12 Things Nobody Tells You About Amtrak

Today we share with you 12 things no one tells you about Amtrak. There are some tips that you may not be aware of. Some of these are tips that very few people know about. Let us know in the comments if you already knew some of these.

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[michealcain]

No one tells you, you can be served your meals in your room if you choose. you can use your Amtrak points for free access to the lounges (if you have enough points). I am a solo traveler, so I like the option of being able to keep my bags in my room and not having to check them, or keep them on the baggage rack on the lower level. No one tells you (but you guys) that you can bring your own food on the train. The more I travel the more good food places I have found near the stations. Tip the dining car attendant good and you can get some good off the menu options, like sandwiches and chef salads and bacon cheese burgers made to order for you.

[eileenmccarthy]

Thank you. First time on a train . Very anxious. But your info. Is comforting.

[IsMyHomebase]

I travel with painter tape. It's has a strong hold, and it doesn't leave a residue.
It came in handy during my cross country and back Amtrak trip.
I like sleeping with a fan. I was able to tape my handheld fan to the window. I enjoyed sitting in my roomette with the door opened and curtain drawn. The tape kept the door from sliding back and forth.

[jameskelly]

After watching your videos, I felt like I was a confident rider and knew all about the services and where things were on the train. Including that IT IS GOING TO BE LATE. The train will arrive when it arrives. Make sure your arrival has some flexibility. Thank you for your educational and informative videos. It makes things easier.
If you are in a roomette, it is possible not only that the top bunk will be too cold, but the bottom bunk will be way too hot. This is because of where the heater is vs. where the vent is. The heater controls sometimes do not work at all, other times they are a suggestion. So if you have one person who likes it cold and another one who likes it warm, plan accordingly. I second the duct tape and cardboard applications (also using towels and wash cloths) to control the ventilation as needed. It's a 50 year old train that has been rebuilt a few times; plan accordingly that not everything is going to work right.
Some of the bedrooms have a rolling door that opens up into the next bedroom to make a bedroom suite. This door rattles badly when it's closed. If you jam a wash cloth into the space between the door and the bathroom wall, it will quiet it down.
The front bedroom "A" is smaller than the other bedrooms because of the angled hallway.
Bring an outlet strip with a 4 to 6 foot cord! It will make all the difference on your trip if you have multiple people trying to share one outlet. This applies to coach, bedrooms, and roomettes. Some of the newer ones have more than a single outlet, but you don't know ahead of time what you will get.
If you lessen your expectation that this is not a 5 star hotel, but is actually a 50 year old train that is run by Congress, you will just roll with all the foibles and shortcomings of travel by Amtrak and enjoy yourself.
Don't be afraid to ask for your food (or your dessert) to go, and eat it back in your room at your leisure.

[My_sister_crochets]

Hi guys!!! Love your channel and all the insights you share for Amtrak travel. My husband and I recently rode the Sunset Limited from Houston (our home) to New Orleans and back. We had coach seats which were perfectly fine for this trip. We spent lots of time in the observation car at one of the tables and discovered it was rather dirty. So another thing people should know is to bring Clorox wipes or wet ones to clean pull down trays, tables, etc. Cheers!

[petertuohy]

Door rattle: I was in a SuperLiner roomette on the Empire builder. The door had a terrible and annoying rattle. A fellow passenger and very much a veteran Train rider showed me that he brings small, rubber door stop wedges that will slip in between the door and the floor or the door and the frame. They hold in place with compression and friction. They're about $2.00 for a package of two at The Home Depot. They work great. They leave no residue. Last forever. Take up very little room. Standup robot and cold temps. They're inconspicuous. I've had mine sing 2000. The look almost new and work flawlessly.





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[dbljinc]

Red Cap is clutch!!! The walk from the train to the lounge in DC is a hike. The lady in the lounge saw how I was struggling when I got there and offered the service to me. So much better to have a 1 minute walk.

