Riding Amtrak? The Most Comfortable Car Might Actually Be The Cheaper Choice

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One of the biggest reasons people choose to travel via Amtrak rather than on an airplane isn't just the slower, more relaxed pace and the chance to see America roll by outside their window. It's the added space and comfort passengers get while traveling by rail — particularly on longer-distance journeys. Amtrak's fastest trains might not go as fast as their European or Japanese counterparts, let alone a jet airliner,  but they offer passengers a number of ways to stretch out and relax during their journeys. There's a big appeal to this, and it's a reason why Amtrak is considering new route expansions to link America's biggest cities.

Amtrak offers a number of different ticket types, naturally with more space and amenities as you climb each price tier. This includes simple coach seats, single-seat first-class service, private roomettes, and even larger bedrooms for those seeking maximum space or traveling with a family. Lately, what some Amtrak passengers, including many solo travelers, have been discovering is that the roomette option may actually be the sweet spot when it comes to value.

Ticket and accommodation options will vary based on which Amtrak route or equipment you're booking. By many accounts, however, the money, privacy, comfort, and service you get with a roomette is the ideal Amtrak experience. Many see it as the perfect antidote to today's stressful, cramped airline flying.

The cost of the roomette and what you get

On the routes that offer it, the roomette is the least expensive private accommodation. It's about 23 square feet with a door and a curtain for privacy. It has two seats with the ability to be converted into two bunk beds, but there is no private bathroom or shower. A Business Insider reporter recently compared the value and experience of an Amtrak roomette to a single first-class seat and found that "the roomette was undoubtedly a sweeter deal than first class." On a three-hour trip between Washington D.C. and New York, the cost for a first-class seat was $450. In contrast, on a much longer 15-hour trip between Denver and Salt Lake City, a roomette accommodation cost only $400. That is pretty impressive considering both tickets also included meal service. 

It should be pointed out that the Business Insider comparison is not an apples-to-apples situation, as the first-class ticket was onboard one of Amtrak's fastest, shorter-distance Acela trains, and the roomette was on a slower, long-distance Superliner trip in a different region. While prices will vary depending on the trip and when you book, it does show that, per hour traveled, the value of Amtrak's roomette option is hard to beat. Other travelers have echoed a similar sentiment, concluding that even when compared directly against cheaper seats on the same route, the Amtrak roomette experience is worth the price on longer trips for the extra privacy, added comfort, and flexibility of the space for sleeping.

You can also stretch your legs in the Amtrak observation cars

While indeed an Amtrak roomette provides both more passenger space and privacy than single-seat options (let alone your typical airline seat), the tiny room is still probably not somewhere you'll want to be stuck in for the entire journey. This is the great thing about Amtrak compared to traveling by plane. On Amtrak, passengers are welcome to leave their seats and rooms if they want to stretch out and walk around. 

Amtrak Superliner trains have a communal dining car where you'll go to eat your meals at a normal table. That means you won't have to huddle over, trying to eat while banging your knees into a tiny tray like you would on a plane. Even better, many Amtrak trains have an observation/lounge car where you can go to relax and enjoy the passing scenery through tall wrap-around windows. 

We might be well past the golden, romantic years of American rail travel, but you can still find echoes of them on the modern Amtrak. With the current, less-than-pleasant reputation that air travel has, it's not surprising to see the Amtrak on the upswing with its slower-paced, less stressful, and more spacious travel experience becoming more appealing. Short-distance Amtrak routes are selling out, services are being expanded, and new routes are under consideration for the future.