AmtrakAmtrak Tips

Amtrak Sleeper Cars: Which Trains Have Them and How To Choose

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Amtrak sleeper cars contain showers, toilets, and private rooms with beds. They are found on overnight trains and are separate from the coach seats. Not only are you able to sleep in a bed, you’ve got a private room to store your belongings, and you’ll get your meals included. The Amtrak sleeper car is the most comfortable way to ride a train in the USA.

Amtrak Viewliner Vs. Superliner Trains

There are 2 types of Amtrak sleeper cars in the Amtrak system. They are the Viewliner and the Superliner. The key differences are that the Viewliner cars are only 1 level while the Superliners are 2 levels. Viewliner cars operate on the east coast and Superliner cars are usually found everywhere else. When reserving your train it will state which type of train it is. Viewliners are shorter in height overall and can therefore navigate tight spaces on the east coast.

There are some differences to the rooms on these trains also. Superliner roomettes do not have a bathroom in the room, but Viewliner roomettes do include a bathroom.

The differences are minimal though other than that, so don’t let the type of train determine your route. Choose your train based on where you want to visit.

Amtrak Superliner Roomette
Amtrak Superliner Roomette

Amtrak Sleeper Car Room Types

Roomette

On Amtrak, the roomette consists of 2 comfortable seats that face each other during the day, and then at night the room is transformed into an upper and lower bunk bed style sleeper accommodation. You will have a dedicated Sleeper Car attendant to help with your room and meals. Metropolitan Lounge access and meals are also included with your roomette.

Viewliner Roomettes will be slightly taller and have a toilet in the room, but the Superliner Roomette will not have a toilet. Both roomettes have access to a shower in the car, but not in the room.

The average roomette is 23 square feet.

Bedroom

Amtrak bedrooms are twice the size of a roomette and during the day have a sofa and chair. At night you will still have an upper and lower berth like in a roomette. The main advantage to the bedroom vs. a roomette is the in room shower, sink and toilet.

You will have a dedicated Sleeper Car attendant and your meals and Metropolitan Lounge access will be included.

The average bedroom is 48 square feet.

Bedroom Suite

The Amtrak Bedroom Suite consists of two adjoining bedroom units made into one unit. This will be twice as big as the bedroom and have two of everything.

The average bedroom suite is 96 square feet.

Family Bedroom

The Amtrak Family Bedroom runs the entire width of a sleeper car and has room to sleep 2 adults and 2 children. During the day the room is made up into two sofas and at night it features two upper and two lower berths for sleeping. There is not a private bathroom in the bedroom, but you’ll have access to a shower and bathroom in your car. As with other accommodations, you will have a dedicated Sleeper Car attendant. Meals and Metropolitan Lounge access are included.

The average Amtrak Family Bedroom is 49 square feet.

Accessible Bedroom

Accessible Bedrooms on Amtrak are always on the lower level of the train and are big enough for a wheelchair. There is a ramp that your dedicated Sleeper Car attendant will use to help you get on and off the train. During the day these rooms have a sofa that sits two people, and at night it turns into an upper and lower berth bed. Your room will have an accessible sink and toilet. The shower is not in your room, but is in your car. Meals and Metropolitan Lounge access are included.

The average Amtrak Accessible Bedroom is 54 square feet.

Viewliner Trains With Sleeper Cars

Cardinal

The Cardinal route runs between New York City and Chicago

  • Viewliner Roomette
  • Viewliner Bedroom
  • Viewliner Bedroom Suite
  • Viewliner Accessible Bedroom

Crescent

The Crescent route runs between New York City and New Orleans.

  • Viewliner Roomette
  • Viewliner Bedroom
  • Viewliner Bedroom Suite
  • Viewliner Accessible Bedroom

Lake Shore Limited

The Lake Shore Limited route runs between Chicago and Boston or New York City.

  • Viewliner Roomette
  • Viewliner Bedroom
  • Viewliner Bedroom Suite
  • Viewliner Accessible Bedroom

Palmetto

The Palmetto route runs between New York City and Savannah.

  • Viewliner Roomette
  • Viewliner Bedroom
  • Viewliner Bedroom Suite
  • Viewliner Accessible Bedroom

Silver Meteor

The Silver Meteor route runs between New York City and Miami.

  • Viewliner Roomette
  • Viewliner Bedroom
  • Viewliner Bedroom Suite
  • Viewliner Accessible Bedroom

Silver Star

The Silver Star route runs between New York City and Miami.

  • Viewliner Roomette
  • Viewliner Bedroom
  • Viewliner Bedroom Suite
  • Viewliner Accessible Bedroom

Superliner Trains With Sleeper Cars

Auto Train

The Auto Train route runs from Lorton, Virginia to Sanford, Florida.

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

California Zephyr

The California Zephyr route runs from Emeryville, California to Chicago.

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

Capitol Limited

The Capitol Limited route runs from Chicago to Washington D.C.

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

City of New Orleans

The City of New Orleans route runs from Chicago to New Orleans.

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

Coast Starlight

The Coast Starlight route runs from Los Angeles to Seattle.

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

Empire Builder

The Empire Builder route runs from Seattle or Portland to Chicago.

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

Southwest Chief

The Southwest Chief route runs from Los Angeles to Chicago

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

Sunset Limited

The Sunset Limited route runs from Los Angeles to New Orleans.

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

Texas Eagle

The Texas Eagle route runs from Los Angeles to Chicago.

  • Superliner Roomette
  • Superliner Bedroom
  • Superliner Bedroom Suite
  • Superliner Family Bedroom
  • Superliner Accessible Bedroom

To book a room in one of the Amtrak sleeper cars you can visit Amtrak.com.

Robert Marmion
Rob is married to Allie and together they have been traveling the world for the past 5 years. Rob is one of the most published photographers in the world, having published over 1 million images in the last 20 years. He enjoys doing landscape and astrophotography while on the road.