Seat specs for Amtrak trains

Those of you who are frequent air travelers may already be aware of a site called SeatGuru.com that allows you to find seat specs for just about every airline and every type of aircraft currently flying. For example, if you're trying to decide between two equally-priced tickets on Delta and US Airways, you can go to SeatGuru, look up the types of aircraft the two tickets are for, and view the seat width, seat pitch, amenities (power outlets, wi-fi, entertainment, etc) offered in each aircraft. It also shows you a layout of the cabin, and highlights which seats are "good seats" and which seats are "bad seats."

My question is: does a similar site exist for Amtrak trains, or for trains in general? I found some basic information on Amtrak.com, but it's not particularly detailed compared to the amount of information you get on SeatGuru.


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MEC407 wrote:Those of you who are frequent air travelers may already be aware of a site called SeatGuru.com that allows you to find seat specs for just about every airline and every type of aircraft currently flying. For example, if you're trying to decide between two equally-priced tickets on Delta and US Airways, you can go to SeatGuru, look up the types of aircraft the two tickets are for, and view the seat width, seat pitch, amenities (power outlets, wi-fi, entertainment, etc) offered in each aircraft. It also shows you a layout of the cabin, and highlights which seats are "good seats" and which seats are "bad seats."

My question is: does a similar site exist for Amtrak trains, or for trains in general? I found some basic information on Amtrak.com, but it's not particularly detailed compared to the amount of information you get on SeatGuru.


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Interesting question. This link might help somewhat, though Amtrak doesn't give specifics on how much room there is at each seat. As for "good" vs. "bad" seats, I dislike the Superliner seats immediately next to the stairwell and water cooler, as well as any seat that doesn't line up with a window, but I can't specify which those are.

There is no equivalent to SeatGuru for Amtrak. I don't see not having one as a big deal since on Amtrak, you pick your seat in person, after boarding, instead of in advance before you board.

However, maybe someone could make an app or website for that?

While business class seating is roomier, there are differences in coach between cars, such as Amfleet I and the longer haul Amfleet IIs. Some business class cars have 2-1 seating in a half-configuration with cafe,

One thing this could do is inform travelers, especially first time travelers, where they want to sit to get an outlet.

joshuahouse wrote:One thing this could do is inform travelers, especially first time travelers, where they want to sit to get an outlet.

Are there any cars still w/o seatside outlets?

I haven't seen an Amfleet I or II w/o such in years. I don't know about Superliners.

I'm 6'5. No travel seat has ever really worked for me aside from amtrak's so I'd love to see specs.

Bit of advice - sit toward the center of any car, especially the superliners. Physics dictates it's the smoothest ride, and it's definitely noticeable. I hate riding on/near the bulkhead.

Amtrak.com has the seat dimensions listed for their Acela train sets:

FIRST CLASS:
Height: 31"
Width: 23"
Pitch: 42"

BUSINESS CLASS:
Height: 31"
Width: 21"
Pitch: 42"

Tadman wrote:Bit of advice - sit toward the center of any car, especially the superliners. Physics dictates it's the smoothest ride, and it's definitely noticeable. I hate riding on/near the bulkhead.

The other reason I prefer the center of the car, especially in the winter, less temperature variations when the doors open at stations.

my preference is to sit as far to the car's rear as I can, and with as much window access as possible, preferrably where my head's just behind the window's edge. Yes, the ride's probably smoother towards the car's middle, but I'm usually looking for the view. And of course I prefer a car closer to the rear so I can better see the 20 car train's locomotives going the other way way around horseshoe curve.

I haven't found any Amfleet or Superliner seat that's as comfortable as those on the dearly departed bouncy heritage cars, although admittedly it's been more than 10 years since I rode Superliner.

I'm curious to see if -- and how -- Amtrak will design its "next generation" of coaches, sleeping cars, and dining cars to accommodate the ever-expanding girth of the American public.

According to the CDC and other health organizations, over 30% of Americans are now clinically obese. They're not just "packing on a few extra pounds," but seriously overweight.

That percentage is expected to rise to nearly 50% of all Americans by 2030. And a large slice of the remaining population will be, if not obese, then far from slender.

Even now, I frequently see XXXL passengers struggling to get comfortable within the confines of Amtrak's current seating -- especially during lengthy trips when their seatmate is overweight as well. Similarly, the current dining car booths, sleeping car roomettes, and non-handicapped toilets were designed for a far less hefty ridership.

Since exterior clearance issues likely prevent the creation of wider railroad cars -- and safety regulations require interior aisles to remain their current width -- installing considerably wider seats is going to be a challenge. Nevertheless, Amtrak (along with the airlines and bus companies) will have to deal with this new reality somehow. And their designers will need to be very creative indeed.

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You still get more room in an Amtrak coach seat than you do in the coach seats on most (dare I say all?) airlines. Most are 17" width, or 18" if you're lucky. Not only are the airlines not putting in wider seats for wider passengers, they're actually trying to jam more seats into existing aircraft.

Amtrak, even in its current form, may become the ONLY comfortable option for "passengers of size" who want to travel within the United States.

MEC407 wrote:Not only are the airlines not putting in wider seats for wider passengers, they're actually trying to jam more seats into existing aircraft.

Actually, at the request of the airlines, Airbus is now installing wider seats for plus-sized passengers into its A320 jets -- and making the seats for everyone else even narrower to accommodate the expansion.

With major dollars at stake in a highly competitive market, it's a safe bet that other manufacturers -- including Boeing -- will eventually follow their lead.

Here's a link to a story about it, which originated at the UK Daily Mail:

http://airguideonline.com/2012/06/18/ai ... assengers/

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Interesting. I saw something on TV a few weeks ago about an airline that was changing its 777 coach seating arrangement from the normal 9 abreast to a particularly cramped 10 abreast. I assume they'd simply require "passengers of size" to purchase an additional seat.