Tipping Sleeping Car attendants

[Guest_bradkansas]

Batt, Thanks for the refinement. I well understand the SAT fog. $17.50/hr. is still really good plus the benefits and retirement. A starting teacher in my town with a B.S. gets about $17.00-$18.00/hr. for eight hours. Of course the time h/she devotes after school hours is unpaid. But, I'm off topic which mattfells will likely note. Brad

 

[PennsyFan]

Of course, public education is, along with train travel, the most underfunded portion of our government. But let's not go there...

 

[coachclass]

I did something I have never done before this morning: Tip the coach attendant. On my SWC CHI-LAX trip that I got in on this morning (great trip and will post a report and pictures to my website upon my return home) we got great service from our coach attendant. Every single time I went to use the restrooms over the course of the trip, they were spotlessly clean. On a trip covering parts of three days with a fairly full train, this is no small feat. She also was very friendly, generous with the pillows, and since we were running early the entire trip, let us know when we would have a few minutes to step off the train for some fresh air. She even let the girl in front of me use her cell phone to call a ride from the train so she wouldn't have to wait at an unstaffed station in the dark. As we detrained, I have her a couple of bucks and a big thank you, which she appreciated.

 

[AlanB]

Cool. B)

It's always nice to hear about an Amtrak employee who really does try to do their best for the passengers.

 

[battalion51]

Coachclass, if you got her name, call Amtrak and let them know. Soemtimes employees that go out of their way like that will get an attaboy from Gunn, which goes on record. The more positives you have on record the better your chances are if you ever apply for a promotion within the company.

 

[Rides Often]

if that attendant been very good give him 5 and an Thanks

one who knows

B)

 

[slimGP30]

As in all industries where gratuities are concerned, it is up to and to the complete discretion of the passenger/customer of what is appropriate to tip out. Some guidelines on the train are as follows:

Diner: 15% of total bill is sufficient for normal service.

20% for outstanding service (more like a regular restaurant).

Lounge/Cafe : Again, 15% of total amount for normal service. I personally see no reason to go higher in the lounge/cafe (not like a regular restaurant), but again all at passenger/customer discretion!

Sleeping car: It has always been of custom (on the old railroads) that gratuity should be around $10 per night depending on service or at least $5 per day. Remember, however, this was in a time when First Class patrons had "all" the ammenities, such as shoe shine, snacks (which seems as if most are disappearing or already gone), etc.

Coach: Should recieve a gratuity of about $1 per bag they handle for you and about $5 or so for any other services performed. Seat service (such as meals) 15% of total bill depending on service.

Conductor: Yes even conductors, if they provide someone with great customer service, they should be compensated as well. Though they are primarily responsible for operation of the train, some conductors go out of their way to provide good customer service. After all, they are the "captain of the ship."

Once again, these are a few guidelines I have been taught in my time of riding the rails. It is up to each individual to decide what is appropriate for gratuity. One thing to keep in mind, as in everywhere in the service industry, you usually "get" what you "pay" for! I have noticed that fact to be so true in just about every instance!

 

[slimGP30]

if that attendant been very good give him 5 and an Thanks one who knows

B)

Do I know you? LOL B)

 

[Anthony]

Conductor: Yes even conductors, if they provide someone with great customer service, they should be compensated as well. Though they are primarily responsible for operation of the train, some conductors go out of their way to provide good customer service. After all, they are the "captain of the ship."

I believe it is Amtrak policy that conductors cannot accept tips from passengers.

 

[F59 PHI]

I remember on my cross country trip on the Empire builder, the crew was Exceptionally great. Everyone their treated me extremely well, and they even granted me use of the transition dorm. When I transferred over to the LSL, one of the Conductors from the EB even checked up on me twice. Their friendlyness to me might have been because i was an 11 year old travelling alone, but They were also great with all passengers, just, they didnt get to go into the Tranzdorm

 

[slimGP30]

I believe it is Amtrak policy that conductors cannot accept tips from passengers.

