We Booked The Most Claustrophobic Sleeper Car Room On A Train

[@CoryMatthew87]

One quick comment on Amtrak Roomette's... the viewliners feel much different than a superliner. We can sit up just fine in a V1 or V2 as headroom is noticeably bigger. Superliners, not so much. That all said, IMO, roomette's are best for 1 person. When we travel out west and don't feel like spending so much on a bedroom, we book two roomette's across from each other (by calling in). Its several hundred dollars cheaper than the price of 1 bedroom. In the day time we sit together but then at night we each enjoy our own bottom bunk with the top bunk used for storage. It works perfectly that way!

[@karenogush5622]

Yes, my husband and I have done the same thing too when traveling overnight on a superliner. Neither one of us wants to climb up and down ladders anymore to get up in the middle of the night to pee. Plus, we are able to store our luggage on the top bunks, as well as switch sides during the day to view scenery on the other side of the train (or when the sun starts glaring through the windows late in the day).

[@sweetkitty3249]

Looking at that room gives me the creeps. I could feel my stress level going up just watching the tour.

[@tamaracheeseman183]

Thank you. A superliner roommette will feel spacious after that!

[@nikoleoliver4503]

All I can say is wow!

[@JoanieTom]

Omg thank you for this. I am do claustrophobic too!!

[@MegaChocolatetruffle]

I don't have claustrophobia but even so, that video made me a bit tense.😮

[@laurensl2323]

I thought I would have a claustrophobia attack just watching the video.

[@YevetteGooden]

Thank you for addressing the issue of claustrophobia. I haven’t flown in years and thanks to you train travel has become very appealing.

[@im1who84u]

I have flown all over the world and am retired from a career working for the airlines. In my retirement I can fly for free for as long as I live. I pay to take the train whenever possible. It's a much better experiance.

[@hellototheworld]

Looking forward to seeing the deluxe upgrade

[@Niteskate1]

Wow, yes that small room would get me nervous. That room makes the Cabin for One on the Via Rail Canadian look like a mansion.

[@barendnu]

Great video! I already heard that these double-decker Nightjet trains are very _un_loved by both staff and users, due to the limited space. Luckily, only 2 nightjet routes use these double deck sleeping-cars, namely Zurich-Vienna and Zurich-Hamburg. All other routes use single-deck stock, which is much less claustrophobic. Thanks for the video!

[@GerreBrenneman]

Love you guys and your fantastic videos. I think you should have a contest and the winner gets to take a trip with you!

[@markknister6272]

I was squirming just watching you walk down the hall! Then inside!😵‍💫👀

[@rallegra]

Glad you can laugh about it afterwards. What a ridiculous set up on that train! Years ago we took a train through Austria to Vienna during the day. It had the old time compartments where the benches could slide together to make one big bed (as long as no strangers were in there, or maybe they’d be ok with it??). We didn’t need to do that since it was during the day. Such a comfortable compartment. We lucked out since no one else came there the whole way.

[@user-Jamie218]

the window being lower and bigger where you can look out and see something would make a huge difference, this is like Munger hall where he designed dorms without windows so people would be uncomfortable in their rooms

[@barbaralienhard3490]

Thanks for showing and explaining this for us. My husband thought the Roomette was small, he'd have been upset with that room and he's a skinny guy!!

[@sunnie2474]

We've done Amtrak on the east coast, and the Empire Builder out west. This Summer The Canadian on Via rail! Will think about train travel when we get to Europe again. This was quite interesting!!!!!

[@shortythenut1]

That is nuts! I am 4ft 10 and I'd be feeling squished!

[@jeff_aurand]

It was like Tetris in the sense that when you completed a row your things would vanish? 😊

[@tincanboat]

Oh my gosh, I was getting an attack just watching the vid..I couldn't go in the room by myself .

[@margaretmathis4775]

It’s an airplane lavatory…..on wheels, LOL!

[@robertlubel734]

the Slumber Coach cars had the smallest rooms i thought on Amtrak. these rooms are smaller than the roomette on the superliners. Yes the slumber coaches were not considered first class....they were comfortable

[@doubledee9675]

We've travelled in Europe on the restored Orient Express, and had just about enough space. What surprised us was that we did not have our own toilet or shower. We had to walk to the end of the carriage, where the facilities were shared. On the Indian Pacific, which we caught twice from Adelaide to Sydney, we had the usual upper and lower bunks and our own small bathroom. That had a shower and a wc folded down from the wall.

