Passenger Trains > Making Amtrak reservations -- what do I need to ask for?

My physicians have me on the no-fly list, so in early July my girlfriend and I need to go from Deland (FL) to NYP on 98 and return about a month later on 97.  We are both senior citizens, so a single bedroom with an upper bunk is not preferable.  So what do I ask for?  Also, what sort of help (Red Cap) is there at NYP for helping us with our luggage to a cab?

John

The west end of the platforms at New York Penn leads to Moynihan Concourse with elevators and where Red caps are stationed.

I would suggest a standard bedroom. While it does have an upper berth, the lower one is wide enough for a couple if there isn't something to preclude close sleeping. There is an ADA bedroom, but its more expensive. The regular bedroom is still going to cost you over a roomette or coach. 

Be sure to tell them your disabled as it will lower your ticket price. Your best bet would probably be coach seats, If youre wanting a bed, however, and If you both want a lower bunk, you may want to look into getting two adjacent bedrooms. You might be able to fit both of you in one bedroom bed, it would be cramped though. I would avoid a roomette, though, unless you got two of them. The coach seats don't lay flat, but they recline quite a way and they have a foot rest, so they are very comfortable.

Tom Loftus
Omaha, NE

Ask for two adjacent roomettes.

My brother in law is seriously mobility limited, Amtrak has treated him very well.

He and my sister have used both opposite side of the hall roomettes, and the family bedroom traveling from FL to VA.  When traveling on Auto-Train, they ask the reservations person for a combination of "first on / first off" and handicapped lower level bedroom. The reservations team can scan ahead and find days when both conditions are available.

Question for all: are there elevators at the west end of the platforms at NY Penn to bring you up into Moynihan Train Hall?

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Question for all: are there elevators at the west
> end of the platforms at NY Penn to bring you up
> into Moynihan Train Hall?

https://jasongibbs.com/pennstation/
There are wheelchair/handcap symbols in Moynihan. 

CP8888 Wrote:
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> Ask for two adjacent roomettes.

I'd agree - book two adjacent roomettes, you'll both be more comfortable. You can tell Amtrak when booking that you will need "station help" but even when I had mobility issues (thankfully mostly resolved) that often didn't mean much. I typically went to the station agents when arriving at the boarding stations and said what help I needed. Not sure what there is at the DeLand, FL station when boarding there. But when on the train north, just let your sleeper car attendant know what you need either onboard or upon arriving at NYP (e.g. red cap. people mover, etc.). When boarding for return trip from NYP back to Florida, you can go to the the First Class Lounge in Moynihan Train Hall and they will also help you get to/from your train. Same deal - talk to the sleeper attendant onboard and let them know what you'll need help with on and off the train. 

The Silver Meteor operates with Viewliner sleepers, so you will have a lower bunk and upper bunk in all the sleeping types. Again, if looking for just to sleep in the lower bunk, I'd strongly suggest two side-by-side roomettes. The handicap sleeper is not bad and offers a little more "assist" to get to the second bunk with ladder. But if up and down a lot at night (for bathroom), you'll need to navigate the stairs to/from upper bunk. There is more "room" in the handicap sleeper out of all the Viewliner sleeper room types. The lower bed in a "bedroom" (formerly deluxe room) can be tight for two people in the lower bunk. It's been done, but someone still has to "move" out of the way so you can go to the bathroom at night. With the roomettes, lower bunk, and either the bathroom is right there on lower level next to bed or at the end of the hall (for Viewliner II Sleeper).

Consider a higher number roomette 9 or 10 if you want to be closer to the communal bathroom or shower on the Viewliner Sleeper. The agent can move your room numbers from what's assigned by the booking system. Viewliner I roomettes have in-room bathrooms. Viewliner II roomettes - communal bathroom at end of the train. You won't know if you have a Viewliner I sleeper or Viewliner II sleeper....... 

Thank you all very much for your help.  Lest you think I am disabled, I can do everything that most octogenarians would do except fly, mow the lawn, and lift more than a few pounds.  It is also no secret that last June and July, I spent considerable time in Boston area medical institutions, returning to FL 13-14 July on 161 and 97.  We had a bedroom and my adult Son had the upper bunk.  He also had Red Caps helping us at Boston and NYP (and they were very good, too, as well as crew on 97).  If you are interested in why the cardiologists are putting the no-fly rule on me, one explanation can be found at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2020.100746 (open access medical journal article).

I am leaning to the Bedroom suite (ins't that what they used to call a double bedroom)  instead of single bedroom as my girlfriend and I  will have extra luggage as we will be away for some time.  My girlfriend also has a FL disability parking tag, so that should get us any disabled.  I am not worried about the luggage here in Deland as the sleepers are put right in front of the station.  I do need Red Cap service from the platform at NYP to the cab line.  The same would be true for the return trip with Red Cap help need from the getting out of the cab at NYP until we got on the train.

John

The bedroom suite is actually two bedrooms with the connecting door open. It is the most comfortable way for a couple to travel on Amtrak with the downside of cost and availability. Each Viewliner sleeper has two conventional bedrooms that can be set up as the suite. That limits the availability to two or three suites per train. Since you must have Bedrooms A and B in the same car, you should call to set this up. Also, brace yourself for the cost. It is literally the highest-priced accommodation times two.

Get  2  roomettes  or  a  bedroom. Also  maybe  you  qualify  for  accessible  room!!  Comfy.
 Red  caps  New  York  yes.

Consider getting two roomettes across the hall from each other. Probably more cost effective than the bedrooms, and you can use the upper bunk for luggage storage. Has worked well for us in the past.

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> My brother in law is seriously mobility limited,
> Amtrak has treated him very well.
>
> He and my sister have used both opposite side of
> the hall roomettes, and the family bedroom
> traveling from FL to VA.  When traveling on
> Auto-Train, they ask the reservations person for a
> combination of "first on / first off" and
> handicapped lower level bedroom. The reservations
> team can scan ahead and find days when both
> conditions are available.
>
> Question for all: are there elevators at the west
> end of the platforms at NY Penn to bring you up
> into Moynihan Train Hall?

And here I thought boarding and disembarking mobility limited patrons first was done for the convenience of Amtrak..didn't know you had to ask for it. 

irhoghead Wrote:
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> Consider getting two roomettes across the hall
> from each other. Probably more cost effective than
> the bedrooms, and you can use the upper bunk for
> luggage storage. Has worked well for us in the
> past.

Agreed. A bedroom suite - which is really two bedrooms if that can even be found and booked (cause two bedrooms adjoining are going to be tough with the limited capacity of those offered on Viewliner Sleepers) is going to be around $3,600 total just for one way trip. I just looked at a random reservation for DeLand to NYP for April. Two roomettes were a total of $1,800 one way (half the cost). The roomette you can pull the upper bunk down and put the luggage there and then push the bunk back up. A bit more difficult to do with how the upper bunk works in the bedroom of a Viewliner. If booking just one bedroom, and you plan to both sleep on the lower level bed, it's a tight squeeze, in my opinion, and I think finding luggage space is going to be difficult. But I know you did this trip before with your son, so perhaps you have a better gauge on your "space situation." I find the Viewliner Sleepers seem a bit smaller than the Superliner bedroom. I am sure some additional research will get things to work out!