Recently, our family of 8 took a train trip from the Amtrak Cincinnati Union Terminal cross country to Seattle. We paid for half of it with Amtrak points (before they devalued their award chart), and used $1100 in Amtrak vouchers to pay for the other half. Although you can’t get quite as much outsized value as you could before (SEE: My (free) $6500 family train vacation on Amtrak), but it is still possible to use points for sleeper travel at reasonable levels, you just have to find a “low level” ticket.
Riding Amtrak in the cheap seats
Last time we all took an Amtrak, we rode from Toledo to Chicago and then Chicago to Denver all in bedrooms in sleeper cars. This time, because half of us were paying cash (vouchers), we decided to only pay for a sleeper car for the long haul part of our trip (from Chicago to Seattle) and just take 4 regular seats for the first part of the journey (from Cincinnati to Chicago)
Under the old chart, 2 roomettes (or 1 bedroom) was 40,000 points for 2 zones of travel, so we booked 4 of us in 2 roomettes for both parts of the journey.
Naturally the girls got the roomettes and the boys got the cheap seats 🙂
DRAMA in the cheap seats
Our train was scheduled to leave Cincinnati at 1:31 a.m. (boo), though it ended up being about 40 minutes late. By the time we got everyone situated, it was going on 3 a.m. We had myself and my 7 year old son in one row of 2 seats, with my 2 older boys in the row in front of us. I tried to use some of my tips for sleeping on a red eye in economy, and I’m sure I slept a little, but not very much. “Conveniently”, we were right across from a couple traveling with a ~2 month infant. I tried not to smile at the irony (though actually their baby, while not 100% quiet, was not really a problem, noise-wise)
As the night turned into morning, we were just sitting there waiting for the train to arrive in Chicago (scheduled time: 10:05 a.m. CDT) when all of a sudden the man of the couple across from us gets up and starts yelling. Apparently, liquid was pouring down on him from the luggage racks above.
It was quickly determined that another passenger had a water bottle or some other liquid up in the luggage rack above that was open and spilling on him. The offender was quickly located and trying to mop things up with napkins and paper towels. Then the lady in the NEXT row up finds that it’s starting to spill on her too! The man with the baby is yelling how the water is spilling all over him. Of course, other “helpful” passengers are yelling at the guy with the water bottle, telling him to move his bag.
In the meantime, my 7 year old son is making comments too “Look! The water is right there!” as I’m trying to shush him, hoping to not get involved in any impending physical altercation with my kids.
Thankfully, everything calmed down and we finished the rest of our ride in peace.
Ever ridden in the “cheap seats” on Amtrak? Have any good stories to share?
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Dan Miller travels with his wife and 6 (SIX!) children. He loves to help families travel for free / cheap, especially larger families. If you are looking for help, drop him an email at 
I traveled to Oklahoma City on May 3 to witness the birth of my firstborn grandchild. I am a disabled African American female traveling alone on a walker with several bags and boxes. I was under the impression via the Amtrak policy I could pay to ship these extra items. I was charged for these items as extra baggage. I was grateful I was allowed to carry these items. However, the customer service agents an older Caucasian male made a rude statement about the number of items I had, ability to pay and he insulted me by making a comment about me being on a,walker!!!! ” Its going to cost you at least $60 and your on a walker !!!geez!!! My feelings were very hurt. But, I was at the Mercy of this man. The other agent put my things on a cart rolled them out and left them there until tume to board. She told me it was not her job to help me board the train. It was not in her job description. She did not load bags. “I asked her what am I supposed to do? I can’t pick them up?” She sighed, looked disgruntled and helped put the bags and the boxes on the train.
I have never been so insulted in my life. Do I have to look like a broke down bag lady on a walker?Am I supposed to look a certain way before I am treated with dignity and respect inspite of my deficits? I had the right to pay to have items shipped.They were happy to take my currency.If not, Why didnt they tell me? They counted my purse?????? Their behavior was absolutely asinine.I expect a written apology and to be compensated for their rude unkind behavior. It caused me emotional stress and duress.
Tracey, sorry to hear about the inexcusable “asinine” treatment you received on Amtrak. May I sincerely suggest you contact Amtrak management about what you experienced? Amtrak is extremely sensitive about their public image, in part as they’re very much still a political football.
This does unfortunately fit a pattern my family has also experienced on some long haul Amtrak rides, with family members treated with…. shall we say, something other than respect. (In our case, it was on the long haul trains out of Philadelphia….) But I really DO like traveling with Amtrak these days…. the newer trains at least here in the east are very popular money makers…. (never mind the teahadi politicians determined to kill Amtrak)