Are you looking for a little more privacy on your next Amtrak adventure? Or maybe you would rather sleep horizontally. Either way, Amtrak sleeper accommodations are an enjoyable way to see the United States.
This article covers sleeper basics, including overviews of roomettes and bedrooms on Amtrak long-distance trains, plus links for additional details on each room.
I have ridden in many Amtrak sleeper cars, and over those miles, these sleeping accommodations became my happy place, and I hope it can be for you too.
Get comfy, and let’s discuss what you need to know before booking your first Amtrak sleeping accommodation.
Accommodations Amtrak Offers On Long-Distance Trains
Amtrak long-distance trains offer coach seating, with few routes providing business class and sleeping accommodations such as roomettes, bedrooms, accessible rooms, and family bedrooms (Superliner trains only). The Palmetto is a long-distance train but does not offer sleeping accommodations.
So, you say there are two types of Amtrak sleeping cars?
Amtrak uses two types of equipment on their long-distance trains: single-level cars for routes with New York as a stop, and the rest of the system uses bi-level cars.
There is a list of what trains use what equipment later on.
Viewliner Equipment
Amtrak Viewliner trains are single-level cars found on the Eastcoast and are the newest sleeper cars on the Amtrak system.
Because the tunnels leading into New York Penn do not allow Amtrak’s signature Superliner cars, these cars are the perfect answer.
Viewliner sleeper cars get paired with Amfleet II coach cars, baggage, cafe, and sleeper lounge cars to form the trainset.
These cars offer two rows of windows to see the country roll by as you travel to your destination.
Trains with Viewliner Sleeper Accommodations
| Train Route | End Destinations | Train Route | End Destinations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal | Chicago, IL – New York Penn | Silver Meteor | Miami, FL – New York Penn |
| Crescent | New Orleans, LA – New York Penn | Silver Star | Miami, FL – New York Penn |
| Lake Shore Limited | Chicago, IL – New York Penn |
Viewliner Layout Of Sleeper Accommodations
Superliner Equipment
The Superliner equipment is bi-level or two-story, found on long-distance trains that do not go to New York Penn.
Superliner Sleeper Cars get paired with Superliner coaches and a dining or cross-county cafe car, and most trains get a Sightseer Lounge with a cafe on the lower level.
Trains with Superliner Sleeper Accommodations
| Train | Travels Between | Train | Travels Between |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Train | Lorton, VA (Washington, DC) – Sanford, FL (Orlando) | California Zephyr | Chicago, IL – Emeryville, CA (San Fransico) |
| Capitol Limited | Chicago, IL- Washington DC | City of New Orleans | Chicago, IL – New Orleans, LA |
| Coast Starlight | Los Angeles, CA – Seattle, WA | Empire Builder | Chicago, IL – Seattle, WA/Portland, OR |
| Southwest Cheif | Los Angeles, CA – Chicago, IL | Texas Eagle | Chicago, IL – San Antontio/Los Angelese, CA |
| Sunset Limited | New Orleans, LA – Los Angeles, CA |
Superliner Layout Of Sleeper Accommodations
The Four Types Of Amtrak Sleeper Accommodations
There are four types of sleeping accommodations on Amtrak trains, roomettes, bedrooms, accessible rooms, and Superliner cars have a family room.
Sleeper accommodations have a day and night mode, making it comfortable to sit up day and lay flat at night.
Your reservation includes your meals, which the attendant can deliver to your room.
There are privacy currents, a place to hang garments, access to a shower, and more.
Amtrak Roomettes
Roomettes are the smallest of Amtrak’s accommodations but also the most popular. They are cozy, measuring about 6’6″ by 3’6.”
These rooms are great for one person, but two people can fit, although a little tighter.
These rooms have two chairs that face each other and form one of the two beds at night. The second bed comes down from above.
There is a step to the upper bunk that you could use to store luggage, plus these rooms have a place to hang clothing, which could be a hook on the wall or a closet. Either way, hangers are included in the room.
Sleeper cars also offer coffee in the morning, or you can walk to the dining car or Sleeper Lounge for complimentary coffee.
Depending on the train, the shower is either down the hall or on the lower level.
Amtrak Bedroom
Bedrooms offer more space and amenities than others of Amtrak’s accommodation offerings.
Bedrooms have a sofa and a chair and a small room with a shower and toilet. On the outside of that space are a sink and mirror. The lower berth or bed gives you room to stretch out, a little bigger than a twin but smaller than a full.
