Packing for an Overnight Amtrak Train Ride: What I Wish I Had Brought

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2 hours ago

I’ve spent 200 hours on overnight trains, so I’ve learned exactly what to pack for a comfortable ride.

But that wasn’t the case back in 2021, when sleeper trains were completely new to me.

For a weeklong trip to Florida, I traveled round-trip from New York to Miami on Amtrak trains. Each ride was about 30 hours long, and my tickets included a private room and complimentary meals.

On my way to Miami, I booked an Amtrak roomette, a 20-square-foot enclosed space with two seats across from each other that pulled out into a bed, a table that folded out in between, and another bed above the seats that pulled down.

I booked an Amtrak bedroom for the ride back to New York. It was twice the size, with a couch and a full bathroom.

I packed some travel essentials I thought would be helpful for sleeping, eating, working, and staying entertained on a train. I tried my best to ensure my duffel bag and backpack included everything I’d ever want for 60 hours of travel.

For a first-time overnight train rider, I think I packed pretty well, but I regretted leaving some items behind.

I packed a duffel bag and my camera backpack, both of which I kept with me on the trains.

The author sits in her apartment with her bags packed.

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The author sits on a wood floor with two bags — The author sits in her apartment with her bags packed.

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I had the option to check a bag, but I decided to keep all my belongings with me throughout the trip.

Since each ride was overnight, I was glad I packed a comfortable outfit separately from the rest of my clothes.

The author’s train clothes are on the right. The clothes for the rest of her trip are packed together on the left.

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I packed comfy pants and shorts since I was traveling south to warmer temperatures. I stuffed most of my clothes into a packing cube and kept one outfit toward the top of my bag so it would be easy to find the next morning.

I was grateful I packed multiple forms of entertainment, especially some that didn’t require an internet connection, which could sometimes be spotty.

The author plays Mario Kart on the train to pass the time.

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I brought a Nintendo Switch, a tablet, and a book to pass the time. I made sure to download a bunch of podcast episodes to my phone in case I lost service and internet at any point during the trip.

I always keep a disinfecting spray with me to make sure the surfaces I use are clean.

The author carries a disinfectant spray.

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Even though Amtrak sanitizes rooms between visitors, according to its website, bringing my own disinfectant gave me peace of mind and made me feel more comfortable relaxing in my rooms.

Every time I travel, I also pack some Vitamin C for an immunity boost.

The author carries Vitamin C with her.

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This packing tip comes from my mom. She always brought some sort of immunity-boosting chewable to protect us from germs while traveling. And as Business Insider previously reported, Vitamin C can help your immune system fight off some infections.

One of the most important items I brought was my comfiest pair of shoes — they feel like pillows under your feet.

The author’s shoes were an important choice.

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I picked up these memory foam babies at T.J. Maxx for only $20. They slipped on and off very easily, which was great for leaving my room quickly with shoes on.

I tried to make the train feel like home. At home, I dance pretty much every day, so I’m thankful I brought a pair of headphones.

The author dances to music with her headphones on.

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I took frequent dance breaks in my room, where I closed the curtains and blasted music in my ears. This, of course, required a pair of headphones.

While I danced throughout the day, I was glad I could listen to music as loudly as I wanted without bothering my neighbors.

While my train tickets included meals, I was glad I brought my own snacks for the in-between times.

The author’s trail mix of choice.

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I thought many of my meals on the train were decent, but there were times, like when I tried and disliked a salmon dish, that I was thankful for this bag of trail mix with my favorite ingredient, coconut chips.

I also missed a few key things when packing. While I’m glad I brought a water bottle, I wish I’d brought a smaller one that would fit in Amtrak’s cupholders.

An aerial view of the table shows just how large the author’s water bottle is compared to the cupholder.

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An Amtrak attendant brought me disposable water bottles every few hours, but I was still glad I brought my own pre-filled water bottle.

But my bottle was too wide for the provided cupholders, which were just big enough for 12-ounce bottles. So, I wish I had brought a smaller reusable water bottle.

Another thing I missed on this trip was motion sickness medication. Both train rides felt as bumpy as a flight when the seatbelt sign is on.

The author didn’t bring medicine to combat motion sickness.

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I figured this would only be temporary, but the whole ride felt shaky. I ended up feeling motion sickness for the majority of both trips and kicking myself for not bringing any remedies.

On my way home, I stayed in a bedroom with a private shower. I would have used it, but I forgot my flip-flops to keep my feet safe from germs.

An aerial view of the shower and the author’s forgotten flip-flops.

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I planned on showering during my 30-hour ride home from Miami, but I decided not to when I realized I had forgotten my flip-flops. I usually wear them in public showers, since it’s pretty easy to pick up germs from places where many people have walked barefoot.

Since there weren’t many visible outlets in the rooms, I wished I had packed a couple of outlet splitters to charge more than a few devices at a time.

There weren’t many outlets in the rooms.

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I only saw a couple of sets of outlets in the rooms. I brought a lot of electronics on this trip: two cameras, one laptop, one Nintendo Switch, one phone, and one pair of Bluetooth headphones. With several devices to plug in, I should have brought an outlet splitter or two.

For the same reason, my portable charging battery would have come in handy had I remembered to bring it.

The author forgot her portable charging battery.

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I could have sworn I packed this, so I was disappointed when I wanted to use it.

I usually bring my neck pillow when I fly, but I didn’t think to take it on my Amtrak trip since my tickets included beds. It would have made the waking hours more comfortable.

The author uses her neck pillow on a long-haul flight.

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This neck pillow wraps around one and a half times, making it easy to adjust to various long-term sitting situations.

While the train bunks and blankets were much more comfortable than I expected, the pillows weren’t as cushy as the ones I had at home. So I wish I’d brought my own.

The author thought about her pillows at home.

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The bed on the Amtrak was firm and slightly cushy on top, just the way I like a bed. But when I was drifting off to sleep each night, I thought of my fluffy, dense, soft pillows at home.