I spent $1,000 to have a room to myself on a 30-hour Amtrak ride. It was the best experience I've had on an overnight train in the US.

Joey HaddenAug 14, 2024, 23:33 IST

The author relaxes in an Amtrak bedroom traveling from Miami to NYC.Joey Hadden/Insider<ul class="summary-list"><li>I spent 30 hours on an Amtrak train traveling from Miami to New York City in October 2021.</li><li>For $1,000, I stayed in a bedroom, which is about the size of a king-sized bed with a full bathroom.</li></ul>I prefer to travel by train when I can — even if it means taking an overnight ride.In addition to being <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-travel-more-sustainably-practices-tips-2023-4#when-it-comes-to-transportation-experts-told-me-that-traveling-by-train-was-more-sustainable-than-flying-i-also-think-its-often-a-better-experience-6">more sustainable</a> than driving or flying, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-shouldnt-book-seat-shared-room-overnight-sleeper-train-2023-8">traveling by train</a> has given me unparalleled views of the world, with landscapes changing every second. And being stuck on a train for long periods forces me to sit back and do nothing, which I don't often prioritize in my daily life.It all started in October 2021, when I took two 30-hour <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-amtrak-business-class-train-ride-not-worth-price-2023-9">Amtrak rides</a> between Miami and NYC. I spent my ride to Miami in a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/30-hour-amtrak-train-new-york-city-miami-ride-tips-2021-10">roomette accommodation</a> and booked a bedroom for the way home.Then, in 2022 and 2023, I took two <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/train-travel-europe-vs-usa-amtrak-nightjet-intercity-trenitalia-2022-12" rel>train trips in Europe</a>, where I spent a total of 65 hours on four overnight trains traveling between Berlin, Vienna, Paris, and Venice on Austrian Federal Railway's OBB <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/europe-overnight-sleeper-trains-surprising-things-photos-2023-2" rel="nofollow sponsored">Nightjet</a> trains with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/overnight-sleeper-europe-train-shared-cabin-photos-review-2022-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sleeper cabins</a> and the luxurious <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/orient-express-luxury-sleeper-train-tour-venice-simplon-photos-2024-1">Venice Simplon-Orient-Express</a>.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/surprises-luxury-overnight-train-venice-simplon-orient-express-2024-2">My luxury overnight ride</a> was obviously the most comfortable, as it cost $8,000 more than any other sleeper train I've taken. But of all the other rides, the best accommodation by far was Amtrak's bedroom back in 2021.

I booked a $1,000 Amtrak bedroom accommodation for my 30-hour trip from Miami to NYC in 2021.

The author sits in a bedroom on a train from Miami to NYC.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

While the ride home was bumpy and long, the roomy bedroom made me feel at ease, and three years later, I'm still thinking about it.

The author sits on a train from Miami to NYC.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

My journey began at the Amtrak station in Miami.

A view of a line to board an 11:50 a.m. train from Miami to New York.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Once on the train, I found my bedroom, which had a sofa that folded out into a bed, a bed that pulled down from the ceiling, and a chair that folded up out of the way.

A view of the author's Amtrak bedroom accommodation.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The bedroom had a table that pulled out from the wall between two of the three seats.

A table holds the author's laptop.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

To the left of the chair in my room was a sink underneath a mirror with a handful of small towels next to it.

A view of the bathroom vanity in the bedroom.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

To the right of the mirror was a cabinet where I could store my toiletries and other personal items.

Views of a cabinet opened and closed.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Next to the seating area was a small closet with three hangers for clothing you'd want to keep looking sharp.

Views of a closet opened and closed.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

There was also a private bathroom inside the bedroom that had a door, shower, and toilet.

The bathroom door, left, led to a room with a toilet and shower, right.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I appreciated that the toilet was separated from the rest of the room by a door, and I think this is a great amenity if you're traveling with others.

The author poses on top of the toilet.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Other bedroom features included temperature controls and a button to call an attendant.

A view of some controls in the bedroom.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I could also adjust the volume of the overhead speaker, through which train stops were announced, which I found particularly helpful.

A view of some controls in the bedroom.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The best thing the bedroom offered was space. I had room to stand up, stretch, and dance. This made my ride much more enjoyable.

The author uses the free space in the bedroom to dance.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

It was also nice to have a big sofa where I could stretch out and put my feet up.

The author's belongings are spread around the room.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

During the day, I spent a lot of time working on my laptop, which made the time pass by quickly.

The author works on the train.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

But when the workday was done, I had to find other ways to pass the time.

The author smiles as her workday ends.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Exhausted from my travels, I spent much of the evening reclining on the seats and gazing out the window.

A view out of the window somewhere between Florida and Delaware.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When it was time for dinner, I headed to the dining car and got some braised beef short ribs and mashed potatoes.

The author smiles with her dinner.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Before bed, I brushed my teeth and washed my face in front of the sink.

The author takes a selfie showing off her clean teeth and the vanity.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

At about 8 p.m., an attendant came to my room to transform the sofa into a bed.

An aerial view of the sofa bed.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Since I had trouble sleeping on the top bunk on the way to Miami, I opted for the bottom bunk on this journey.

The author lies in bed with the curtains drawn in the evening.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Had I slept in the bed that comes down from the ceiling, I would have had control of the air conditioning and lights, as well as a place to put my phone nearby.