I believe that to be correct, however, if a conductor provides excellent customer service he/she should IMO take the gratuity as some folks may be insulted by them turning it down!

 

[Guest_kiwikate]

Glad I saw this topic. To tip or not to tip - that is the question that is always a bit of a bother when we come to the US. We don't tip in New Zealand but have learnt the ins and outs of tipping since we have been visiting the US. I can't see why we should tip someone for doing what they are paid to do and really should do to the best of their ability. Fair enough low wages and all that, but from our point of view, along with the variety of taxes which are added on to costs, it always makes whatever we do that much more expensive. Thankfully our rate of exchange is a bit better than when we visited last year. I think we'll wait and see what the service is like before we start leaving tips. I know it worked wonders for getting things done in India, but then again India is a whole different kettle of fish. Interesting topic!

 

[KiwiKate]

Sorry - that last reply was me! Forget to log in first! :unsure:

 

[AlanB]

We don't tip in New Zealand but have learnt the ins and outs of tipping since we have been visiting the US. I can't see why we should tip someone for doing what they are paid to do and really should do to the best of their ability.

Kate,

I'm not sure what the various Amtrak crewmembers make, so I can't discuss that properly. I will only mention two quick things in regard to Amtrak workers. Most Amtrak workers could probably make more money if they left Amtrak and went to work elsewhere. Sleeping car attendants to hotels, dining car attendants to restaurants, etc.

Secondly, unlike their counterparts in the other industries, many Amtrak workers work very long days. The sleeping car attendant is on call 24 hours a day during your journey. The waiters/waitresses typically work all 3 meals a day. The average waiter/waitress in a restaurant might pull a double shift, breakfast/lunch or lunch/dinner, but very few work a triple.

Next, let me tell you about tipping in general over here in the US.

In most US restaurants, the waiter/waitress is not being paid to do that job by their employer. The employer pays them a pittance and tips make up a huge part of their salary.

The minimum wage a worker can be paid in the US, as set by the Federal Government, is $5.15 per hour. However those working as waiters/waitresses are exempt from that law. Their minimum wage is currently set at $3.30 per hour, last I knew.

So as you can see, there is a huge difference between pay rates. Many of the small coffee shops and restaurants pay their workers the minimum. So those waiters/waitresses do rely heavily on tips to support themselves and their families. Someone working the cash register at McDonalds could easily be earning more than a waitress in a coffee shop, unless she gets tipped.

Now, yes the better restaurants pay more to attract better employees, but even they underpay by comparison to other industries trying to attract better employees because of the tip factor.

 

[Guest]

if that attendant been very good  give him 5 and an Thanks   one who knows

B)  

Do I know you? LOL B)

DO I know you lol ???? That is a out line on tipping . If the attendant is good the tips add up

one who knows

 

[KiwiKate]

Alan. Keep your hair on!! Guess I should have been a bit more specific in my statement. We do tip when in the US - restaurants etc. Always have done. Just haven't travelled in a sleeper with Amtrak before so that is why I said we'd probably wait and see what the service is like before we start tipping. I know about the pathetic wages paid to waiters etc. Our son first started working as a barman, waiter when he went to the US. To be honest I hadn't even thought about tipping when we travel on the train - so that is why I was pleased to see the topic. Talking about pathetic wages - the US is not the only country in the world with low rates of pay in certain occupations. I guess it's up to the individual whether or not they stay in the job, demand a better rate of pay or leave and try to find something better. I guess that statement will open up a bag of worms! Have a go someone! Cheers. Kate

 

[AlanB]

Kate,

No problem. I just wanted to be sure that you understood the dynamics here in the US. I wasn't sure about elsewhere abroad, but since I was once in charge of the accounting department for a JC Penny store, that had a resturant, I know how pitiful they got paid.

Plus keep in mind, like I mentioned before, even if the sleeping car attendant is making better than minimum wage (and I strongly suspect that he/she is), they nonetheless are on duty during your entire trip. Should you for some reason press the call button in the middle of the night, your attendant will hear that bell in his bedroom and be woken by it.

