So I call in today to see if H room is available because I'm leaving next Sunday for Newark. She tells me no and they have to stay availabe until the last minute for a disabled person. I say ok and we will be ok in the bedroom from Slidell but will someone be there to help us on. She tells me it is un-manned and they don't check luggage. WHAT!! No one told me this and that we will have to keep our luggage with us or pay 20 dollars a piece to have large pieces checked. Oh my!! She said they should have told you that when making your reservation, and to just get on in NO it will be an additional 200 dollars. She was very nice and said since your were not told about that, I will put you and your sister in Coach from NO to Slidell and then you will go into your bedroom on to Newark. Question- in NO since we will get in bedroom in Slidell(an hour ride in Coach,will they just put us in the bedroom to avoid moving us or is that against the rules. And how will they know we are to be moved? It's just an hour like from 7 to 7:57. Will we still be able to have breakfast even after they transfer us. Anyone ever had this happen to them. I am so upset.
Un-manned Slidell, LA Amtrak station
- Thread starter cassie225
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I may be wrong, but was under the impression the H Bedroom was available to anybody within two weeks or less if not already booked.
Calling back and getting a different Amtrak agent might be the thing to do.
The H room is available to the general public within 2 weeks only if all other rooms are sold out on that train, if I remember.
The agent was correct that you'd have to keep your luggage with you. $20 to check them is incorrect...there's a fee for excess carry-ons, but fee won't get them checked.
As for getting on in New Orleans, speak with the conductor. Since your room will be empty from NOL to Slidell, chances are you'll probably be allowed to get in right away, and since 7:57am is within breakfast hours, get your breakfast when you choose.
Sorry, Cassie. I can never seem to remember the "if all other rooms are sold out on that train" caveat.
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the_traveler
Engineer
Yes, speak with the Conductor. Chances are that you can occupy the room right from NO. (I've had that happen.) Also remember that you can use the Magnolia Room in NO prior to boarding, since you have a same day sleeper ticket. (Obtain the doorcode at the ticket counter.)
Breakfast service does not begin until Slidell anyway.
Breakfast service does not begin until Slidell anyway.
Thanks to all of you for your answers. Now help me with this- the conductor is the person who takes the tickets at the door?lol The employees at Amtrak have always been nice to us when I ride,so hopefully they will just let us get in the bedroom in NO. I can't imagine being shuffled from Coach to bedroom. I will let you all know what happened. Either way as soon as I get on I will head down to the diner and spend an hour there. I remember going across Lake Pontchartrain while eating. That calms me because it looks as if you are riding on water.
I once had a trip where I was riding coach from New Orleans to Slidell and then in a roomette to Washington DC. (part of the Slidell Loophole 
) I was with my uncle and we asked if we could occupy our room from New Orleans, and we were told that not only was it fine, but the SCA and conductor preferred it that way. And we got breakfast at Slidell without having to pay for it.
) I was with my uncle and we asked if we could occupy our room from New Orleans, and we were told that not only was it fine, but the SCA and conductor preferred it that way. And we got breakfast at Slidell without having to pay for it.Y'all are giving me hope. I will ask when I check my baggage. We thought Slidell would be less hectic,but I have a big bag I need to check and 2 carry on. My sister will only be with me in Newark for a week but she packs like she is staying a month. She will return on the plane- flying the unfriendly skies of United. lol She got a great deal on a ticket. It will be her first time going so far on a train and after this flood in Baton Rouge,she needs down time. Just wished she had told me earlier so we could have gotten the H room. I called again and it is booked. Will keep bugging them until day of departure, We have car 2010 Room B.
the_traveler
Engineer
What I did when I took coach from Martinez on the CZ - and had a sleeper starting in Sacramento - is I went right to that sleeper and boarded and went to my room. (The SCA will likely be at the door.) Even if they have you move to coach (which I highly doubt), at least you can put your bags in your room.
Sounds like an idea. By the time they decide to get us move,if that happens we will be in Slidell.lol Thats what I like about Amtrak,they all are so laid back.
Well, ALMOST all of them. There are horror stories here about a few that treat passengers in a less than professional way. Enjoy your trip!!
I always get nervous just before a trip. I would love if it rained all the way. So relaxing. Thanks to all
Why not remove any anxiety over this by calling an Amtrak Agent and have your Bedroom booking from Slidell changed to one from New Orleans. The cost is the same.
The OP claims that she tried that, but $200 was quoted to her.
I had a very interesting ride from New Orleans to Slidell many years ago. Amtrak changed the schedule while i was on my long Rail Pass trip. I got dropped off at NOL about 10 minutes after the Crescent had
left the station. One of the station attendants had me load my luggage in an Amtrak owned Jeep and we headed for Slidell. We arrived in Slidell about 8 minutes before the Crescent got there. (No extra charge).
left the station. One of the station attendants had me load my luggage in an Amtrak owned Jeep and we headed for Slidell. We arrived in Slidell about 8 minutes before the Crescent got there. (No extra charge).
I've a hunch there was some misunderstanding during that call. $200 happens to be the upcharge for just the Bedroom from NOL to SDL, as shown below:
Suspect the agent thougth she wanted to change her ticket and not go to NWK at all - just SDL to NOL. I recommend she call back and have her reservation modified, changing the departure station from SDL to NOL. This should be the same price ($1,241) according to Arrow and eliminate any anxiety she may have about this aspect of her trip.
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Sounds like a good idea to me, I thought that was kinda expensive. Its just when you call Amtrak,some agents know what they are doing and some don't. Why would it be 200 dollars for NO to Slidell?
Any time a sleeper is booked for a tiny portion of a route, the sleeper part of the fare becomes much more expensive on a per mile basis. That's because if you book a sleeper from, say, New Orleans to Slidell that sleeper is unavailable to someone who wants to book the entire route. The same holds true for any other tiny segment of the route This shows the costs (in black) and the costs per mile (in blue) of a Roomette on the Silver Meteor for various parts of its route:
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so if I called agent and said I was the one actually booking the sleeper from Slidell,there should be no additional. I think thats why she said she was putting us in coach and not charging any extra. Amtrak makes it so complicated. I have a ticket booked with points going from Slidell to Atlanta in coach in July,but only there for a weekend so I will only have carryon.
That is correct. Call an Amtrak agent and:
• Give them your 6 character Reservation Number (so they can look it up)
• Tell them to MODIFY (not cancel) that reservation to a departure from New Orleans in a Bedroom but
• Keeping Newark as the destination
• If the agent sounds confused or tells you it can't be done, as to speak to a supervisor.
Whatever you do, do not use the word cancel. Say only MODIFY. If the agent tells you the ticket needs to be cancelled and a new one issued, refuse to allow that. That's because as of right now Bedrooms on that train are sold out. If your present reservation is cancelled; the ticketing computer system will show your bedroom as available and there's a possibility someone else could book it before you - and you won't have a Bedroom! If the agent still says it needs to be cancelled either ask to speak to a supervisor or call back later hoping to get a more knowledgeable agent.
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