I paid $500 extra to upgrade my room on a 30-hour Amtrak ride, and I thought the additional 20 square feet was worth every penny

The author stayed in an Amtrak roomette on her way to Miami and a bedroom on her way to New York.

In 2021, I traveled on Amtrak trains from NYC to Miami and back. The rides took about 30 hours each way, and I had a private cabin in a sleeper car on both journeys.

The ticket to Miami cost about $500 for a Viewliner roomette, and the ticket back to New York cost about $1,000 for a bedroom.

Read on to see how the two overnight train cabins compared — and which was more worth the price.

On my way to Miami, I booked a roomette, an approximately 20-square-foot private cabin that cost about $500 and included two beds, a table, two chairs, and a toilet.

A view of a roomette across the way.

A step up from sitting in coach, where you get a seat among other passengers, a roomette is a private space with a door and blinds to cover up the windows.

According to Amtrak’s website, roomettes are around 22.75 square feet, which, for reference, is a little bigger than a standard twin-size bed. The roomette sleeps up to two adults.

I booked a bedroom for the ride home, which was double the price for twice the amount of space, an additional chair, a shower, and an enclosed bathroom.

A view of the bedroom accommodation.

Bedrooms are around 45.5 square feet, which, for reference, is a little bigger than a standard king-size bed. Like the roomette, they sleep a maximum of two adults.

Both rooms offered complete privacy, came with complimentary meals, and used smart storage hacks that reminded me of a tiny home.

The author’s meal and an Amtrak sleeper car.

Having a private space was the most important thing to me on this long train journey, and both rooms offered that.

Both rooms also had some clever storage hacks, like a table that pulled out between the chairs.

I think I woke up feeling more rested on my way home in the bedroom simply because I chose the bottom bunk, where I felt less swaying and bumping from the train. You could select this option in either room.

The author wakes up in a roomette and a bedroom.

If you’re bothered by the bumpiness of the train during the day as I was, I recommend sleeping on the bottom bunk in either accommodation.

While I was impressed with the roomette’s use of space, I felt far more comfortable in the bedroom thanks to the extra 20 square feet.

The author sits in the roomette and dances in the bedroom.

As someone who deals with travel anxiety, I found 30 hours on a train to be overwhelming.

But staying in a bedroom made me feel more comfortable than staying in a roomette. The bedroom offered ample space to stretch out and move about, which made all the difference to me.

Frankly, I don’t feel comfortable sitting for 30 hours. I could get my body moving in the bedroom by dancing around, while in the roomette, I felt too cramped to move very much.

The author attempts to dance in both rooms.

To pass the time, get moving, and feel more at home, I took frequent dance breaks in my bedroom, where I closed the curtains and blasted music in my earbuds.

This felt freeing and satisfying, and if I wanted to, I think I could have even done some yoga poses, body-weight exercises, or practiced my karate moves.

It was also nice to have a big sofa in the bedroom where I could stretch out and put my feet up, whereas the roomette only had two single seats.

The author lounges in both rooms.

Having room to lounge in the bedroom made me feel more relaxed throughout my journey.

All bedrooms have a three-mirror vanity, a shower, and, notably, a toilet behind a locking door. In some roomettes — mine included — a side table swings open to reveal a toilet. Above it is a folding sink and a single mirror.

The vanity is seen in the bedroom and roomette.

After staying in a roomette with a toilet for the first half of my trip to Miami, I was moved to another room without a toilet for the remainder due to the availability of roomettes when I booked my ticket. I had access to a bathroom at the end of the sleeper car.

While traveling home in a bedroom, I appreciated that the toilet was separated from the rest of the room by a door.

I also thought the bedroom had a nicer vanity with three mirrors facing each other, which made it easier to wash my face in the morning.

I appreciated the private toilet in the bedroom, which is a great amenity if you’re traveling with others.

The author poses on both toilets.

However, with two seats and no privacy curtain around the toilet in the roomette, I was grateful to be a solo traveler.

While you may feel sticker shock at the $500 price difference, the extra space was worth every penny to me.

The author relaxes in the bedroom.

The bedroom upgraded my 30-hour journey from anxiety-inducing to comfy and homey.

The bedroom is especially worth the splurge for those traveling with a buddy since there’s more room to stretch out.