Amtrak trains are a fun and scenic way to move around they country. Most rides can take many hours though, so it is important to know what Amtrak bathrooms are like and where they are located on the train.
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Coach Class Bathrooms
Coach Class Bathrooms are available on all Amtrak trains. They are located at the end of each car. There are both standard and accessible bathrooms available. Coach Class bathrooms are big and provide plenty of room for passengers.
Coach Class bathrooms are bigger than Sleeper Car bathrooms, but are used by many more people. By the end of the night, these bathrooms will usually be in the worst shape on the train.
On shorter trips, these bathrooms usually stay quite clean and are no problem.
Coach Class bathrooms do not have showers, and Coach Class passengers are not allowed to shower in the Sleeper Car showers.
Amtrak train cars can vary widely from car to car, so don’t assume the bathroom in the next car down is just like yours. If the bathroom in your car isn’t suitable, go looking to the next car, which might not be as full, or might have a bigger bathroom.
Cafe Car Bathroom
This is a secret hidden bathroom that few know about. On Superliner trains that have an observation car, there is a bathroom on the bottom level in the cafe. Once you get to the bottom of the stairs go left and it’ll be at the end of the hall. This is usually the cleanest bathroom on the train as not many people know about it.
Sleeper Car Bathrooms
How Many Bathrooms Does an Amtrak Sleeper Car Have
Amtrak Superliner Sleeper Cars have 4 bathrooms and 1 shower per car. There are 3 bathrooms and a shower on the lower level and 1 bathroom on the upper level. This is more than enough for the passengers in the car, and there is almost never a line to use the bathroom.
Amtrak Viewliner II Cars have two bathrooms and an shower all on a single level.
Superliner Bathrooms
There are two types of Superliner sleeper car trains, Superliner I and Superliner II. There is almost no difference between them except the bathrooms. The older Superliner I cars have angled seats in the bathroom that are bigger and much easier to use. The newer Superliner II cars have straight toilets that are much more narrow and difficult to use. We prefer to get placed in the older Superliner I cars for this reason.
Another benefit of the Superliner I bathrooms over the Superliner II bathrooms is the sink. The older Superliner I bathrooms have a deep sink with a tall faucet. The Superliner II bathrooms have a really shallow sink with a super short faucet. It is almost impossible to use the Superliner II sink with spraying yourself and the entire room with water. It is hard to do even minor things like brush your teeth in a Superliner II sink.
This sink is a mess waiting to happen. The other bad thing about the design is that water only comes out if you hold the lever down, so you have to do everything one handed!
For some people, the Superliner II bathrooms will just be too tight. If this is the case, see if the other sleeper car is a Superliner I, and you can use that bathroom. As a last resort you could walk down to coach.
Viewliner Bathrooms
Viewliner I trains cars will not have separate bathrooms, only showers. In these cars all rooms including roomettes will have a toilet in the room. Viewliner II cars have nice new bathrooms in the hallway.
In Room Bathrooms
Viewliner I Roomette
These are the most talked about toilets on Amtrak. Viewliner I roomettes have toilets inches from the lower bunk, that some people love and some people do not. When the lid is down, it serves as the step for the person on the top berth to reach their bed. It can be convenient in the night for one person, but awkward if there are 2 people in the room.
In some situations you may need to have your fellow passenger leave the room or you could go find another bathroom.
Superliner Bedroom
Amtrak Superliner Bedrooms have private bathrooms that include a toilet and shower. There is a door that closes off the bathroom. It is an all in one concept, so the shower will get the toilet wet when you use it.
Superliner Accessible Bedroom
Superliner Accessible Bedrooms have an open toilet on one side of the room, but no shower. Showers are located right outside the door though, along with 3 other bathrooms. The toilet in this room is very spacious, and there is a small sink nearby. This room is on the end of the hall with most of the bathrooms, it is the only sleeping room on that end of the hall.
Viewliner Bedroom
Viewliner Bedrooms are much like the Superliner Bedrooms as far as the setup goes. Viewliner Bedrooms have an enclosed shower and toilet combination in each room. The shower will make the toilet wet when you use it.
Viewliner Accessible Bedroom
The Viewliner II Accessible Bedroom has a unique private shower, and an open toilet in the room. It is the only room that has this type of setup with a separate shower and toilet area. Some passengers don’t like the fact that you’ll be sleeping somewhat near the toilet. There is a curtain that can be pulled across for privacy.
The shower however, most people really like.
Transition Car Bathrooms
There are cars in the Amtrak system called transition cars. If you get in one of these sleeper cars, you’ll notice the bathrooms have a toilet and shower in the same area. These are the best bathrooms to get as they are much bigger than any of the other ones. If you are lucky enough to be in a transition car, enjoy the bathroom!
