Sarah MeiVerified account

do you have a sleeper car? if so, how many people? bring tips for your car attendant! bring a little extension cord if you foresee needing to charge a MBP. consider bringing sheet masks (lol) because your skin can feel gross after a day or so!

Yes, sleeper car, three people across two superliner roomettes (booked mostly for the name) which theoretically sleep 2 each. Tips are a great idea and not something I would have thought about!

Also there will definitely be sheet masks

I’ve done that trip. It’s great! Embrace the dining car conversations with strangers. Drink plenty of water. Pack healthy snacks. Use the observation car as much as possible. And don’t expect to get all that much sleep (I averaged 6 hours).

bring: a thermos for coffee in the morning, earplugs, your own pillowcase (amtrak linens are perfectly fine, i just like my fancy pillowcase). there is no internet but att works a lot of the time, plan to tether. there is one power outlet. 1/2

pack a small bag with just what you need for the train and put everything else in another suitcase--there is almost no room for luggage in your room, but a rack on the lower level. source: couple dozen cross-country trips on amtrak sleepers :)

I think it's worthwhile getting a sleeper. Assuming that: take a separate small suitcase with essentials, and stash the big one downstairs. the bottom bunk works way better than the top one (unless you're looking for a new, not necessarily comfortable, experience).

There probably is wifi, but it's slow enough that you can ignore it. If you're used to European sleepers: this is worse. It's a bit of "I accept discomfort for the principal of the thing" experience.

The porters / sleeping car attendants are generally nice and interesting. Pretty much all the Amtrak employees are.