[@IsaacNYC212]

“Two for me!” 🤣🤣🤣🤣❤️❤️❤️

[@AlistairKiwi]

That was a "no way" room for me. I'd rather get an upgraded sleeper chair for a 12 hour journey. It takes me 14 hours to fly where I live in California back to NZ!

[@creamcitysista1970]

Yikes! That looks like a very small dorm room!

[@davidroddini1512]

Man, I’d hate to see what the triple room looks like! 😳

[@sm6allegro]

In the double-deckers it's actually a 4-bed compartment where only 3 of them are sold (they figured it was too cramped for 4).

[@mikereddy-x9f]

OMG, this is the most cramped accommodation I have ever seen. It seems to be a room from hell.

[@SuzetteKath]

I would have gone for that upper bunk. I agree with on how claustrophobic that space is on the lower one. In my case, I don't toss and turn. I would have asked if the beds could be made a couple of inches farther apart.

[@timbacchus]

That room looks like you are in the tail of an airliner. I have seen hotel rooms in Japan that are about that size.

[@StarFighters76]

Now I've never done the sleeper yet (one day I will), but from the videos I have seen of it, I do agree about the claustraphobia kicking in on the top bunk. With me being a a big person myself, I would definitely feel very much uneasy being up there. But not only that, I'd be afraid of falling over. Sure there are safety nets and such, but I'd still have that fear. As for the bottom bunk, I'd say it's still small. But the reason why it's not so bad, is because you have the window and the easier access to the door right there. This is what makes that feel a lot bigger and more relaxing to sleep on. My understanding is that you don't always have that luxury up top, which is what makes it worse.

[@OffRampAdventures]

Not sure claustrophobic is a big enough word for your room! 😆 That was tiny!

[@MzBettyK]

I didn’t like your discomfort at all. I’m glad you managed pretty well. Bless you.

[@patrickcatpop]

PHEW! I think I would definitely feel claustrophobic in that room, even by myself! And I like Amtrak roomettes. Thanks for a great video!

[@andreablack4573]

I guess there must be different types of nightjet. I caught the nightjet from Berlin to Vienna which I think is your train in September. It was only on one level and there was heaps of room. It was the standard room too. No bathroom.

[@whatever_it_takes6691]

Thank you for your advices

[@grumpyoldstudios]

Silly question but why did you not make the bed the other way around so your feet were in the cubby and your head out more in the open?

[@peteklein630]

I now consider myself warned...!

[@lynnevandewalle3829]

I’m echoing other’s comments. Hallway looks dangerous. It stressed me out just to watch this!! I don’t know how you did that! Yikes!! 😢

[@sandrablomberg3687]

Hell-0🐱I am wondering ,due to the narrowness of the hallway, if it is safe for rapid exiting in an emergency ? Did you film the deluxe room also? Thank you for your pleasant and informative videos. Take Care, Stay Safe And Healthy 🐱🖖✌️☮️

[@dorym8045]

“Two for me”. 😂😂.

[@byrons8956]

I haven’t had a split-level type cabin before, very odd layout.

[@randall8379]

What a nightmare! I saw this on another video. Super claustrophobic! Does Mrs have any anxiety about locks that may get stuck? Imagine being in that coffin and the door wouldn't open! I agree that the Amtrak Roomette is OK for ONE person but I couldn't share it. Roomettes designed by Budd and Pullman were always for ONE person. Amtrak's Superliner changed that by adding an upper berth. Another question: what was the temp? I think your idea of cool is over 70F. For me that is the maximum I can take. I'd like it around 68F. Amtrak Superliners are usually around 75-76F which I find very uncomfortable. I'm eager to see what the deluxe room is like.

[@makeyourlifeeasier5794]

Looks like you had great practice for staying in a Capsule Hotel in Japan!😂 Good video guys!

[@johnkolassa1645]

Did you have the option to check some bags? Would the lower bunk have been less claustrophobic if your head was at the end not enclosed by the wall?

