I spent $1,000 for a 30-hour Amtrak ride in a private bedroom. Take a look inside the 45-square-foot
- I spent 30 hours in a sleeper car on an Amtrak train traveling from Miami to New York City in 2021.
- For $1,000, I booked a bedroom, which is about the size of a King-size bed with a full bathroom.
- At around 45 square feet, my cabin made impressive use of a tiny space without feeling cramped.
In October 2021, I booked an Amtrak bedroom sleeper car on a 30-hour train ride for $1,000. However, I've seen it listed for for around half the price at other times, according to a recent search on Amtrak's site.
Source: Amtrak
The bedroom was about 45 square feet and came with two beds and a full bathroom. I thought it left no space unused.
My Amtrak bedroom had a sofa that folded out into a bed, a bed that pulled down from the ceiling, and a chair that folded up out of the way.
A bedroom is a step up from Amtrak's roomette, which I previously tried, that had half the space for half the price.
To the left of the sofa in my room was a sink underneath a mirror with a handful of small towels next to it.
To the right of the mirror was a cabinet where I could store toiletries and other personal items.
There was also a private bathroom inside the bedroom with a door, shower, and toilet.
If a private, full bathroom is a necessity for you, the bedroom is your best option.
The bedroom had a table with two fold-out leaves that pulled out from the wall between the seats.
Next to the seating area was a small closet with three hangers for clothing you'd want to keep looking sharp.
One thing that surprised me was the variety of lighting options, which seemed to be more than I've seen in an economy seat on a flight.
Other features I noticed included temperature controls and a button to call an attendant, who was always prompt and nice.
When it's time to sleep, the sofa folded into a bed on the bottom level, and another bunk-style bed came down from the ceiling.
On the top bunk, I saw more controls for air conditioning and lights, as well as a small storage pouch.
My ticket came with meals ordered from a separate menu for passengers staying in a bedroom, which I ate in the dining car.
I liked the braised short ribs meal with mashed potatoes and a roll. I made a little sandwich out of the ingredients to make it taste even better.
After trying both a bedroom and a roomette, I thought the bedroom is the best choice for packing many amenities into a small space, while still providing enough room to stretch out.
I think both are good choices, but I'm booking a bedroom next time.
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Larita Shotwell
Update: 2024-08-30