Amtrak’s 2-for-1 sale on sleeping car tickets includes Southwest Chief and other trains

Ready for a long train ride on your next vacation? Buy a roomette or bedroom ticket on selected Amtrak trains, and a companion goes free. It’s cool savings for those who want to see America by riding the rails on long-distance routes.

Sample destinations on sale include:

▶ Los Angeles to Seattle aboard the Coast Starlight, a 35-hour ride along the West Coast, with views from the ocean to Mt. Shasta. With the sale, tickets for two cost $383 for roomettes and $712 for bedrooms.

▶ Los Angeles to New Orleans aboard the Sunset Limited takes 48 hours to chug through Arizona, New Mexico and Texas on the way to the Louisiana city. Tickets cost $441 for roomettes and $820 for bedrooms.

The sale also is good on the California Zephyr, Empire Builder, Southwest Chief and other routes, and some itineraries include meals too.

The 2-for-1 sale ends Oct. 14. Tickets purchased by that date are good for travel from Nov. 11 through April 8 (except for blackout dates).

By the way, the more inexpensive roomettes come with recliner seats that become beds in a space that’s 3.5 by 6.5 feet. There’s also a large viewing window, electrical outlets and a fold-down table.

Bedrooms are roomier, have a larger window, and add a sofa bed (which could sleep a third person) plus toilet and shower. The space is 6.5 by 7.5 feet.

Info: Amtrak