Taking my first trip: A bunch of questions

[user 14106]

One big difference between the two is how they are used. The Meteor carries a lot more sleeper passengers and a lot more overnight passengers in general as the more direct route which is probably why it was selected to keep the diner between the two. If one looks at the statistics the Star tends to have a much shorter almost corridor like ridership. People traveling within Florida (as it makes more stops within the state) and people from the stations in the Carolinas where it is the only train.

 

[cpotisch]

I had the pleasure of riding the Meteor from NYP to Winter Park FL (WPK) last month. I was assigned the aisle seat, and the one takeaway would have been to have an extension cord for my phone. My cord was only long enough to put in my seatmates area under his tray, or it would have stretched across his lap. Otherwise I was very comfortable with the aisle.

That’s gotta be one really short phone charger. For any normal length cable, I have never had even the slightest issue in an aisle seat on Amtrak.

 

[KSOC]

That’s gotta be one really short phone charger. For any normal length cable, I have never had even the slightest issue in an aisle seat on Amtrak.

Haha - yes 3 ft! Should have brought the 6 footer. Assumed boarding at origin (NYP) I'd get a window seat. Never assume! My seatmate was cool though so it was on his seatback & I used my ipad. Occasional texts & Google maps to see our location. Great trip.

 

[trnzone]

Haha - yes 3 ft! Should have brought the 6 footer. Assumed boarding at origin (NYP) I'd get a window seat. Never assume! My seatmate was cool though so it was on his seatback & I used my ipad. Occasional texts & Google maps to see our location. Great trip.

Would you recommend the aisle or the window, if I wind up with a choice? 

Did you have a seatmate the entire trip?

How often did you get up and what did you do?

 

[trnzone]

For others ... if you're on the train and there's a roomette available ... can you upgrade? Is it cheaper? I know that's a risk, but it's looking like the buckets for my trip window are at the two highest levels and it would cost me a ton to get it ahead of time. I'll keep checking though.

 

[KSOC]

Would you recommend the aisle or the window, if I wind up with a choice? 

Did you have a seatmate the entire trip?

How often did you get up and what did you do?

If it's just you I doubt you'll have a choice, but speak up if you have a preference.

I had a seatmate the entire trip. He got off the train after me. I was seated before him in the Florida car at NYP, so I think they wanted a single beside me that was getting off the train further down the state. I was the 4th stop in Florida. But honestly I liked the aisle, I didn't need to bother anyone to leave my seat, but there was so much room for him to get out. The seats do recline & has foot rests so there were some others that had to move if their window seatmate wanted out. 

I did get up many times to either hit the restroom or get food & drink from my bag overhead. Good to stretch, also got off the train at some of the longer stops. I did notice when I got home my feet were a little swollen. So next time I'll walk more & drink more water.

 

[cpotisch]

For others ... if you're on the train and there's a roomette available ... can you upgrade? Is it cheaper? I know that's a risk, but it's looking like the buckets for my trip window are at the two highest levels and it would cost me a ton to get it ahead of time. I'll keep checking though.

You can upgrade on the train, but it just costs whatever the current price is (there's no discount or anything). In fact, the conductor will almost certainly just tell you to call 1-800-USA-RAIL and upgrade through an Amtrak agent. Once upon a time, onboard upgrades went to the lowest bucket, but it has not been that way for many years. And once you're maybe two or three days from departure, it really is exceedingly unlikely that prices will go down at all for you.

So if you're at all interested in a sleeper, book super early, not super late.

 

[cpotisch]

Would you recommend the aisle or the window, if I wind up with a choice? 

Did you have a seatmate the entire trip?

How often did you get up and what did you do?

If you can choose, I highly recommend the window, because of the easy access to the outlet, and of course window. There's enough legroom on Amtrak that it really is not difficult or a pain at all to get up and out if there's a person in the aisle seat, so don't worry about that. But accept the fact that you almost certainly will have a seat mate for a good portion of the trip.

 

[trnzone]

If you can choose, I highly recommend the window, because of the easy access to the outlet, and of course window. There's enough legroom on Amtrak that it really is not difficult or a pain at all to get up and out if there's a person in the aisle seat, so don't worry about that. But accept the fact that you almost certainly will have a seat mate for a good portion of the trip.

Yeah, I've come to accept that. I'm a bigger guy, so wasn't sure if the aisle provided a little more space or not. It's my first train ride, so I'd certainly prefer the window if all is equal.

If I get on the train and have an aisle seat but want to at least attempt to get a window, is it as simple as asking and they'll say yes if that's available or switchable?

I remember someone mentioning that you get like a "marker" for your seat and you can put it on another one if it is open. Still not exactly sure how that works if they have all the seats preconfigured.

 

[ehbowen]

Yeah, I've come to accept that. I'm a bigger guy, so wasn't sure if the aisle provided a little more space or not. It's my first train ride, so I'd certainly prefer the window if all is equal.

If I get on the train and have an aisle seat but want to at least attempt to get a window, is it as simple as asking and they'll say yes if that's available or switchable?

I remember someone mentioning that you get like a "marker" for your seat and you can put it on another one if it is open. Still not exactly sure how that works if they have all the seats preconfigured.

Seats are assigned (IF they are assigned; if the train's not too full they may let you have "open seating") on-the-fly by the train crew. It's not anywhere in Amtrak's system (with the exception of Acela First Class in the Northeast). Once you are seated and your ticket is scanned/lifted, you will be given a paper "seat check" by the conductor to mark your seat as occupied.

