Actually, I’m not sure just how new bidding up is. It could be a few years old, but I just discovered it.
I recently went by train to visit my best friend. It’s hard when your best friend lives so far away (10 hours by car) but fortunately, Amtrak goes directly from my home in Michigan to where my friend lives near Omaha, Nebraska. Also fortunate in that I love traveling by train. And that it only takes one day, with no overnight travel.
Getting an Upgrade
Well, almost no overnight travel. It does arrive late at night (midnight by my time zone) and leaves early in the morning on the return trip (5am in my friend’s time zone). While I normally travel by coach, I read an article about someone who “bid up” for an upgrade on Amtrak. Apparently, Amtrak now lets passengers bid up on upgrades if, at the last minute, they have those upgrades still available.
In the waning days of COVID, I splurged and got myself my own roomette on the return trip from visiting this friend. (We try to see each other once a year, and it is easier for me to travel because she is not fully retired and also cares for her 100-year-old mother.) By doing so, I had my own little bubble and didn’t have to wear the required mask. I could read – and breathe – in peace! In post-COVID traveling, I would not normally consider this splurge.
Bidding Up
Would not consider it until hearing about “bidding up.” Should I try to snag a roomette again?
When I made my original reservation, I offered the lowest possible bid – $105 – and didn’t get it. While the weather during my visit was beautiful for that time of year (70s and 80s in April!), April is also the prime month for tornadoes in the Midwest. Sure enough, a storm system blew in the night before I was to leave, complete with tornado warnings. Nope. Not going to travel by train if there are tornado warnings.
I decided to change my ticket and stay one more day. This time I bid $10 over the lowest allowable bid – and was informed I had indeed “won” a roomette.
So, Was It Worth It?
For me, the answer is definitely yes.
It was lovely to get on the train (priority boarding) and have a freshly-made-up bed waiting for me.
I didn’t sleep, but the gentle rocking motion of the train helped me have a relaxing rest before breakfast (included) was announced. The staff seats passengers at the tables in the dining room, filling all the spots, so I found myself seated with strangers. The couple across from me were fairly non-communicative (not enough coffee yet?), but the woman seated next to me was a lovely companion for the meal.
After breakfast, my attendant transformed my bed into a sitting area with two seats facing each other, with a little desk in between. While the emphasis should be on the “ette” part rather than the “room” part, the space was adequate for me and my luggage (nice to have all my luggage so close by!) and when the door was closed, I enjoyed the coziness and quiet of my own little world for reading and writing on my laptop. Free bottled water and coffee were also provided.
At lunch time, I ordered off the menu and the meal (once again included) was delivered to my room by my attendant. Both meals were delicious, and the options offered a good variety. (I noted vegan options, but not gluten-free ones. I believe the café car might have had a gluten-free option.) One of the nice things about train travel is that you can bring as much of your own food and drink on board as you like, especially helpful if you have diet restrictions.
Perhaps loveliest of all was the use of the Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago. With a four-hour layover, the comfortable chairs, artwork, pristine bathrooms, and unlimited free snacks and drinks made for a lovely respite. Also appreciated were the large tables and charging stations. The Great Hall in Union Station has only hard wooden benches and nowhere to set up or charge a laptop or phone.
It is also possible to bid up from coach to a business class or even the higher-end bedrooms. While there might come a time when I try those options, I have decided I will always bid up on my return trip from Omaha so, Bid me up, Scotty!
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Have you ever taken advantage of “bidding up” on Amtrak? If so, what was your experience and would you do it again? If not, is this something you would consider?
