack a little ditty bag (that’s what we called it at overnight camp!) with your toothbrush, etc. to bring everything with you to the bathroom. There is a hook on the door so it’s really helpful to have a bag with a loop to hang it up. Have a great “circle” trip!
Sherry
Thanks for the tips. I’m taking my first extended train trip (Empire Builder, SW Chief, and Coast Starlight) shortly and was unsure of the etiquette, especially with regard to tipping. I was unaware that my roomette included facilities. I thought I’d be sharing, so that is pretty awesome!
It was an enjoyable ride. definitely recommend a roomette for the longer trips. My kid enjoyed the top bunk! check out the room here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZA4jrySr6d0
We traveled from Chicago on the Southwest Chief to LA in early November. We paid $1800.00 for a bedroom for my wife and me. We did not get a morning paper, there was no ice in the sleeping car and our second night out we were unable to find our sleeping car attendant to set up our beds. We ended up doing it ourselves.
Author
Hi Claire,
I’m not quite sure what it is that you need the exact space dimensions. Is it for a portable crib? There are more Amtrak photos on my site that might give you a better idea of space in the deluxe bedrooms. I’ll check around to see if I can get more details. Thank you for your comment.
Hi! I’m traveling Amtrak with a 6 month old in a few weeks. I really appreciate your info about tipping! Thank you for this article.
Do you Sherry–or anyone else– know if the Superliner (Empire Builder) Bedrooms have 23″X32″ between the bottom bed and the wall with the “chair” when the bed is up/sofa position? (I’m having a heck of a time finding definitive info about the floor space when the bed is in sofa position. (Even the Amtrak phone folks couldn’t tell me). ANY help is appreciated!
Author
Hi – Absolutely not. It’s your own room. You can even order room service! Have fun!
Hi! Thanks for the informative article. Just booked my first train trip. Traveling solo and I’ll be in a sleeper car. Amtrak doesn’t double up solo travelers in their sleeper cars do they? I hope not!
Author
Hi Jools,
Thanks for reading the article. Tipping on Amtrak seems to be a grey area for Americans, too! On your next Amtrak trip, if you try tipping right after you board the train, please let me know how it goes.
Great overview Sherry. Good to cover tipping too, as it can be a bit of a grey area, esp for us Europeans!
Wish I thought to tip when boarding rather than after, may have got somewhat better service on some of our journeys! And yes, those roomette ‘facilities’ def take a little getting used to!
Author
Hi Muriel,
It just takes a lot of planning and learning the schedules. Somehow it all fits together. And yes, it does take an extended period of time.
Sherry
I just wonder how you get to Europe to take your river cruises and ocean cruises as your travel plans are limited to the number of transatlantic crossings and this would extend any trip by at least 12 days!