 

[trnzone]

Seats are assigned (IF they are assigned; if the train's not too full they may let you have "open seating") on-the-fly by the train crew. It's not anywhere in Amtrak's system (with the exception of Acela First Class in the Northeast). Once you are seated and your ticket is scanned/lifted, you will be given a paper "seat check" by the conductor to mark your seat as occupied.

Got it. So let's say I get on the train and I'm on it for 30 mins and there's a window seat two rows in front of me. Can I simply stand up, go over there and put my paper there and that's now my seat?

 

[pennyk]

I remember someone mentioning that you get like a "marker" for your seat and you can put it on another one if it is open. Still not exactly sure how that works if they have all the seats preconfigured.

on the Silvers, if the attendant assigns you a seat, he or she will tell you the seat number and write down your destination or his/her chart.  The conductor will then come through and put a seat marker above your seat.  If assigned a seat, you should NOT change your seat without checking with the attendant. Some attendants may allow switching, some will not.  They usually want to keep sections open for families (who travel quite frequently on the Silvers).

 

[pennyk]

Got it. So let's say I get on the train and I'm on it for 30 mins and there's a window seat two rows in front of me. Can I simply stand up, go over there and put my paper there and that's now my seat?

NO

 

[trnzone]

on the Silvers, if the attendant assigns you a seat, he or she will tell you the seat number and write down your destination or his/her chart.  The conductor will then come through and put a seat marker above your seat.  If assigned a seat, you should NOT change your seat without checking with the attendant. Some attendants may allow switching, some will not.  They usually want to keep sections open for families (who travel quite frequently on the Silvers).

Oh OK. I could've sworn someone told me that earlier in this thread. I suppose I misunderstood. So the only recourse would be to nicely ask an attendant. 

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I could've sworn someone told me that earlier in this thread. I suppose I misunderstood. So the only recourse would be to nicely ask an attendant. 

If you really want a window seat I'd ask nicely when you approach the coach attendant and give them your destination.  So long as you're not the first person boarding you should be able to get a feel for the process currently in effect by watching someone in front of you.  If the coach attendant is okay with your request you're good to go.  If they're not assigning specific seats then board and see what's available.  If the attendant refuses/ignores your request your best chance for a window seat may involve making a new friend and asking them to switch with you (along with the seat check slip).

 

[pennyk]

Oh OK. I could've sworn someone told me that earlier in this thread. I suppose I misunderstood. So the only recourse would be to nicely ask an attendant. 

This is assuming the attendant assigns you a seat, which, on the Silvers is pretty routine, although, I have been on the Silver Star twice between Orlando and Tampa where the attendant assigned the passengers a car, but said to sit wherever we wanted to sit.  

 

[trnzone]

This is assuming the attendant assigns you a seat, which, on the Silvers is pretty routine, although, I have been on the Silver Star twice between Orlando and Tampa where the attendant assigned the passengers a car, but said to sit wherever we wanted to sit.  

Oh OK got it. Yeah I think I'm going to take the Meteor.

 

[trnzone]

OK so ... what the heck do I do here? I don't think I'm going to splurge on a roomette for the Silver Meteor -- it's just wayyy too expensive to do it both ways. So these are my options.

Silver Star: Roomette, no dining car, 4 more hours of a trip (30hr)

Silver Meteor: Coach seat, dining car, 4 hours shorter trip (26hr)

I don't think I care much about the food -- I can bring enough variety to keep myself happy. So it's really the trip length. Is the comfort worth 4 hours each way -- 8 hours total?

 

[pennyk]

I would do the Star (without food) in a roomette for the comfort rather than Meteor in coach,  but I’m likely older than you are and more particular about restroom facilities. 

 

[cpotisch]

OK so ... what the heck do I do here? I don't think I'm going to splurge on a roomette for the Silver Meteor -- it's just wayyy too expensive to do it both ways. So these are my options.

Silver Star: Roomette, no dining car, 4 more hours of a trip (30hr)

Silver Meteor: Coach seat, dining car, 4 hours shorter trip (26hr)

I don't think I care much about the food -- I can bring enough variety to keep myself happy. So it's really the trip length. Is the comfort worth 4 hours each way -- 8 hours total?

Definitely go for the Roomette on the Star. TBH, plenty of members here (very much including me) actually like the extra time on the train, so the only real disadvantage of the Star is the lack of a dining car. And considering you’d be going coach if you took the Meteor and therefore probably not dining at those exorbitant prices, the absence of a DC is not even much of a disadvantage in your case either.

 

[VTTrain]

I vote Silver Star.  

 

[trnzone]

A bit surprised at how unanimous that was (at least so far). It's basically $200 cheaper each way. I guess the ability to lay down at night is probably worth it alone, not to mention the additional space and such.

 

[cpotisch]

A bit surprised at how unanimous that was (at least so far). It's basically $200 cheaper each way. I guess the ability to lay down at night is probably worth it alone, not to mention the additional space and such.

I think you didn’t quite realize just how much better a Roomette is than Coach. Especially considering the fact that you apparently really don’t want to sit next to someone, and a Roomette is completely your own room with complete and utter privacy.  

 

[trnzone]

I think you didn’t quite realize just how much better a Roomette is than Coach. Especially considering the fact that you apparently really don’t want to sit next to someone, and a Roomette is completely your own room with complete and utter privacy.  

Haha you keep making me seem like some anti-social person. I'm not. I just didn't think the trains would be that full for such long trips, that's all. So it was an expectation vs. reality thing. I've never really traveled like this before.

 

[tonijustine]

A bit surprised at how unanimous that was (at least so far). It's basically $200 cheaper each way. I guess the ability to lay down at night is probably worth it alone, not to mention the additional space and such.

Do not discount the ability to shower on board as a perk to the roomette, too.