Chicago to NYC: how can someone join me in my bedroom somewhere in Oh

[TimSpencer]

I'm taking Amtrak from Chicago back to NYC. I bought one ticket for

myself and added a Roomette bedroom charge. (which I believe has

upper and lower bunk beds)

My friend is joining me on the same train but she is getting on the train

in Toledo, Ohio. She bought her own ticket for a coach seat from

Toledo to NYC.

Is it possible for her to join me in the bedroom? I called Amtrak and

the rep told me that she has to add a bedroom charge for the Toledo

to NYC portion. However, that doesn't make sense to me. Since

I had already paid for the whole room, why would she need to pay

to be in the same bedroom on the same train?

Thanks!

 

[Nathanael]

I'm taking Amtrak from Chicago back to NYC. I bought one ticket formyself and added a Roomette bedroom charge. (which I believe has

upper and lower bunk beds)

My friend is joining me on the same train but she is getting on the train

in Toledo, Ohio. She bought her own ticket for a coach seat from

Toledo to NYC.

Is it possible for her to join me in the bedroom? I called Amtrak and

the rep told me that she has to add a bedroom charge for the Toledo

to NYC portion. However, that doesn't make sense to me. Since

I had already paid for the whole room, why would she need to pay

to be in the same bedroom on the same train?

Thanks!

She doesn't need to. Call back until you get someone who knows what they're doing. What you want to do is entirely possible and does not cost more than you already paid.

The ticketing for this situation is kind of complicated -- her ticket needs to be converted to something called an "open ticket", I think (meaning one with no seat assignment), and then her reservation needs to be linked with yours... anyway, it's possible.

Call back, and if the person you reach won't do it, demand to speak to a supervisor. Repeat until the situation is straightened out.

Amtrak will probably need to get authorization from her as well as from you, which could make for difficulties given that they're in different cities. This would have been easier if you had bought both tickets so that they were both on the same reservation.

If necessary, do the change after getting on the train.

 

[the_traveler]

I'm a little confused! :blink: You said "Roomette" but you also said "bedroom" - they're 2 different types of reservations.

Perhaps the agent you spoke with had the same confusion. "I have a roomette, but she wants a bedroom." The accommodation charge is the same for 1 or 2. She only has to pay the rail fare portion.

Please call Amtrak agin.

 

[TimSpencer]

I'm a little confused! :blink: You said "Roomette" but you also said "bedroom" - they're 2 different types of reservations.
Perhaps the agent you spoke with had the same confusion. "I have a roomette, but she wants a bedroom." The accommodation charge is the same for 1 or 2. She only has to pay the rail fare portion.

Please call Amtrak agin.

Sorry.... it's definitely a roomette.

I called Amtrak again and the agent told me the easiest thing to do is to inform the sleeping car attendant once I get on the train in Chicago.

 

[Acela150]

That's the incorrect answer. Your friends Ticket needs to read the Roomette your in. The conductor won't know your friend is in your room if their ticket reads coach. They will get marked as a "no show" canceling the rest of their reservation and putting the fare in an eVoucher.

 

[the_traveler]

Plus they will not be entitled to the included meals, because the LSA will see that "room 4" had 2 meals, but "room 4" only shows 1 person on the reservation! (And yes they do check.) the 2nd meal will have to be paid for! But if the reservations are linked, "room 4" will show it has 2 passengers.

 

[AlanB]

No, as noted by Nathanael, your friend needs to obtain an "open ticket". They must call Amtrak, or be on a conference call with you and an agent. Provide both reservation numbers. Her new ticket will not indicate what car or room she will be in, so you'll have to give her that info.

Her ticket will simply read Open Sleeper. And she must have such a ticket in order to join you in the room. The attendant on the train cannot authorize it. In fact, it's against the rules now for it to happen onboard.

If you get an agent that doesn't know how to convert her existing reservation into an open sleeper res, ask for a Supervisor. Most Supervisor do know how to do it, but many agents do not. They can also look up the procedure too.

The key words are "open sleeper".

 

[R30A]

I have done the same thing and been told to just board. It worked fine on the first 4 legs of a 5 leg journey. On the fifth, After dinner the first night, Somebody noticed two meals went to room 2, when only one person was booked there! For the rest of the trip, my friend had to pay for his meals. The next year when I was traveling with another friend, I knew to book an open sleeper ticket for him. Oddly enough, it only "worked" for the return trip. The outbound ticket ended up reading Unreserved Coach Springfield MA-Emeryville CA! I have never seen an Amtrak conductor as confused as he was when he lifted that ticket on the Lake Shore, with the exception of the Conductor on the California Zephyr! However, on both trains, I explained what happened, and he had no trouble getting free meals in the diner.

 

[Anderson]

...so it seems that an opposed CHA check at a difficulty of 25 will not be involved?

 

[CoachSlumber]

When you buy a ticket to a roomette (or bedroom), you don't "own" the room. You own the right for you to ride and stay in that room as a first-class passenger, and a second person needs a first class ticket covering their journey. This has to do with meals, the extra labor, laundry, etc., associated with another passenger in a sleeping car, and the basic rules of passage on the train.

 

[SarahZ]

...so it seems that an opposed CHA check at a difficulty of 25 will not be involved?

Ha!

Tim - please call Amtrak again and ask for an "open sleeper" with your friend's name on it. Use the words "open sleeper" as often as possible so they can search their training manual or work guides or whatever it is they have there. They may not know the term for doing that, which makes it difficult to ask a co-worker how to do it or look up the workflow.

As Alan said, if the agent is still confused, ask to speak with a supervisor.

 

[the_traveler]

When you buy a ticket to a roomette (or bedroom), you don't "own" the room. You own the right for you to ride and stay in that room as a first-class passenger, and a second person needs a first class ticket covering their journey. This has to do with meals, the extra labor, laundry, etc., associated with another passenger in a sleeping car, and the basic rules of passage on the train.

It's really the same as when you get a hotel room. You don't "own" the hotel room. Hilton or Holiday Inn or Marriott or ... still "owns" the room, but you're only renting it for the night, and they also charge more if more are listed on the reservation. The difference is Amtrak charges the same rate for the room if either 1 or 2 occupy it. However, both must be listed on the reservation. Both passengers must pay the "rail fare" portion, which is their ticket to ride aboard the train. You only rent the room, it's your choice.

Just like driving, you have a choice of sleeping at Embassy Suites or Comfort Inn or Motel 6 or in your car at a rest area. The same on a train. You have a choice of sleeping in a bedroom, in a Roomette or in coach. You must still buy a ticket to ride the train, as you would have to buy fuel for your vehicle if you were driving!