Can I choose my roomette?

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jamesontheroad

OBS Chief
Joined
Jan 5, 2006
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626
Location
Västerbotten, Sweden
Hello. My trip on the CL from TOL to CUM / CUM to WAS is being discussed in another thread. However it's years since I've been on Amtrak, and the first time I've booked online to collect from the Quik-Trak machine (I always used to get them down at the counter in Montreal).

Is it possible with this kind of reservation to choose my roomette? I can't see any option to do this on amtrak.com; can it be done on the phone? Would like to skim the recommendations for the best roomette on these forums and snag a "better" one, if such a thing exists (is left or right side of the train best on the eastbound CL, for instance?)

Thanks for tolerating a newbie question from someone who should know better. :lol:
 
You can call to find out which car/roomette you're in and discuss changing it with the agent. But you won't know which side of the train you're on until you board.
 
Yup, you can absolutely call and ask to switch to a different roomette. However, in regards to left/right side of the train, the sleeper can be hooked up to the train with bedroooms front or bedrooms rear. You won't know which way your sleeper will face until you are on the train, so there is no way to guarantee left/right side.

What you can do is decide if you want to be closer to the door of the car or the middle of the car, near the coffee or the bathrooms, upstairs or downstairs, etc.
 
Thanks for the prompt info, it's much appreciated.

I'm presuming a better roomette is upstairs, and half-way between the stairs/toilet and the gangway to the next car? I.E. further from likely sources of noise during the night.
 
In addition to the previous comments made by other posters, besides the room number (or room letter) you can also request a specific car number within the train consist. I always try to get the sleeping car closest to the dining car. The LINE NUMBER thread will show you the car number information for the train in question.
 
You can't chose your own room number online (at least not now), but if you speak to an agent, you can request a specific room!
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And personally, I like the upstairs better, However for me, it does not matter the room number. I do like 2, 3 or 4 (near the center of the car), but I've also had rooms 9 & 10 (at the end of the car) and never noticed any excess noise at night!
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But to each his or her own!
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While many people prefer roomettes upstairs, others (like me) would rather be downstairs. It's more quiet with less foot traffic, the shower is there, more toilets are there, and I think the ride is more stable. It's also much easier to access luggage in the rack and I like the exercise I get going up and down the stairs.

I certainly wouldn't want roomettes 1 or 2 due to proximity to the toilet, nor 9/10 due to noise from the door to the next car. You might have different priorities, it's a personal choice.
 
I certainly wouldn't want roomettes 1 or 2 due to proximity to the toilet, nor 9/10 due to noise from the door to the next car. You might have different priorities, it's a personal choice.
Well you'll never get #1 no matter what, since that is the attendant's room. Revenue rooms are 2-14.
 
While many people prefer roomettes upstairs, others (like me) would rather be downstairs. It's more quiet with less foot traffic, the shower is there, more toilets are there, and I think the ride is more stable. It's also much easier to access luggage in the rack and I like the exercise I get going up and down the stairs.

I certainly wouldn't want roomettes 1 or 2 due to proximity to the toilet, nor 9/10 due to noise from the door to the next car. You might have different priorities, it's a personal choice.
I was in roomette 2 once and never smelled the restroom across the way. I've been in 9. That was nice. That was one occasion where the sleepers were on the rear of the SWC. Back in 2007.
 
I certainly wouldn't want roomettes 1 or 2 due to proximity to the toilet, nor 9/10 due to noise from the door to the next car. You might have different priorities, it's a personal choice.
Well you'll never get #1 no matter what, since that is the attendant's room. Revenue rooms are 2-14.
I hate to correct Alan
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, but on a Superliner the revenue rooms are #2-#10. I think on a Viewliner, they are # 1 - #12, with the SCA in #14.
 
I certainly wouldn't want roomettes 1 or 2 due to proximity to the toilet, nor 9/10 due to noise from the door to the next car. You might have different priorities, it's a personal choice.
Well you'll never get #1 no matter what, since that is the attendant's room. Revenue rooms are 2-14.
I hate to correct Alan
ohmy.gif
, but on a Superliner the revenue rooms are #2-#10. I think on a Viewliner, they are # 1 - #12, with the SCA in #14.
What about the rooms downstairs?
 
Downstairs, the roomettes are #11-#14, the Family Room (actually #15 - although nobody calls it that) and the H-Room. Also 3 rest rooms and the shower. There is also one rest room on the upper level!
 
