Review: Accessible Sleeper Car on AMTRAK Empire Builder
I rode the Wolverine line from Dearborn to Chicago. The upgraded train was AMAZING for accessibility. Including the updated train bathroom that has an automatic door with an auto lock. Union Station, though old has been updated well (especially the Metropolitan Lounge!) for accessibility. The Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle is an old train and can use updates. I traveled in the accessible sleeper car, it is very accessible around the toilet, with many handholds, but the sleeping area leaves a bit to be desired. The bottom bunk (that I slept on) needed help from the car attendant to flatten it into a bed. There are no bars to hold around the bed, making it hard to move around. My mother stayed in the top bunk and it is not meant for the vertically challenged. There were only two steps and no handrail, not very safe.
Josh Grisdale and alliejay4 Comments-
Thanks for the review!
How long was the trip?
-
@Josh Grisdale A little over a week, we spent three days getting out to Seattle, 2 1/2 days in Seattle and then 3 days getting back. My only recommendation if you’re going to Seattle is make sure your wheelchair can handle hills, it’s as bad as San Francisco from what I’ve heard. I have a motorized chair and my mom had to push me up part of the hill going back up and I almost went down into the bay going down.
1-
@Victoria yes! I’ve been and those hills are crazy! Couldn’t imagine being in a manual wheelchair 🫨
-
We saw the Space Needle and the glass gardens while we were there, most of it is accessible. The outer deck of the Space Needle, The open air part, is not accessible by chair from what I remember. But that was fine with me because I’m afraid of heights and I could see fine from the windows inside where I was safe. I have to look up the name of the restaurant, but there was this awesome bento box place about a block away from our hotel that had amazing food!
