Any way of requesting where you sit in your car?

[Cole737]

I request where I want to sit before I board to the station attendant. But I've never been on a LD train. (Only Cascades and Empire corridor). Is it different for LD trains? Like if I were to ask if I could have the right side of the train with a good window alignment, would that be to specific?

 

[the_traveler]

It depends on the train, and where you board. (At the beginning, during the run, at 3 am, etc...) At some stations (like NYP) they may not assign seats, but in others (like CHI) they don't. Either way, they would assign seats at the car door, not in the station.

 

[ehbowen]

Long distance trains may be assigned seating by the conductor, or they may be "catch as catch can". In the latter case try to pick out a seat which meets your criteria as soon as you board; in the former case I would just ask the conductor for a seat on my preferred side of the train without complicating things by being any more specific. Once I was on board the train, if I saw an empty seat which better suited my liking, I would ask the conductor or the car attendant for permission to switch.

In either case the station attendant would have no say as to where you sat. But you might ask him to point out where the line for boarding will form so that you can grab a place near the head of it.

 

[William W.]

When you board the train and the conductor assigns your seat, just ask kindly if you can sit in a particular seat. You may get a gruff conductor who puts you where he puts you, but most should be willing to honor requests. I've never asked myself (as I usually travel in sleepers), but again, I don't see why not.

 

[the_traveler]

The Conductor never assigns you a seat. If anyone does, it's the coach attendant.

 

[William W.]

I was assigned a seat by the conductor the first time I took the Cardinal. Maybe that was just a quirk for that route? I haven't taken LD coach since then, so that's the only experience that I have.

 

[EB_OBS]

Most LD trains don't assign seats.

The only time my train attendants do is usually because the train is very full and there are few seats spread out and it's usually so that the few available double-seats don't get taken by single travelers.

 

[Cole737]

So I should bet on just being able to board at PDX and picking whatever seat I want in the car I'm assigned? Sounds like a good deal to me!

 

[the_traveler]

I was assigned a seat by the conductor the first time I took the Cardinal. Maybe that was just a quirk for that route? I haven't taken LD coach since then, so that's the only experience that I have.

What time did you board? :huh: 2 pm or 2 am?

 

[William W.]

5AM in Cincinnati. I don't remember the train being sold out.

 

[EB_OBS]

So I should bet on just being able to board at PDX and picking whatever seat I want in the car I'm assigned? Sounds like a good deal to me!

If you are boarding #28 in PDX then I wouldn't worry about it. You should have no problem choosing whichever seat you want.

 

[the_traveler]

It's possible the coach attendant was asleep at that time. (Yes, they do sleep also!)

 

[Cole737]

That's good to hear that I can pick your own seat on the EB! Thanks! ^_^

 

[andersone]

variation on this theme,,,,

got my EB tickets yesterday, realizing on the eastbound leg they gave me a room in 2830,,,,,

can I call Amtrak and ask them to move me to 830?

six cars from the dining room may be too much for She Who Must Be Obeyed,,,,,

 

[oregon pioneer]

variation on this theme,,,,

got my EB tickets yesterday, realizing on the eastbound leg they gave me a room in 2830,,,,,

can I call Amtrak and ask them to move me to 830?

six cars from the dining room may be too much for She Who Must Be Obeyed,,,,,

If you are boarding between PDX and SPK, you have no choice about the sleeper (the 2830 comes from PDX, the 0830 comes from SEA,). If you are boarding from SPK towards the east, you may ask to be changed to the Seattle sleeper but it may also change the bucket fare (which may be why you chose the PDX sleeper when you booked...).

I always enjoy the walk.

 

[gmushial]

That's good to hear that I can pick your own seat on the EB! Thanks! ^_^

This is one of the reasons I'll get on the CZ in DAV vs SAC: a) there are typically more seats to pick from and b) it's always been pick a seat, and then have it assigned to you vs being given a seat number and hoping for a reasonable seatmate.

 

[VentureForth]

Most LD trains don't assign seats.

The only time my train attendants do is usually because the train is very full and there are few seats spread out and it's usually so that the few available double-seats don't get taken by single travelers.

You're the pro, but passengers on the Silvers almost always assigned seats by the SA, in my experience.

And back to the OP for a moment, the station attendant actually helps you get your seat? That, to me, seems unusual as the station folk rarely have anything to do with ANYTHING that happens on board. In my experience over here on the Right coast, I could see an SA getting really uptight if a station agent tried to assign a passenger a seat.

 

[kbmiflyer]

If you are boarding between PDX and SPK, you have no choice about the sleeper (the 2830 comes from PDX, the 0830 comes from SEA,). If you are boarding from SPK towards the east, you may ask to be changed to the Seattle sleeper but it may also change the bucket fare (which may be why you chose the PDX sleeper when you booked...).