I certainly wouldn't want roomettes 1 or 2 due to proximity to the toilet, nor 9/10 due to noise from the door to the next car. You might have different priorities, it's a personal choice.
Well you'll never get #1 no matter what, since that is the attendant's room. Revenue rooms are 2-14.
I hate to correct Alan
ohmy.gif
, but on a Superliner the revenue rooms are #2-#10. I think on a Viewliner, they are # 1 - #12, with the SCA in #14.
Dave I believe Alan was referring to all rooms including downstairs. Which indeed goes up to 14. Not sure if I'm correct by stating this. The family room is indeed 15 but is commonly reffered to as the family room and the h room is the h room.
 
I certainly wouldn't want roomettes 1 or 2 due to proximity to the toilet, nor 9/10 due to noise from the door to the next car. You might have different priorities, it's a personal choice.
Well you'll never get #1 no matter what, since that is the attendant's room. Revenue rooms are 2-14.
I hate to correct Alan
ohmy.gif
, but on a Superliner the revenue rooms are #2-#10. I think on a Viewliner, they are # 1 - #12, with the SCA in #14.
Dave I believe Alan was referring to all rooms including downstairs. Which indeed goes up to 14. Not sure if I'm correct by stating this. The family room is indeed 15 but is commonly reffered to as the family room and the h room is the h room.
Steve, you are indeed correct, I was referring to all roomettes in the car, not just those on the upper level. And yes, the Family room can be referred to either the F room or room #15.
 
Currently you have to speak to a Amtrak agent to make AGR sleeping car redemptions so I just completed making four reservations with an Amtrak Select agent (2 AGR sleeping redemptions and 2 paid rail/sleeper fares). Since I was on phone with the agent (Adrian who was friendly and competent), I specifically requested car numbers and roomette numbers for each of the four reservations. He graciously accomodated me on all of my requests. As we were making the reservations, I received the appropriate itinerary emails acknowledging the reservations.

About an hour after completing the reservations, I accessed my Amtrak account on amtrak.com and could not find any of the four reservations in "My Account" section or "MY Trip" section. I was prompted in the "MY Trip" section the following: Problem with Reservation Number: The reservation number you entered was not booked on our web site. We cannot retrieve reservations that were not booked online. For assistance with your reservation, please call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245), or contact your travel agent. [Error ID: 172X]. I should add though that at least my 2 AGR trips were on the AGR website in my account section.

Concerned about my "missing" paid Amtrak trips on the amtrak.com website, I called an Amtrak agent soon afterwards. She verified that when one makes a paid sleeping car reservation via phone the itinerary will not be available online to view on the Amtrak website.

The only drawback I see on phoning in a reservation now is the cancellation process of phoning the agent to cancel (or change). The time process in doing this will certainly be longer than the online process (especially if you have multiple reservations) if you book the reservation online. Also, the agent indicated that when a reservation is cancelled via phone it takes 3-5 days for the funds to be credited back to you account. I believe when you cancel online your funds are credited to your account within a day if not sooner.

I trust all of this information is factual but will gladly be corrected if it is not :mellow:
 
We have roomette #20 on the TE in May.....believe this is in the transdorm.....should this be OK?
 
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Dovecote, that is correct that only reservations made online can be viewed online - and that extends to cancelling or modifying online.

Reservations made via phone can only be altered via phone or at a ticket counter.
 
Dovecote, that is correct that only reservations made online can be viewed online - and that extends to cancelling or modifying online.

Reservations made via phone can only be altered via phone or at a ticket counter.
Which got to to wondering why the quiktrak machines aren't so dumb.
 
We have roomette #20 on the TE in May.....believe this is in the transdorm.....should this be OK?
You are indeed in the transdorm. You should be ok there.

I agree. My experience is that the transdorm can actually seem 'less busy' than the regular sleepers. I've never ridden the TE, so others can add more, but system-wide, some people have reported that their Sleeping Car Attendant (SCA) can be 'Missing In Action' because the SCA for the transdorm is also the SCA for another sleeper as well. I believe that the TE is currently running with the transdorm at the front of the consist and the other sleeper at the back, so this does make it tougher on the SCA, and also means you'll be close to the diner, the lounge and the engine with the beautiful songs it sings. :wub:
 
Sort of related... if I book our roomette online, will it tell us which car/roomette we're in before I print my ticket? Will it be in the confirmation email?
 
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