I spent 15 hours on an Amtrak train, and 7 surprises made it worth the $400 price tag
I took a 15-hour train ride from Denver to Salt Lake City on an Amtrak Superliner.
For $400, I booked a 23-square-foot roomette accommodation, and my ticket included meals.
Seven unique aspects of the trip made it a surprising and worthwhile experience.
I've spent 140 hours on overnight trains, and my most recent trip still managed to surprise me.
In January, I took a 15-hour Amtrak Superliner train from Denver to Salt Lake City. For $400, I stayed in a roomette, a 23-square-foot private room with two chairs and two bunks.
It was my third time traveling on an Amtrak sleeper train, so I wasn't expecting to be surprised. But seven aspects of my trip were unique to my other long-haul train experiences — and made the ride worth the cost.
I had never been on a double-decker overnight train before.
Every overnight train I'd been on previously, from the US to Europe, had one-story cars. So I was surprised to learn I'd be taking a double-decker train on my latest overnight trip.
My past Amtrak trips were on Viewliner trains, the one-story sleeper fleet that runs in the East and the South, but this trip was on the two-story Superliner fleet that travels on routes west of Chicago and New Orleans.
Although my roomette was on the first level, I wandered the top floor to see the railside views from a higher angle. I also appreciated that the dining car was on the top deck, so I had exceptional views during meal time.
The observation car wowed me.
The restaurant wasn't the only communal car upstairs — another was built purely for sightseeing, filled with booths and chairs facing two rows of windows.
I headed to the observation car just before noon, three hours into my trip. We were passing through Rocky Mountain National Park as the snow stopped and the sun brightened the landscape. I was mesmerized by the epic natural scene as I spotted highland cows — one of my favorite animals that I'd never seen in real life before.
In my room, I wasn't expecting my seat to be so much more comfortable than previous overnight Amtrak rides.
I'd booked an Amtrak roomette before, so I knew what to expect when I entered the 23-square-foot space — two seats facing each other that formed a lower bunk by night, a pullout table between them, and another bunk that pulled down from above.
It had been nearly four years since my last overnight Amtrak ride, and as soon as I sat down, I could tell the seats were newer and far more comfortable.
An Amtrak spokesman, Marc Magliari, told Business Insider that the entire Superliner fleet was getting an interior refresh, and 76% of them — including my ride — had already been updated.
"The seats have the same frame, but the cushions are new, and there's more lumbar support in this current seat cushion design than the old seat cushion design," Magliari said. "If you see gray, vinyl seating, then you know that you are in a fresh room."
The vinyl felt much smoother on my skin than the pilled, blue fabric seats in my previous Amtrak accommodations. The upgraded seat cushions weren't stiff like the old ones either.
I thought the seats alone made the new Amtrak roomette
I was shocked that the bunk felt like a real bed.
My ticket included meals, and I was astonished by how good the food was.
To me, train food beats airplane food any day. But unless you're on a luxury overnight train, I've still found food on the rails mediocre at best. So I was surprised when all three included meals were as good as many budget restaurants I enjoy.
Sweet and juicy strawberries topped my French toast for breakfast. The grilled chicken on my Caesar salad made for a flavorful lunch, and my three-course dinner featured premium ingredients like Brie salad and flat iron steak.
I was impressed by how much more satisfying these dishes were than the meals on my previous overnight Amtrak rides.
I was surprised that there was no WiFi on board, and even more surprised that I didn't care.
Less than two hours into the trip, I realized the train didn't have WiFi. This surprised me since my previous overnight Amtrak trips have included it. Normally, I'd be annoyed to learn I didn't have this amenity on a long journey, but I didn't mind this time.
I could check my phone with data during stops and while passing through cities and towns. And on the train, my book, my Nintendo Switch, and the views out the window were enough to keep me content for the 15-hour ride.
I knew I'd have great views, but I didn't consider how the landscape would transform.
The Western US is rich with awe-inspiring natural landscapes, so I was stoked for the views on my journey. But I didn't think about the contrasting landscapes between Colorado and Utah. Watching the snowy mountain forests gradually transition into desert canyons was amazing.
I gazed out the window as frozen rivers melted, dry shrubs replaced tall green trees, and forest-topped mountains turned to bare red canyons.
It was remarkable, and it's the ultimate reason I choose to travel by overnight train again and again — long journeys on the rails give you a passing look at the country from a vantage point you won't find anywhere else.
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