[@coryphillips8526]

Hello guys. Happy belated Thanksgiving. I think that Amtrak's Slumbercoach double room from back in the 1990s was better than the room you were in. It had 2 chairs which opens to a bed, top bunk folds down, a sink & toilet in the room. That's it. No showers. Meals were not included. That was the coach part of it.

[@randall8379]

Were the slumbercoaches/sleepercoaches around in the 1990s? I think not.

[@coryphillips8526]

@randall8379 I rode in it on the Broadway Limited in 1993 and 1994. Outside of that, I can't say anything else.

[@randall8379]

@@coryphillips8526 I didn't know they had the sleepercoaches that late. Are you sure you weren't in a Roomette built by Budd or Pullman in the 1940s or 1950s? They had one berth and a toilet / sink. Toilet was covered by the bed at night. Box on the wall for your shoes (polished at night). You might be right, I was not in the US in 1993 or 1994 but in the 1960s and just up to Amtrak in 1971 I rode the sleepercoaches many times.

[@DocBenson]

I recall slumbercoaches in the mid 80s for sure, so it is possible they may have survived longer on some routes.

[@coryphillips8526]

@@randall8379 I'm positive. That was my first time riding Amtrak. They upgraded us from regular coach to slumbercoach.

[@lizcademy4809]

If this was an upper room, I wonder about the headroom in the lower room! I'd be fine in either, I'm a claustrophile. I find MRI tunnels so relaxing I almost fall asleep in them. I'm also small and flexible so I can wiggle out of almost anything I can get into.

[@zeldamoore8371]

Wow! Wonder if there is a warning about people size limits before booking. Some just would not fit at all. I think sleeping in a coffin would be similar 😂

[@elizaC3024]

Yep OBB, believe it or not, we had worse. Ours was a 1940's looking train car, bunkette.

[@mholtebeck]

Did you guys check out the single? I'd be curious what that is like.

[@BruceM8]

It was a good video and interesting to learn of your experience. But you were more than 11 minutes into the video before you told us where you were! That whole time, it was all I could think about it. Something to remember next time... 😉

[@kovie9162]

Having taken a train between both cities in the opposite direction, if you or anyone else reading this ever decides to travel this route, I'd highly suggest doing it during the day if you can manage it. Not only will you save money on the room and avoid staying in such cramped conditions, but you'll be able to enjoy the spectacular scenery along the way. In fact first time trips in Europe should ideally be during the day, especially in mountainous regions, because the views are so incredible. Plus you get to eat in the dining cars while enjoying them (they still have those in Europe, don't they?). And, I've actually stayed in even tighter accommodations on a train, by myself, in Amtrak's now long since retired Slumbercoach "rooms", which were actually more like lie-flat business class seats than actual private rooms, with interleaved seats to allow them to recline flat, except in a vertical instead of horizontal arrangement, and curtains instead of walls and doors. It was an interesting experience but I wouldn't have wanted to repeat it, although I do recall that it was a lot cheaper than a private room. I remember sitting next to an older gentleman who told me about how he used to travel overnight by train regularly back when train travel was much more popular for long distances.

[@randall8379]

I disagree that the Sleeprecoaches (or Slumbercoaches on some lines) are more claustrophobic. I rode these dozens of times in the 60s and up to Amtrak. Never shared but always in a room with one berth and its own sink/.toilet. The bed was narrower but the toilet was accessible at night and you had a window next to the bed. adequate storage space. None, and I mean, NONE of the claustrophobia seen in the video here. Maybe the shared Sleepercoach room was claustrophobic. I don't know but the single one was just fine - and I am CLAUStROPHOBIC! Incidentally, the cost was an additional $7 from New York to Chicago.

[@kovie9162]

@@randall8379 Perhaps I had a different sort of accommodation but I recall it being small but acceptable for one person for one night, but not something I'd want to be in much beyond that. I'm fairly certain that compartments were staggered vertically which is why they seemed so small. It just felt odd and quaint. And that was the route I took it on, NY-Chicago. It was the first day and night of a r/t cross-country trip where I later tried all of Amtrak's other rooms other than the family one (and based on what I've heard about it am glad that I didn't). Obviously the bedroom was the best one, no questions there.