A view of the controls and storage space in the top bunk.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Since there were outlets next to the sink, I propped my phone up there so I could watch TV from bed.

The author's bedtime setup.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

By the time I sat in my bed at about 8:30 p.m., I realized my body was already aching for sleep.

The author yawns on the bed.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

So I decided to lie down and watch "The Office" until I drifted off to sleep.

The author rests in bed before falling asleep.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I woke up the next morning around 8 a.m. in North Carolina to the sun beaming.

The author squints at the sun when she gets up in the morning.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I had planned on taking a shower, but after looking down at the floor, I wished I had brought sandals and decided to skip my shower.

The shower floor.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Instead, I washed my face in front of the sink and put on a lot of deodorant.

The author shows off her clean face and travel-sized deodorant.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

While I was washing my face, I noticed how nice it was to have three mirrors next to one another.

The author washes her face in front of the vanity.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Breakfast and lunch were also included in my ticket on my final day of travel, and I thought they were pretty tasty.

The author's breakfast, left, and lunch during her final day of travel.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Of all the meals I had, I found the continental breakfast to be the most filling and satisfying.

The author's breakfast of oatmeal and a sandwich.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I loved having my bed down throughout the day because it allowed me to relax and rest a bit more.

The author passes the time in bed.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When we were about three hours from New York, my attendant transformed the bed back into seats, and these final hours on the train felt like the longest of the whole trip.

The author passes the time on the sofa during the final hours of her trip.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When we were about three hours from New York, my attendant transformed the bed back into seats, and these final hours on the train felt like the longest of the whole trip.

Spending 30 hours on a train certainly isn't paradise, but booking a bedroom made it feel a little shorter to me. So I'll be stretching my funds to book it again the next time I want to bop around the country.

The author takes a selfie during a stop at Union Station in Washington, DC.Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Spending 30 hours on a train certainly isn't paradise, but booking a bedroom made it feel a little shorter to me. So I'll be stretching my funds to book it again the next time I want to bop around the country.

My teens won't go to the Disney parks with me anymore. With a few compromises, we make everyone happy — and I save money.

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I spent $1,000 to have a room to myself on a 30-hour Amtrak ride. It was the best experience I've had on an overnight train in the US.

I booked a $1,000 Amtrak bedroom accommodation for my 30-hour trip from Miami to NYC in 2021.

While the ride home was bumpy and long, the roomy bedroom made me feel at ease, and three years later, I'm still thinking about it.

My journey began at the Amtrak station in Miami.

Once on the train, I found my bedroom, which had a sofa that folded out into a bed, a bed that pulled down from the ceiling, and a chair that folded up out of the way.

The bedroom had a table that pulled out from the wall between two of the three seats.

To the left of the chair in my room was a sink underneath a mirror with a handful of small towels next to it.

To the right of the mirror was a cabinet where I could store my toiletries and other personal items.

Next to the seating area was a small closet with three hangers for clothing you'd want to keep looking sharp.

There was also a private bathroom inside the bedroom that had a door, shower, and toilet.

I appreciated that the toilet was separated from the rest of the room by a door, and I think this is a great amenity if you're traveling with others.

Other bedroom features included temperature controls and a button to call an attendant.

I could also adjust the volume of the overhead speaker, through which train stops were announced, which I found particularly helpful.

The best thing the bedroom offered was space. I had room to stand up, stretch, and dance. This made my ride much more enjoyable.

It was also nice to have a big sofa where I could stretch out and put my feet up.

During the day, I spent a lot of time working on my laptop, which made the time pass by quickly.

But when the workday was done, I had to find other ways to pass the time.

Exhausted from my travels, I spent much of the evening reclining on the seats and gazing out the window.

When it was time for dinner, I headed to the dining car and got some braised beef short ribs and mashed potatoes.

Before bed, I brushed my teeth and washed my face in front of the sink.

At about 8 p.m., an attendant came to my room to transform the sofa into a bed.

Since I had trouble sleeping on the top bunk on the way to Miami, I opted for the bottom bunk on this journey.

Had I slept in the bed that comes down from the ceiling, I would have had control of the air conditioning and lights, as well as a place to put my phone nearby.

Since there were outlets next to the sink, I propped my phone up there so I could watch TV from bed.

By the time I sat in my bed at about 8:30 p.m., I realized my body was already aching for sleep.

So I decided to lie down and watch "The Office" until I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up the next morning around 8 a.m. in North Carolina to the sun beaming.

I had planned on taking a shower, but after looking down at the floor, I wished I had brought sandals and decided to skip my shower.

Instead, I washed my face in front of the sink and put on a lot of deodorant.

While I was washing my face, I noticed how nice it was to have three mirrors next to one another.

Breakfast and lunch were also included in my ticket on my final day of travel, and I thought they were pretty tasty.

Of all the meals I had, I found the continental breakfast to be the most filling and satisfying.

I loved having my bed down throughout the day because it allowed me to relax and rest a bit more.

When we were about three hours from New York, my attendant transformed the bed back into seats, and these final hours on the train felt like the longest of the whole trip.

Spending 30 hours on a train certainly isn't paradise, but booking a bedroom made it feel a little shorter to me. So I'll be stretching my funds to book it again the next time I want to bop around the country.