I took a 30-hour Amtrak train traveling from New York City to Miami in October 2021.
I booked a $500 roomette, a private cabin with two beds, a toilet, and basic amenities.
At around 20 square feet, I thought my cabin made impressive use of a tiny space.
I'll never forget my first train cabin. Before I'd spent 140 hours on overnight trains in the US and Europe, I had no idea what to expect of my 30-hour journey from New York City to Miami in October 2021.
For my first overnight Amtrak trip, I was set on having a bed in a private space. So I spent $500 on a roomette accommodation — the cheapest private cabin I could find.
The 22.75-square-foot cabin contained two beds, a toilet, and basic amenities. Thanks to clever storage hacks, it felt like a tiny hotel room with no unused space.
Inside the enclosed space with a sliding door, I found two seats, a table, and a bed above the seats that pulled down. The seats also pulled out into a bed.
I thought this was a big step up from sitting in coach, where you get one train seat and sit with other passengers.
I was surprised by the roomette's variety of lighting options, which seemed to be more than what I'd get in economy on a flight.
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I was also surprised to be able to control the temperature inside my roomette with a dial and air conditioning vents. I kept it cool, about 66 degrees Fahrenheit.
My ticket came with dinner, which I ate in the dining car.
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For dinner, I had braised short ribs, mashed potatoes, and a hard roll. While I didn't love the meal as it came, I made a little sandwich out of the ingredients, which tasted better to me.
After dinner, I was ready to rest for the night. The roomette seats folded into a bed on the bottom level, and another bed came down from the ceiling.
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I decided to try sleeping on the top bed. I thought the available blankets wrapped in plastic were surprisingly soft and comfortable.
While I found the train movement through the night a little unsettling, I appreciated the dim, blue light on the wall next to me. It was my favorite feature of the roomette because it reminded me of my colorful night light at home.
Even though I didn't sleep my best, I'm glad I went with the top bunk because of the blue light and the views I had in the morning.
The author lays in the top bunk of a roomette on an Amtrak train.
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Looking out the window reminded me I was going somewhere exciting, and I thought it was a welcome distraction from the tight quarters.
Though the roomette started to feel small as I neared the full 30 hours in it, I thought it made impressive use of roughly 20 square feet.
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After 30 hours in a roomette, I would book the accommodation again. But for those looking for more room to stretch out, I recommend the Amtrak bedroom.
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