Overnight on Amtrack

                           

Overnight on Amtrack | Amtrack App

On Tuesday night I took the Amtrak train from South Carolina up to Virginia so I could go car shopping (long story, I will post on that soon).

I bought a ticket to leave South Carolina at 11:39 pm, which had me arriving in Virginia around 8:30 am the next morning. The train station is just one block from our apartment in South Carolina so getting there was not a problem. I kept an eye on the status of the train throughout the day using the Amtrak app and sometime in the afternoon it started showing that there would be a delay. I had signed up for delay notifications so 1 hour before I received a text letting me know the train would be 30 minutes late. I have to say, the app was really nice. It was accurate when it came to the arrival of my train and it was really easy to navigate. It even kept my ticket handy even though I don't have an Amtrak Rewards account.

Overnight on Amtrack | Midnight Train From Georgia

My train finally arrived at 12:19 am. I had a ticket for the sleeper car, so I was directed to the end of the train. The attendant helped me  get my luggage up onto the train and then took my to my "Roomette". I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the space I was in. My Roomette could comfortably sleep two people. There were two reclining chairs that folded down into a bed, which was at least six and a half feet long. When I arrived, the attendant had already set up my bed. There was also a bed that came down from the ceiling had there been a second person.

There was also a toilet and a fold down sink in my room, as well as a trash can. Above that was a lighted mirror with space to do my makeup. Below the mirror were two electrical outlets where I charged my electronics. There was even a place to hang up my clothes.

Once I had settled into my space and changed into my pajamas, I started to look around to turn off the lights and keep the light from the hallway out. There were plenty of nicely labeled light switches all over the room so I navigated the lighting situation easily. The curtains on the windows that faced the hallway Velcroed shut and did a good job of keeping the room dark. The curtains on the windows did the same.

Overnight on Amtrack | Bunk Room

I like to sleep in the cold. I was worried that I would be hot on the train, which meant I would not sleep well. But there was an adjustable thermostat in my room as well as lots of large vents. I was able to keep my room to exactly my liking and it was heavenly. The bed was very comfortable and I slept soundly until about 7 am the next morning.

I was really worried that the movement of the train would keep me up but it turns out it was great! After I woke up, I was able to take my time getting dressed. I didn't feel rushed because there was someone else waiting to use the bathroom behind me. I then went to the dining car and had a breakfast of scrambled eggs, potatoes and sausage. I went back to my room for a few minutes before my stop came. I was able to get a few shots out the nice window I had.

Overnight on Amtrack | Will I Do It Again

The station I got off at seemed to be pretty busy with other trains coming through. It was a very nice little station.

While I do usually fly, taking the train was more convenient this time. And the prices were cheaper on the train, with my own room, than an airline ticket. All in all, I really enjoyed this trip with Amtrak. I would like to take the husband with me next time though!