[radiorevivalnetwork]

You guys are a God send!They don’t tell you:
They will leave you at the end of fresh air breaks. “No All Aboard any more !”
They don’t tell you that they are always, always, always 95 Late!

[NolaGal]

I have paid the $25 access fee for the Metropolitan lounge in Chicago and felt it was well worth the money.

[TheCrookedSpoonNJ]

My family took Amtrak coach from Philadelphia to Orlando last week and loved it! All of your videos really prepared me and the staff went above and beyond for us.

I wanted to use Red Cap, but my husband didn’t think it was necessary. Wouldn’t you know that a young gentleman Red Cap approached us and helped us with checking luggage, escorting us down to the track ahead of the train arriving, and spoke to the Conductor on our behalf.?! We felt like VIPs. What service!

The onboard staff helped us find seats and really looked out for everyone onboard. I was also happy to have heard your warning about bathroom cleanliness and came prepared with lysol wipes. That would be my only complaint- the state of the bathrooms after such a long trip.

Some of us slept better than others, but overall, for $79/person, we would absolutely do it again!! Loved the views and overall experience.

[danabe]

Booked a roomette for my first cross country Amtrak trip in May from Portland Or to NYC then boarding the Queen Mary 2 to Europe. I will be returning the same way... Thanks for all the good advice.

[prairiedogma]

HI! I’ve booked my very first Amtrak trip for September from HAR to NOL. Your videos have been a very good tutorial and great incentive for me to use Amtrak for this trip. Thanks! Keep up the great work!

[TrainguyNCL]

I bid up from a roomette to a bedroom on the California Zephyr CHI-EMY for $250 and WON! They even gave me 24 hour notice

[LaundryFaerie]

I did not know about BidUp until this video! Thanks for mentioning it. I might try upgrading to a roomette on the Empire Builder segment of my upcoming trip.

[catreader]

I have added foam wedges to my travel supplies stash. Although my intent is to use them on the inevitable rattle points in Viewliner car accommodations, I suspect Superliner accommodations have the same "opportunities", and we have even stayed at a reasonably decent hotel where our room door rattled a bit from nearby HVAC or other equipment operation. I chose some unusual cosmetic applicators, but you can cut chunks from a pool noodle. I prefer the springiness over duct tape and prefer leaving no residue; but they won't block or reduce air flow.

[theghostrainbow]

I booked a room on the California Zephyr and was given room 14, which I know is right next to the family bedroom. I saw the next day that roomettes were still being sold, so called to see if it would be possible to switch my room to a different number and they said yes, but the price had gone up over $200 since the day before, and I would have to pay the difference. I just stuck with room 14 and brought some headphones and it wasn't too bad.

[Specialcot]

I have loved the sound of the Train since I was in Elementary . Me Co-pilot Son's enjoy it as well

[jamesthompson]

To be fair to Amtrak, I would guess 80% of the delays are due to freight companies ignoring the Federal rules of giving Amtrak priority. The freights now are also so long they won't fit on the sidings so Amtrak will get pulled over for every freight going the other way. About 10% of my delays have been weather related. The other 10% have been Amtrak. They really do try to make it but it just isn't possible most trips.

[grumpyoldstudios]

I always plan on taking the roomette and always bid up at the minimum. If I get the room great if not good also. Also always check the room prices. I recently got the family bedroom on the City Of New Orleans for less than 100 bucks over roomette.

[Ashley-bsci]

Great video! It's funny, I just started riding Amtrak a year ago. After I booked my first ticket last year, I found your guys' channel and have been hooked ever since. Thanks to you guys I was well prepared for my trip and new that my train could potentially be very late. My first ride was on the Texas Eagle from Fort Worth to Los Angeles and because it arrives so early, I was really hoping it would be late, but it wasn't. It was actually an hour early! And even yesterday I rode on the Texas Eagle again back to Fort Worth, and we had to use a connecting bus from Temple to Fort Worth, we still weren't late. As far as lateness, so far on the Texas Eagle, that hasn't been an issue for me. It has, however, on other trains.