Amtrak Guest Rewards - Newbie questions: Coast Starlight Award

Having heard great things about the Coast Starlight trains, I am considering my first Amtrak redemption for a superliner bedroom, probably before the CO partnership phases out, or just using some Ultimate Rewards pts. It sounds like it would make a great family vacation experience.

I am having trouble determining the number of points/miles needed for a bedroom, one way from Seattle to LA. We are 2 adults and a small child. I think it is 30k for the room and the passengers, but not sure. Could someone clarify? Also, is there any savings if we went in w/ another couple on a bedroom suite, which seems to be just 2 adjoining bedrooms?

How does the dining work? Since it is included w/ sleeping accommodations, do we all just get to order whatever we want from the menu, or are there some kind of rules and limitations?

Most importantly, how difficult is it to get an award reservation? Is it like a premium airline award seat where you have to plan far in advance and look for occasional, but rare availability, or is it more like a hotel program where you pretty much get anything available? Maybe a dumb question, but do bedrooms on the route often sell out?

Finally, is there anything else I should know and onsider about this route?

Thanks in advance!

How does the dining work? Since it is included w/ sleeping accommodations, do we all just get to order whatever we want from the menu, or are there some kind of rules a
d limitations?

Most importantly, how difficult is it to get an award reservation? Is it like a premium airline award seat where you have to plan far in advance and look for occasional, but rare availability, or is it more like a hotel program where you pretty much get anything available? Maybe a dumb question, but do bedrooms on the route often sell out?

Finally, is there anything else I should know and onsider about this route?

Thanks in advance!You can order what you want from the menu excluding drinks of course.

If there is a room for sale, then you can book it as an award. There isn't a separate inventory for award tickets. Bedrooms do sell out on this and many routes. If you compare the prices on various days you can get an idea of how much inventory is left, since Amtrak is consistent in alloting a certain number of seats at the cheapest bucket, more at the next highest price, and so forth across the 4/5 price levels.

There was a recent discussion from someone taking the CS as their first long distance train and what to expect. If you can find that thread it will help answer some of your other questions (don't have time to find it now).

Enjoy!

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"I am having trouble determining the number of points/miles needed for a bedroom, one way from Seattle to LA. We are 2 adults and a small child. I think it is 30k for the room and the passengers, but not sure."

Unless things have changed recently, this would be a one-zone redemption, which should cost just 20,000 AGR points for a bedroom. The one redemption would cover both adults and the child.

The bedroom would be a one zone trip, and would cost 20,000 points each way for a total of 40,000 points round trip....In the dining car, meals are all inclusive except no alcoholic beverages are included.....tip appropriately according to the value of the meal. Check out the Pacific Parlor Car (PPC) also.....

No savings to travel with another couple. You or they would need another 20,000 points for the second room and you would have to ensure that the rooms are adjoining and in the same car.