Adding a roomette mid-journey?

[BethChicago]

So our fam (me & the hubs and 8 & 10 year old boys) will be traveling back to Chicago from Grand Junction in early April. Currently just booked in regular "seats."

On Wednesday of that week, I have a ticket from GJT to DEN. I'll be staying for a few days in Denver and then the rest of the fam comes on the Saturday train. They stay on the train and I hop on for the rest of the journey. I have booked a DEN - CHI ticket.

IDEALLY, we would love to add 2 roomettes in Denver @ $200/room for the journey to Chicago. But can we add a roomette mid-way through the journey?

I know that my hubs & boys could snag the roomettes in GJT but we'd be paying $80+ more ($242/room) than if we got rooms starting in Denver. And since it is such a pretty ride from GJT to DEN, we try to spend as much time in the sightseer car as possible, so rooms aren't really needed until the evening. Even if we got the rooms in Denver, we'd somehow have to "add" me in the second room in Denver anyway.

Clear as mud? Am I thinking of this wrong or is there a better way?

I'm GUESSING that I'll just have to get on the phone w/ an Amtrak reservation agent to figure this out, but thought I'd ask you fine, wise people for your thoughts!

Thanks!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Book coach (hubs & kids) to DEN then roomettes (all of you) to CHI. This would probably need to be two reservations.

If it's all on one reservation, then it may be necessary to get an "open sleeper" ticket for you since you're boarding in DEN, but not sure in this situation.

 

[Ryan]

Just make two reservations, easy as pie.

 

[Guest]

Sorry, should have clarified. Reservations already made:

Me: Grand Junction - Denver (Wed) & Denver to Chicago (Saturday) - Coach seat

Family (Hubs & 2 kids): Grand Junction to Chicago (Saturday) - 3 Coach seats

So I guess I'd have to revise the reservations or add on....?

 

[ehbowen]

I'd suggest that you revise the reservations with one reservation for just you Grand Junction-Denver on Wednesday, one reservation for husband and kids Grand Junction-Denver on Saturday, and one reservation for all three of you Denver-Chicago in roomettes. Then ask the agent to link the reservations.

 

[BethChicago]

Sorry for such a newby question, so if I re-booked but linked the reservations, would we have to get off the train, get our tickets scanned and get back on again?

 

[Tennessee Traveler]

Normally, you get on the train and tickets are scanned on the train. All of you would have to move to the roomettes in Denver but not get off the train and go into the station. Your spouse and children can make the move on the train side without going into the station. Conductor and sleeping care attendant will help you.

 

[saxman]

Sorry for such a newby question, so if I re-booked but linked the reservations, would we have to get off the train, get our tickets scanned and get back on again?

Just inform an attendant or a conductor that you are moving from coach to a sleeper in Denver. When you arrive in Denver just either walk through the train or trainside along the platform to the sleeper. It shouldn't be a problem. The conductors will figure out that you have boarded.

 

[chakk]

Some attendanrs and conductors might even let you move into the sleeper before you arrive in Denver, if your reserved rooms are already vacant. Worked for me on the CZ with my two oldest sons when they were 8 and 6 years old -- 30 years ago.