Amtrak Sleeper Car Advice Needed
 

I bought a ticket on Amtrak from Oregon to California with a room. At the last minute, a friend has decided they'd like to come along. We'd like to share a room instead of buying a second one, but I don't know if this is possible, because this is the first time I've purchased a room.

I've ridden on trains before, and if I remember correctly, you show your ticket and get shown to your seat (in the coach cabin). It seems like it's not really possible for her to "sneak" over to my room to sleep there (and it definitely doesn't seem possible for her to join me for the pre-paid meals in the dining car). Am I right, or does anyone know of a way that it's possible?

I guess I could refund my ticket and we could repurchase it as a shared reservation, but the prices have gone up since I bought mine, so I feel like I'll be getting the bad end of that deal.

You can add her by calling 1 800 USARAIL with your reservation number. You or she has to pay the current coach fare but you can add her name to your roomette reservation (same boarding station and same destination). Join Amtrak Guest Rewards and you can get points toward getting a free trip someday.

Tom Fuller is correct. Call Amtrak to explain the situation; unless things have changed, I don't think adding her to your room or roomette will be a problem. I did just that a number of years ago when a friend of mine decided he'd like to join me on a sleeper from New York City to New Orleans (and return) after I bought the ticket. Have a great trip! I've always wanted to take the Coast Starlight train along the west coast!

In my two experiences (using a couchette room) the sleepers, couchettes and similar are separated from the rest of the train by the dining car, with an attendant somewhere in the area and the dining staff kind of serving as a gatekeeper from the rest of the train. I'm not saying sneaking wouldn't be possible, but not advisable or easy.

I haven't taken the Coast Starlight yet (I'm booked for June), but yes, first class (the sleepers) is usually separated from coach by the dining and lounge cars, and yes, they frown on coach passengers wandering up into first class. If at the last minute you realized your friend was on the same train you could probably go back to coach and escort her to your room with no problem. Having her sleep in your room might be a little more challenging but a decent tip to your sleeping car attendant would likely smooth that over (you're expected to tip the attendant in any case).

In this case though since it's not last minute, calling Customer Service as others have suggested you should have no problem getting your friend added to your reservation, and then for what she would spend to sit in coach anyway, she'll be officially in your room and get meals. If you're in a roomette I will warn that the upper bunk is a bit tight, but I've done it a few times (and it's a lot more comfortable than coach). I'll also second Tom's suggestion to join AGR. This will be our third year taking a multi-day trip in a sleeper for free with AGR points.

Thank you! I don't know why calling customer service didn't cross my mind. I guess I was expecting customer service a la Greyhound.

Next week I'm taking my first one zone roomette trip for free using AGR points.
Tucson to LAX with a layover of 5 hours then the Coast Starlight all the way home to Chemult Oregon.

I'm excited for you, tom! I hope you enjoy!

I hope you'll do a trip report, tom!

Tom, I hope the CS is on time; when I took it (in a private rail car attached to the rear) the thing got into Oakland at 5 AM!!!