If you’re looking for information about the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedrooms, then you’ve come to right place! Here we’ll compare what’s on offer on the Amtrak sleeper train!

If you’re wanting to try either the Amtrak Roomette or the Amtrak Bedroom, you might be wondering which to choose and which is a better deal onboard an Amtrak sleeper train.

The Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedroom are different products onboard the Amtrak sleeper train, and offer quite a different experience in terms of space, function and service.

Amtrak sleeper train

So if you’re curious which bedroom / cabin is best for your trip onboard the Amtrak sleeper train – then keep reading.

We’ve included as many photos as possible from our recent trip on a Amtrak sleeper train, using both the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedrooms, so you can decide!


Amtrak Roomette Vs Amtrak Bedrooms: VIDEO TOURS

Before we get into the pros and cons of each cabin on the Amtrak sleeper train, we thought we’d upload a video tour of both Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedrooms.

Photos are great, but often, to get a true feel for the space and features of the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedrooms onboard the Amtrak sleeper train, the best thing to watch is a video.

So take a watch below, and then keep reading for more in-depth information about what’s on offer in each space.


Amtrak Roomette Vs Amtrak Bedroom: THE SPACE


When comparing the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedroom, the space on offer is the main difference you’ll likely notice.

There are different options for space onboard the Amtrak sleeper train, and I think space is the most important deciding factor.

So we’ll talk about the differences in space on offer for both the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedrooms.


Space in the Amtrak Roomette, onboard the Amtrak sleeper train

In the Amtrak Roomette you’re in a ‘mini cabin’ which space only for your two seats, facing each other, with a table in between.

This cabin in the Amtrak sleeper train isn’t overly spacious. It is a little wider than the seats themselves (there is a small surface / storage area to the side of the seats), but you are pretty compact, so bear this in mind.

Here are the measurements from the Amtrak sleeper train website:

  • Room Length: 6’6″ – 6’8″
  • Room Width: 3’6″
amtrak roomette photos
Amtrak roomette review
The blue color scheme roomette.

However small the room may look though, you don’t feel cramped. The space on the Amtrak sleeper train is utilized quite well, and the big windows and smart storage help.

In the evening when it’s time to sleep in the Amtrak Roomette, the two seats on the ground convert into bed 1 (single), and bed 2 (single) can be found above you in a canopy style. It’s bunkbed style, as you’d expect!

There isn’t too much space in the Amtrak Roomette for bags and luggage – so this is something to be careful of when choosing this option on the Amtrak sleeper train.

However – If you’re planning to only use the Amtrak Roomette during a daytime train ride, your bags could easily sit on the bunk bed above.

But if you’re planning to sleep on board and use both beds, you won’t have space for any big suitcases while you sleep, so bear that in mind, and maybe choose to check your bags instead.

The other color scheme (pink). Both sides of the small roomette cabin.

Space in the Amtrak bedroom, onboard the Amtrak sleeper train

The next choice when picking a sleeping cabin onboard the Amtrak sleeper train, is the Amtrak bedroom.

The Amtrak Bedroom is a more expensive cabin than the Amtrak Roomette, so the space on offer is more generous. Here are the measurements from the Amtrak sleeper train website:

  • Room Length: 7’1″ – 7’6″
  • Room Width: 6’6″ – 6’8″
amtrak bedroom review
The upper window is a great touch, and adds a lot more light in!
amtrak bedroom tour
Looking out towards the corridor from the window seat.

In the daytime, you have a sofa-style seat that stretches right along the cabin length-wise, and you also have an armchair facing the sofa too. There’s an extendable table between the sofa and the chair.

When it comes to sleeping in the Amtrak bedroom, The sofa extends out into a generous single, and the canopy bed folds down from above to create bunkbeds.

Both are generously wide (we were pleasantly surprised!). It’s a great choice when riding the Amtrak sleeper train.

amtrak bedroom with bunkbeds
The Amtrak bedroom when converted into bunk beds for the nighttime.
amtrak bedroom with bunkbeds

The nice thing about the Amtrak bedroom, we found, was that there was space to move around, lay down, lounge, and change positions throughout the day and night. Giving you decent space on the Amtrak sleeper train.

If you’re the kind of person who gets a little restless in one position, or who likes to nap during the day, then the Amtrak bedroom is going to be a much better choice for you when riding the Amtrak sleeper train.