[@kovie9162]

@@randall8379 So I did some googling, and I was right, they were vertically staggered to allow the narrow rooms to accommodate a flat bed. I probably had a single room which based on the few images I could find were quite small, much of them taken by the sink and toilet (the latter something I've always found kind of weird if inside the room and not in an enclosed interior bathroom as in Amtrak bedrooms). But it looks like they did have external doors, not curtains. Ok for an overnight but not longer.

[@randall8379]

@@kovie9162 You're probably right. I thought the sleepercoaches had been withdrawn by then. Were you in a single room? I rode them many times and thought they were comfortable and not claustrophobic. In fact I much prefer them to Superliner Roomettes which have no toilet or sink. The Superliner Bedroom is very good for one but the upper berth is a bit claustrophobic.

[@randall8379]

@@kovie9162 They had solid doors, no curtains (Amtrak's never quite close fully in my experience. The velcro is worn out) and yes, they were staggered. The bed was much narrower but comfortable. If there are two in the compartment the toilet is an issue but I would much rather have it for one than trudge down the hall in the middle of the night! It was also very inexpensive -- a mere $7 over coach fare.

[@sherrysnyder3600]

I couldn’t even watch this because of how small the room is.

[@Cruisingonabudget]

Thanks for the video! Question, is there a website that shows how often Amtrak cancels or seriously delays? Looking to take a 26 hour Amtrak train and worried I'll miss my ship 😂😂

[@catrinlewis939]

In my experience, Amtrak delays tend to be due to the weather. I've experienced stoppages as long as an hour and a half on a 9-hour trip, due to heavy snow or switching equipment being out due to high winds and ice. If you travel in the warmer months, you should be okay. Regardless, make sure you book your train to arrive in the port city the day before you sail. It's just good policy, however you get there.

[@Cruisingonabudget]

@@catrinlewis939 tyvm

[@im1who84u]

No matter how you travel to take a cruise, you should ALWAYS plan on arriving one day early and pay for a hotel. Much less stressful that way. This advice is coming from a guy that worked for a major airline for twenty years and has traveled all over the world. This is good advice for everybody and you'll never regret taking it. On your flight home also book it a day early and if the airline is overbooked and they are "asking" for volunteers to get off the plane... TAKE IT and they will give you travel voucher good for future travel.

[@Cruisingonabudget]

@@im1who84u that's the plan, but it's not a full 26 hrs early which is what the train ride is.

[@im1who84u]

@@Cruisingonabudget This is just me and how I would handle this. I would arrive maybe even two days early and pay for the hotel for however long I needed it. There is nothing like waking up the morning the day of your cruise after a good nights sleep, a nice hot shower, a good breakfast and already be where you are supposed to be to connect with your cruise. If the cruise is leaving from a fun city, you may even want to even get there four days early and see some of the sights and experience some of the local stores, clubs, art museums, parks, maybe a Gray Line Bus tour, and try out some of the local restaurants in the area.

[@barbhawkinson659]

I would have to have my head at the foot of the bed with open space. There's no way I could have my head in that hole. 😮

[@denisebrown1678]

I’ve yet to travel on a train overnight. I like your videos, but that room was way too close for my comfort level. 😬 You both seemed to take it all in stride.

[@nataliajimenez1870]

SimplyRailway had a video about a new Nightjet room that is even worse. It's like the rooms in a capsule hotel and it really looks like a coffin. It's supposed to provide cheap and private accomodations that lay flat

[@randall8379]

Horrendous design. So much for the superior European railways!

[@Brutushungwell]

If seen racks in the navy that were bigger

[@SewTexas]

THAT IS ONE TINY ROOM, NO THANK YOU.

[@deborahlee4941]

Where's the toilet?

[@beanclam]

I was gonna say someone call OSHA, but it's European so they probably don't care ^^;

[@WilliamMurphy-uv9pm]

Putting luggage, other than one carry-on size, into a romette is a no go. Amtrak suggests you not do it but who listens to the experts. So you fill the room with luggage and two of you humans and feel an already (when empty) compact room is too small and catastrophic . Come on folks. You are teaching us by making your own mistakes. Thanks.

[@c.d.porter9366]

It's only claustrophobic if you stay in it all the time. Just sayin'

[@mikereddy-x9f]

Very interesting video. Seems to be lack of full disclosure by AMTRAK. Not good customer policy!

[@stickasockinit]

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