Every room has a small closet for you to hang your things. There is a shelf for you to put a small carry-on size luggage; that shelf is on the wall across from the bathroom,
Superliner trains have their bedrooms only on the upper level. Vewliners have two on one end next to each other.
On the Auto Train, a few cars have only bedrooms on the upper level.
Sleeper cars also offer coffee in the morning, or you can walk to the dining car or Sleeper Lounge for complimentary coffee.
Amtrak Accessible Rooms
These rooms are for those passengers with mobility issues and their travel companions if needed. These rooms are on both Superliners and Viewliners. The link below goes directly to Amtrak’s website since I do not yet have an article for this room.
These rooms are for passengers traveling with a disability. Accessible Bedrooms are located on the lower level of Superliner and at the end of Vewlier trains. These rooms offer ample space for a wheelchair.
Seating by day transformed into upper and lower beds by night. These rooms come with n accessible in-room sink and restroom. Viewliner train rooms also have a shower en suite, but Superliner train does not, although one is available in the car. Each sleeper car has a dedicated attendant.
Amtrak Family Rooms
Family rooms are only on Superliner trains.
These rooms offer a sofa and chair similar to a roomette chair. At night the room has two bunk beds for adults and two bunks for smaller kids.
These rooms are on the lower level of the car behind the four roomettes, often given the number 15. They accommodate two adults and two small children.
You do not need a family to get this room; a single person could reserve it.
The room also comes with meals for everyone on the reservation.
What amenities do you get with sleeper accommodation?
Several nice perks come with your Amtrak sleeper car accommodations reservation, like lounges and red cap service at select stations, car attendants, showers, and meals.
Most of all, my two favorite points are being able to sleep horizontally and having personal space.
Car attendant
Amtrak sleeper car attendants are there to help you along your journey. Each car has one attendant for the whole car, and they are there to help you and your fellow passengers.
Attendants will put beds up and down, clean the car, and help with luggage and meals. They work with conductors to know when your stop is coming up.
One thing they are not is your “personal assistant.” When you hit the call button, it may take them a while to get to you. They could be out of the car, grabbing meals for other passengers, or helping a fellow traveler. Be kind with their time so they can help others.
You can tip them, plus other employees, if you have a great attendant.
Meals That Come With Your Sleeper Accommodations
Amtrak sleeping car accommodations include regularly scheduled meals with your reservations. Coach passengers are responsible for their meals from the cafe car or the food they bring.
If you take the City of New Orleans south from Chicago to New Orleans, you will get dinner, breakfast, and lunch. Often you will get your meal before leaving the station.
But if your journey is from Kankakee, IL, to Memphis, TN, those stops are between mealtimes, so you won’t get a meal unless the train runs late. In that case, you could get breakfast.
Amtrak has two styles of meals, traditional dining and flex dining.
Flex dining
Flex dining is on trains that run mainly one-night trains but for the Silver Star. Silver Meteor, and Auto Train.
You can enjoy your meals in the dining car, taken to your room, or the car attendant can bring them to your room.
Flex dining features pre-prepared meals that are heated when you order them. The dining cars on these trains got rebranded as Sleeper Car Lounges or cafe cars. One plus of this system is complimentary beverages throughout your journey, and your first adult drink is on Amtrak.
Traditional Dining
Traditional dining is on all two-night trains, plus the Auto Train, Silver Meteor, and Silver Star.
They want to bring back favorites like flowers on the tables and tablecloths for dinner service and ditch their plastic tableware, although I have not seen “real plates” return.
The meals with this service include entrees, add-ons (like cheese or bacon), non-alcoholic drinks, salads, desserts, and your first adult beverage, free with dinner.
Cafe Car
The cafe car is open for all people on the train and offers adult beverages, soft drinks, snacks, and other food. Often they carry Amtrak’s comfort kits, cards, blankets, headphones, and the like.
Amtrak adventures could include both equipment types.
While traveling on the Amtrak system, you may encounter multiple train styles on your adventure. For example, travel from Sturtevant, WI, to Kissimmee, FL. You start with the Hiawatha, a regional train, then transfer to the Capitol Limited, a Superliner, and in DC, transfer to the Silver Star or Silver Meteor, both Viewliners.
Amtrak sleeper accommodations overview
I hope this article helps to give you an overview of Amtrak accommodations with the links to get you the resources you need before booking your next Amtrak adventure.
This article may also help you with general sleeping car info; it covers many of the most asked questions I get about Amtrak accommodations. Another related topic is on tipping on Amtrak trains.
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Safe travels!
Kev
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