For suitcases and bags, there was also plenty of room on offer. The bags and suitcases could be placed on the other side of the sofa, or on the floor, which gave us a few options for how to best use the space.

However – the space isn’t unlimited – and we would recommend taking more than one big suitcase if you plan to sleep in the cabin later on.

Once the beds are extended and set up in the evening, the space on offer is much more limited, and the cases got in the way a lot more. Especially for nighttime trip to the toilet!

amtrak bedroom review
Close-up of the sofa and armchair.

Amtrak Roomette Vs Amtrak Bedrooms: THE TOILET SITUATION


The main difference when it comes to the toilet situation onboard the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedrooms, is that one has a private bathroom/toilet, and one doesn’t.

The Amtrak Roomettes have a shared toilet amongst the rest of the roomette cabin passengers. This isn’t ideal, but it’s part of why you save money when booking the roomette option onboard the Amtrak sleeper train.

The Amtrak bedrooms however, have their own private bathroom inside their cabin – which makes the whole journey far more enjoyable.

We were very grateful to have the private toilet only steps from our seats/beds – especially at night. Which made this a much nicer choice for the Amtrak sleeper train, especially when sleeping through the night.

amtrak bedroom toilet
The Amtrak bedroom private toilet / shower room.

In terms of showers and washing facilities onboard the Amtrak sleeper train, again, the same applies.

In the Amtrak Roomette, you have access to a shared shower, but in the Amtrak bedroom you have a shower built into your private toilet / wet room.

The private toilet and shower in the Amtrak Bedroom isn’t exactly very big (it’s definitely a squeeze!) but it’s nice to have a private bathroom (even if it’s tiny).


Amtrak Roomette Vs Amtrak Bedrooms: THE FOOD


The good news for passengers of both the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedrooms, is that everyone gets access to the slightly ‘posher’ dining cart onboard the Amtrak sleeper train.

Everyone in both the Amtrak Roomettes and Amtrak Bedrooms get free onboard food for 3 meals per day, which is a great deal, and takes a lot of the stress of traveling away too.

This was a nice touch actually, as it’s nice not to worry about food, and to get a different menu from the regular food cart.

Here’s the nice dining cabin onboard the Amtrak sleeper train, for Amtrak roomette and Amtrak bedroom passengers.

amtrak dining car

Also, it’s a nice change of scenery during meal times to enjoy the dining car.

It’s nicely decorated (if a little dated) and feels a bit more special than the regular dining cart for the normal carriages/passengers (non-sleepers).

The dining room has plenty of space, and even though our train was fully booked for most of the journey – the dining car always had space available.

amtrak dining car
Amtrak dining car

What about the food quality onboard the Amtrak sleeper train?

Listen, we’ll be honest here, the food on board (even for Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedroom passengers) isn’t going to win any awards for innovation or taste.

We’d closely compare it closely to microwave meals or airplane food.

But, saying that, the food available to the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedroom passengers, compared to the food available in the regular dining car, was a step higher.

Whilst the food wasn’t exactly exciting, the menu on offer has a decent amount of choice, and it was unpleasant to eat. It was always hot too – which is a big bonus.

amtrak dining food photos
Two of the free meals served for Amtrak roomette and Amtrak bedroom passengers.
amtrak breakfast food
A little breakfast meal is provided free onboard Amtrak.

The menu consisted of things like meat and vegetables, pasta dishes, and curries. With side dishes of salad and bread rolls, and desserts like packaged brownies.

We did venture into the regular dining car at one point in our journey because we wanted to compare what was on offer, and the regular dining car is mainly offering fast food options such as burgers, bagels and pizzas.

We tried the pizza (it wasn’t too bad) and then reluctantly tried the burger. In the end, we couldn’t face eating it, it looked so grey and weird. So that gives you a little perspective.

The pizza and (questionable) burger.

The food for the Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedroom passengers always looked edible and always tasted good, and we felt safe eating it.


Amtrak Roomette Vs Amtrak Bedrooms: THE COMFORT

Of the two options, Amtrak Roomette and Amtrak Bedrooms, I’d have to give the upper hand of overall comfort to the Amtrak Bedrooms.

Because the Amtrak bedrooms have more space, and a better seating layout, it just makes for a more comfortable journey (especially if you’re onboard for 10+ hours).