I always enjoy the walk.

What she said, but I will add they SHOULD be able to change your sleeper without changing the fare. I have done that before, you just have to ask the right questions. Many of the "front line" phone agents don't know how to do that, but they can usually get a supervisor that can.

The only question will be did you buy a ticket for train 8 or 28, that might make it more difficult to switch without costing money.

 

[the_traveler]

Most LD trains don't assign seats. The only time my train attendants do is usually because the train is very full and there are few seats spread out and it's usually so that the few available double-seats don't get taken by single travelers.

You're the pro, but passengers on the Silvers almost always assigned seats by the SA, in my experience.
And back to the OP for a moment, the station attendant actually helps you get your seat? That, to me, seems unusual as the station folk rarely have anything to do with ANYTHING that happens on board. In my experience over here on the Right coast, I could see an SA getting really uptight if a station agent tried to assign a passenger a seat.

When boarding the Silvers at NYP, tbey do not assign seats. Only in the middle of the run.
The only station i know where you get your seating assignment inside the station is in PDX (and maybe SEA but I'm not sure on that) for thhe Cascades.

 

[zephyr17]

If you are boarding between PDX and SPK, you have no choice about the sleeper (the 2830 comes from PDX, the 0830 comes from SEA,). If you are boarding from SPK towards the east, you may ask to be changed to the Seattle sleeper but it may also change the bucket fare (which may be why you chose the PDX sleeper when you booked...).

I always enjoy the walk.

What she said, but I will add they SHOULD be able to change your sleeper without changing the fare. I have done that before, you just have to ask the right questions. Many of the "front line" phone agents don't know how to do that, but they can usually get a supervisor that can.

The only question will be did you buy a ticket for train 8 or 28, that might make it more difficult to switch without costing money.

moving from 2830 to 830 would be an exception to the ability to change without changing fare, because in Amtrak's reservation system they are treated as 2 entirely separate trains with 2 entirely separate inventories. So they'd likely be cancelling the reservation on train 28 and creating a new booking at current bucket on train 8. It isn't the same as changing rooms within the same train.

 

[Cole737]

Most LD trains don't assign seats. The only time my train attendants do is usually because the train is very full and there are few seats spread out and it's usually so that the few available double-seats don't get taken by single travelers.

You're the pro, but passengers on the Silvers almost always assigned seats by the SA, in my experience.
And back to the OP for a moment, the station attendant actually helps you get your seat? That, to me, seems unusual as the station folk rarely have anything to do with ANYTHING that happens on board. In my experience over here on the Right coast, I could see an SA getting really uptight if a station agent tried to assign a passenger a seat.

When boarding the Silvers at NYP, tbey do not assign seats. Only in the middle of the run.
The only station i know where you get your seating assignment inside the station is in PDX (and maybe SEA but I'm not sure on that) for thhe Cascades.

They do assign seats at SEA for Cascades.

 

[SubwayNut]

The conductors also assign seats in the station in Vancouver, BC. You have a seat assignment before you clear U.S. Immigration, its the first step in the main station.

 

[ciship]

I'll be traveling on the the City of New Orleans from Chicago to NOL. I will have my 3 older teens with me.......but, I want them "with" me........not somewhere down the aisle. How can I request that we all be seated together and will they allow this?

 

[kbmiflyer]

I'll be traveling on the the City of New Orleans from Chicago to NOL. I will have my 3 older teens with me.......but, I want them "with" me........not somewhere down the aisle. How can I request that we all be seated together and will they allow this?

If you are boarding in CHI this probably won't be a problem, just try to be closer to the front of the line once they start boarding. Once you get to the correct car (they usually board different cars for different destinations on the line), just ask the car attendent for seats together if they are assigning seats, or just try to find four seats together once you board. Since you are boarding at the originating point for the train, this probably won't be a problem.

The other option to avoid the worry is to have one of the red caps board you early and help with luggage. They are usually located just outside the main waiting area. Using red caps to board early is a pretty common practice at the east coast stations (NYP, PHL, WAS), but it doesn't seem as common in Chicago. A small tip is usually appreciated by not required.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I would definitely go with the Red Cap as they will usually get you to your car before general boarding begins. One time in Chicago I got bumped down to the Local Coach to STL on the Texas Eagle because of a busted connection and the Attendant in the Metropolitan Lounge suggested I use a Red Cap and board from there rather than having to join to Snake Pit. I felt like a Big Shot as he drove me through the masses, horn roaring to clear our way and he deposited me at the Coach 5 minutes before the Car Attendant even showed up!