Is 1 person allowed to make a shared reservation in a Viewliner Roomet

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BenLandau327

Train Attendant
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i.e. share it with someone they dont know? Effectively splitting the cost with someone else? I assume no, but thought i'd ask. Obviously i could just reserve an entire one for myself, but i dont want to pay that extra cost.

Thanks
 
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BenLandau327 said:
i.e. share it with someone they dont know? Effectively splitting the cost with someone else? I assume no, but thought i'd ask. Obviously i could just reserve an entire one for myself, but i dont want to pay that extra cost.

Thanks
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Nope... unless you already know someone who wants to travel solo too, and then you reserve it for both of you.

This has been my long standing gripe with Amtrak- they just don't want solo passengers to travel by sleeper... unless they are willing to pay (almost) double the fare. :(
 
What are your city pairs? If you're doing a full overnight, I'd say yes. Sleepers are always better than coach, especially if you are going overnight.
 
William W. said:
What are your city pairs? If you're doing a full overnight, I'd say yes. Sleepers are always better than coach, especially if you are going overnight.
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NY Penn to Miami, 27 hours, 3pm to 6pm if i recall correctly...... is it hard to sleep in coach? i do need sleep, i'll need to be well rested when i get there to do an apartment search
 
BenLandau327 said:
William W. said:
What are your city pairs? If you're doing a full overnight, I'd say yes. Sleepers are always better than coach, especially if you are going overnight.
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NY Penn to Miami, 27 hours, 3pm to 6pm if i recall correctly...... is it hard to sleep in coach? i do need sleep, i'll need to be well rested when i get there to do an apartment search
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I'd definitely recommend the roomette then. For that length of a trip, coach can wear a little thin, especially if you need to be well-rested.

The roomette comes with all meals included in the dining car, and access to a shower in the sleeping car.

Some people can sleep in coach, others can't. I wouldn't risk it if you must be well-rested. Even if you're able to sleep in coach, I wouldn't imagine that it would be of a good quality.
 
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BenLandau327 said:
Very nice! i may have to bite the bullet and spend the extra 200.....Thanks!
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If the price stays at $200 extra. Depending on supply and demand, the price can increase to over $400 if there are only 1 or two sleepers left. I am talking roomette. Also keep checking back to see if the price drops. This Sept, for the return trip and I am talking about ORL to NYP, it usually cost me $240 extra. It was cheaper to travel on the Star then the Meteor. I didn't like to travel on the Star because of the times. So I kept an eye on the pricing and when the price dropped on the Meteor, I changed my ressie from the Star to the Meteor.

Bruce-SSR
 
I don't quite understand your original question/post. If the roomette costs $200 for 1 person, it also costs the same $200 for 2 people. All you need to do if someone wants to join you before the trip begins is for the other person to get an open sleeper ticket, and they will pay the same low bucket rail fare (portion) that you paid. But you can't get that low bucket add on for someone "you just met on the train".
 
the_traveler said:
I don't quite understand your original question/post. If the roomette costs $200 for 1 person, it also costs the same $200 for 2 people.
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That's what the OP is asking... whether they can book "half a roomette" for one person and thus have to pay only half of the sleeper upgrade charge ($100 instead of $200 if two passengers book the roomette).
 
sound like someone needs to develop a new app called "Amtrak Romette Roomate Finder" or something like that....

or perhaps people already advertise this sort of thing on Craigslist?

better yet, perhaps there should be a new section on Amtrak Unlimited for people looking to share a room on trains?
 
Thus the other person must reimburse the OP for half the cost - no different than what would happen otherwise. If 2 people reserve, they don't get charged by Amtrak $125 each. 1 pays $225 and other pays $25. It is up to the OP to get reimbursed the $100.
 
Just one person's opinion, but you will get really familiar with someone overnight in a roomette.....
 
A gentleman of my acquaintance on another forum is inclined to describe an Amtrak roomette as "a single traveler's accommodation which just happens to have a second bed." If you have spent any time in one, you will see his point.

I have taken several trips in roomettes, but always solo or with a child (nephew or niece). I have never taken one with another full-size adult. An adult and a child is a good fit, but two full-size adults would, IMO, be uncomfortably tight.
 
There's plenty of room in a roomette for a married couple, if they're both short.

I wouldn't share it with anyone you aren't extremely close friends with.
 
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Ehbowen and neroden - thank you! good info..... my decision is made then. This is also good info for planning purposes, as i will be going back and forth from Miami to NYC for business over the next couple of years, and so will need to be well rested. Assuming i cant fly again, this will be my choice for seating...... i will just have to budget $400 to $500 each way for my trips :)
 
BenLandau327 said:
Ehbowen and neroden - thank you! good info..... my decision is made then. This is also good info for planning purposes, as i will be going back and forth from Miami to NYC for business over the next couple of years, and so will need to be well rested. Assuming i cant fly again, this will be my choice for seating...... i will just have to budget $400 to $500 each way for my trips :)
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You might consider using an Amtrak Guest Rewards credit card to rack up points toward free Amtrak travel. A better deal than most airline or hotel frequent traveler programs, I think.

Glad to have enlightened you about the unenclosed toilet. :unsure: I love the Viewliner roomettes when traveling alone and sleeping in the upper bunk. Not so fond of them when traveling with my husband. Wouldn't consider doing it with anyone else.

Hope you have a swell trip, and many happy returns!
 
BenLandau327 said:
Tricia - thank you! great idea, i will have to get one of those credit cards.

Cheers!
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Have you signed up with AGR yet? If not, PM one of us with your email address and we can refer you (we'd each get bonus points once you travel w/in 90 days of signing up).
 
BenLandau327 said:
Tricia - thank you! great idea, i will have to get one of those credit cards.

Cheers!
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You could also look at a Chase Sapphire Preferred. You get 2x points on travel and dining (1x on everything else). It carries an annual fee, but its points can be transferred to AGR, United, and other travel/hotel companies. It comes with a 40,000 point bonus, if you spend $3000 in the first 3 months. If you feel that you are able to do that, this card is definitely worth it.

If you're looking for a no-annual fee card, the AGR card may suit your needs. It gives you 2x points on Amtrak travel (1x on everything else), and a 12,000 point signup bonus, if you spend $500 in the first 3 months.
 
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BenLandau327 said:
tricia said:
tonys96 said:
Just one person's opinion, but you will get really familiar with someone overnight in a roomette.....
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Especially on a Viewliner, with its unenclosed toilet. Definitely not something I'd want to share with a stranger overnight.
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Unenclosed toilet? LOL! wow, that clinches my decision, i will not be sharing this with anyone else :)
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The bedrooms have a separate little closet that has the bowl and shower head with a drain on the floor. Just think where else can you sit and contemplate life while having a gentle stream of water raining down on you :)

Bruce-SSR
 
The nicest thing about AGR, compared to the airline frequent flyer programs, is that there are very few blackout dates or restricted inventory. And the reward redemption values are more than reasonable for what you get, especially in sleeper...two can travel on one redemption in a roomette, and three on one redemption in a bedroom!
 
Thank you all for the credit card ideas..... does this work the same as airlines? i.e. is it approx the same # of miles/points for the same cost trip?
 
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