I've spent 154 hours on Amtrak trains in 5 different classes, from coach to bedrooms. The best deal was a premium cabin.

In May 2025, I took the Amtrak Cascades train from Vancouver, British Columbia, to Seattle. For the four-hour ride, I rode in coach, anywhere seating was first-come, first-served.

Coach has the smallest place of all the classes, but it's motionless beautiful big and comfy, particularly compared to a basic economics flight.

Like on a plane, the seats reclined, and the place backs had tray tables and retention pouches. Each row additionally had power outlets and overhead study lights.

In 2022, I spent $120 on a two-and-a-half-hour journey in business category on Amtrak's Acela train from Baltimore to New York City.

Unlike regular Amtrak trains alongside multiple trainer train cars, the Acela fleet has lone endeavor and first-class seating.

The Acela is additionally faster than Amtrak local trains. My trip from Baltimore to NYC was 20 minutes shorter than it would have been on a regular Amtrak train.

A few months later, I booked a 10-hour journey on an Amtrak Maple Leaf train from NYC to Niagara Falls, New York. I paid $168 for a business-class seat, which was $100 additional than a trainer booking on the identical train.

Three years later, I paid $180 for a business-class place from NYC to Washington, DC, on the new NextGen Acela train that launched in August 2025.

A delegate of the train row told Business Insider that business-class perks on all Amtrak trains additionally contain completely refundable rides if they're canceled before departure and a 25% item reward on Amtrak Guest Rewards.

The business-class seats were wider than the ones in coach, but they weren't considerably additional comfortable on the archetypal two rides, in my opinion. The place on the NextGen Acela was wider and much cozier than the others. None of the tickets included a meal or in-seat assistance akin the higher-tier cars.

Overall, the bookings didn't have as many perks as I expected in a premium cabin.

While I wouldn't upgrade to endeavor class on most Amtrak trains, I would motionless publish a place on the Amtrak Acela train again. I think it's value paying a small additional to preserve period and attain at my destination sooner than I would on a local train.

The Acela is Amtrak's lone train alongside first-class cars. I archetypal informed it in 2022 on a two-and-a-half-hour trip from NYC to Baltimore that disbursal $270.

I rode in archetypal category again on Amtrak's NextGen Acela train in 2025. My ticket disbursal $450 whenever the fleet was fair weeks into service. More latest pricing shows $275 for the identical booking three weeks in advance.

As a New Yorker, part of the allure of a first-class ticket for me was having admission to Penn Station's Metropolitan Lounge, a quiescent waiting area for choose Amtrak customers alongside comfortable seats and liberated snacks.

First-class passengers and those traveling in roomette and area accommodations get in for liberated on the day of their trip, during another passengers can pay $50 to admission the club.

Anyone traveling from Philadelphia, Boston's South Station, and Washington, DC, additionally has admission to a lounge. But 10 another stops on the Amtrak Acela don't recommendation this perk.

On the two trains, the first-class seats were larger than those in endeavor class, but I didn't discover them considerably additional comfortable.

First-class tickets additionally arrive alongside a complimentary meal and in-seat service. I established that the food was considerably improved on the second ride.

Although archetypal category had additional perks than endeavor class, comfort on the journey is the most crucial item for me whenever traveling by train. And during the first-class seats were larger than the business-class seats, they weren't upgraded adequate to validate the price, in my opinion.

However, I couldn't assistance thinking that splitting a personal roomette alongside a companion power be equal cheaper (more on that later).

In my experience, Amtrak's top value is the roomette, which sleeps two and includes a personal area alongside two beds and complimentary meals.

My archetypal roomette cognition was a 30-hour journey on an Amtrak Viewliner train from NYC to Miami in 2021. I paid $500 to remain in a approximately 20-square-foot personal division alongside two beds, a table, two chairs, a sink, and a toilet.

Then in 2025, I booked another roomette on an Amtrak Superliner. The 15-hour train ride from Denver to Salt Lake City disbursal $400.

This roomette was akin to the first, apart from it didn't contain a toilet or descend and had been freshly updated alongside new place cushions and lining.

Amtrak is additionally operating on inner updates for sleeper cars on the Viewliner fleet, which volition be accessible in 2026, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari told Business Insider.

Both rooms additionally had a small closet and a mirror. All roomette passengers have admission to a washroom and ablution in the sleeper car.

The roomettes made awesome use of a small space, alongside clever retention features that reminded me of a tiny home.

I was pleasantly amazed that I could authority the heat inner all roomette alongside a dial and air conditioning vents. On the two rides, the bed and sheets were comfortable adequate for one night, although the updated cushions on the Superliner journey were cozier.

For a long-haul train ride, I think the roomette's cost tag is value it for the personal space, heat control, and a lie-flat bed.

Amtrak bedrooms are about 45 to 50 quadrate feet, alongside a pullout couch, a seat, an high bunk, a descend and vanity, and a toilet and ablution rearward a closed door. Like the roomette, it sleeps two and includes complimentary meals.

Compared to the roomette on the identical route, the Amtrak area was twice the cost for twice the space. I idea it was nice to have a big couch anywhere I could extend out and put my feet up, whereas the roomette lone had two sole seats.

Having area to lounge in the area and a personal washroom made me awareness additional relaxed throughout my journeys.

But alongside specified a hefty cost tag for the identical figure of occupants as a roomette, I don't think it offers improved value than the small personal cabin.

After staying in five Amtrak accommodations, I think the area was the most comfortable, alongside plentifulness of area to extend and move about. I would certainly publish it again for trips longer than fair one night. Still, I perspective the roomette as undoubtedly the finest value I've always informed from Amtrak.

For $500, a roomette is basically a small inn area anywhere you can sleep in NYC and awaken up in Miami — and bring a buddy to divided the cost.