No other worker lives with his guests/passengers for that many hours. That alone, I think is worth at least something extra.

Ps. I wish that I could keep my hair on. :lol: Unfortunately, mother nature has other ideas for me, since I passed 40 a few years back. While it's not all gone yet, it is nonetheless thinning in all the wrong places. :lol:

 

[PRR 60]

But, if you get an attendant that does nothing (and they are out there), do not hesitate to give them nothing. Tips for Amtrak service workers are earned through service. There is no entitlement.

 

[Windigo]

Been reading the forums here for a while and decided it was high time to register so I could do some posting (Hi all!).

I took my first Amtrak trip this past summer from Newton, KS to Chicago, NYC, Orlando, and back again and was planning on doing the tipping when I left the car at my destinations, but I found a lot of the time the attendants I had the evening before had gotten off the train at a stop along the way over night and I had no idea who the new ones even were by the time I had to get off at my station... so this next summer I think I'll do the tipping as I get service or when they come that night to see if I need my bed put down just to make sure I get them.

I had a couple of good attendants that were really helpful. I wasn't feeling well my first night because we were going about as fast as the train could over bad tracks and a lot of us kept getting thrown around, so I was asked if I'd rather have my meal in my room since I looked a little green. Also had one guy stop by now and then to tell me of the interesting things coming up since he noticed my camera and thought I'd like to take some pics. He also invited me to the snack bar and asked one of the attendants there if they would serve me (they copped an attitude and said they didn't get on shift until noon, so no, even though it was 12:30), so he served me himself and recommended his favorite sandwich.

For the attendants that helped and I was able to see again when I left the train, I gave $10. Nothing for the ones I never saw again or only introduced themselves and never showed up again until I got off.

 

[panamaclipper]

Don't most sleeping car attendants stay on for the entire trip? That was the case when I took the CZ from Chi to Oakland a few years ago. And while I didn't require a lot of attention, I gave him $40 just for doing a good job.

 

[Guest]

$40?!? Will you adopt me?!?

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

Don't most sleeping car attendants stay on for the entire trip? That was the case when I took the CZ from Chi to Oakland a few years ago. And while I didn't require a lot of attention, I gave him $40 just for doing a good job.

That puzzled me, also. It has always been the same attendant for me except going across Canada years ago, they did change at some point. They came by and told me "good by" etc, which was their way of hinting that it is time to tip them.

 

[Guest]

Well, there were two of us traveling and I figured for three days $40 would be about right. Plus he was a very nice old guy that was working very hard for some jerks down the hall who treated him like dirt.

 

[jccollins]

Well, there were two of us traveling and I figured for three days $40 would be about right. Plus he was a very nice old guy that was working very hard for some jerks down the hall who treated him like dirt.

For two that sounds good for good service, and I am sure he was very appreciative. The attendants usually do remain onboard for the length of the long distance trips. I have never heard of attendants leaving before the end of the trip unless they are ill or something, with the exception of the Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle combination/split in San Antonio.

 

[Windigo]

I wasn't making up the attendants changing mid-route, honest

On the Three Rivers leg of my trip from NY to Chicago I had noticed a lady straightening up the rooms in my car as I headed for breakfast instead of the guy that was there the night before. I asked one of my car mates where the attendant was from the day before and they told me he had gotten off in Pittsburgh over night and the lady had gotten on to take his place. On the way from Chicago to Newton I had a car attendant that left in Kansas City and she was replaced by someone else.

From Chicago to NY on the LSL, I had a nice Russian guy as an attendant that checked up on me frequently for the whole ride and was there to help with my bags on the way out, so he got a tip. My attendant from NY to Orlando was also just as helpful and there the whole trip. The conductor from Orlando to NY on the way back took my ticket then no one was around for the rest of the trip that I ever met, except the chef. I actually saw the chef more on that part of the trip because there was a problem with the dining car and he was coming through taking our orders (pasta salad or a chilled chicken breast something) and bringing us our food in our rooms because we weren't able to go to the dining car to eat.