posted
Would a true Amtrak fan get a bedroom (if that was all that was available) when all he needed was a coach seat?
I wanted to ride the Crescent for a 1.5-hour trip Sunday, but all that was available was a bedroom, so I passed....$96 is a bit pricey when compared to $16 for such a short trip...
MP
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
Coach is sold out but a sleeper is empty? That sounds odd. Some Amtrak fans might want to spend the extra bucks just for the private room experience, but for most of us it would be overkill, I think.
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
posted
Wouldn't it have been nice to find an enterprising conductor who would have negotiated the fare with you just to sell the seat. Even hotels give you a "day rate" if your not sleeping in the room.
Posts: 518 | From: Maynard, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
I've been on trains, along the NEC, where the coaches were so completely "sold out" that the conductor had to seat newly-boarding passengers at the tables in the cafe car.
On occasions where the coaches are full, but the sleeping cars have vacancies (sometimes many vacancies), why not officially sell the seats in sleeping cars as "coach seats" to last minute passengers, as long as they won't be traveling overnight?
Obviously, the online reservation system isn't set up for this. But the station ticket agents, and the conductors themselves, could possibly handle it in some fashion. And those extra sleeper rooms wouldn't be running empty.
[This message has been edited by dilly (edited 09-30-2003).]
posted
Many years ago, AMTRAK used to sell reservations called "seat in a roomette" for day-use only passengers who wanted the privacy of 1st class, but did not want to sleep in the room. Do they still have that option?
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
I have many times ridden short distances in a sleeper, and about the cheapest I have ever paid for a standard bedroom was about $100.00. Personally I think it is worth the money in order to experience the joys of a private bedroom over a noisy crowded coach.
Posts: 524 | From: Toronto Ont. Canada | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Thanks for all your responses. If this comes up again in the future I'll try the negotiation route.
According to the reservation agent the Crescent is very popular. That must be the case, as I have never been able to get a ticket on the Crescent. I am not sure of my availability until a day or two before the train runs, and each time I call the train is "sold out" or "almost sold out".
MP
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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