The Amtrak bedrooms are certainly a better choice if you want a comfortable nights sleep onboard the Amtrak sleeper train.

However, if you’re looking for affordable privacy and you’re not too fussed about sleeping (maybe your journey is during the daytime) then the Amtrak Roomettes might be a great choice for you. And it’ll save you a bit of cash too!

We also want to mention here too, that Amtrak offer accessible bedrooms on their trains too (see below for photos). These cabins offer much more space onboard the Amtrak sleeper train.

amtrak sleeper cabin
Even with all our clutter – there was plenty of space!
amtrak roomette photos
Amtrak Roomette looks smaller in comparison.

Which Amtrak sleeper car should you choose?

When deciding whether to pick the Amtrak roomette or the Amtrak bedroom, I think you have to weigh up a few things:

  • Your budget (if you’re looking to pay less, the Amtrak roomette is always going to be cheaper)
  • Your journey duration (for shorter journeys, the Amtrak roomette offers more value!)
  • Your comfort (the Amtrak bedroom offers more comfort and space)
  • Your toilet habits (if you pee a lot – you might want your own bathroom, so the Amtrak bedroom is a better choice)
  • Your baggage (if you have plenty of carry-on baggage, the Amtrak bedroom has plenty more space)

Hopefully these points help give you some clarity on whether to choose the Amtrak roomette or the Amtrak bedroom for your trip.

Personally, we would opt for the Amtrak bedroom for any journeys longer than 8 hours. The flexibility of being able to lounge on the sofa, and the private toilet really do pay off dividends for longer journeys.

Editorial credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Tips for riding on an Amtrak sleeper train…

We thought we’d finish this guide to Amtrak sleeper trains, by giving you some tips to make the journey a little easier.

Tip 1: Take an extra pillow / cushion. It’ll make the journey far more enjoyable and comfortable, especially when it comes time to sleep.

Tip 2: Bring some snacks on the Amtrak sleeper train with you. The snacks were pretty limited, and the food portions weren’t that big, so we’d definitely recommend bringing some extras with you to fill the gaps.

Obviously, you don’t have access to a fridge on the Amtrak sleeper train, so make sure you’re not bringing anything that requires refrigeration!

Tip 3: Bring entertainment (that isn’t reliant on WiFi!). We didn’t have signal or WiFi for our entire journey, so we were so grateful to have a pack of cards and a few other games and magazines with us.

Make sure you have some old-fashioned fun-packed and ready to use!

amtrak sleeper trains

Tip 4: Bring some slippers or slipper socks. If you’re onboard for a long journey, wearing your sneakers or shoes might get a little uncomfortable, so a softer alternative is nice to have when traveling on the Amtrak sleeper train.

Tip 5: Bring a cash tip for the car attendants! They’re so amazing, friendly and helpful, so make sure you’ve got a cash tip ready for the end of your journey.

Tip 6: If you’re in the Amtrak bedroom and you’re planning to use the shower, pack a lightweight travel towel for your trip on the Amtrak sleeper train.

Tip 7: Don’t forget, if you require an accessible cabin, Amtrak has more spacious bedrooms for this very purpose! See the photos below!

Amtrak bedroom accessible cabin
Amtrak accessible bedroom cabin.

Tip 8: Always check which part of the train station platform you need to wait at when boarding!

Amtrak sleeper trains are HUGE, so you want to ensure you’re waiting at the right part of the train because it’ll make boarding much easier.

Editorial credit: Ian Dewar Photography / Shutterstock.com

Tip 9: Prepare for delays (because they will probably happen). That means, bring extra snacks, extra entertainment and all that stuff, just in case.

Read more about traveling on Amtrak: The ultimate guide to traveling on Amtrak trains


Get the Amtrak app

Assuming you have a smart phone, Amtrak trains finally have an app – so take advantage of it, it’s really useful!

It’ll keep you up to date with arrival times, delays, re-routes and anything else important, like schedules.

It’s available on iPhoneAndroid and Windows Phone.


Hopefully this blog posts has helped you decide whether to choose the Amtrak roomette or the Amtrak bedroom for your trip on the Amtrak sleeper train!

Let us know whether you opt for the Amtrak roomette or the Amtrak bedroom, and why!