10+ Amtrak BidUp Attempts Later: My Best Tips

If you’ve booked an Amtrak ride, you may have gotten an email that looks like this:

This is Amtrak’s BidUp program. The idea is simple. Maybe you were thinking of upgrading to business class or first class (or better yet, a Roomette or Private Bedroom), but the price just looked like too much.

So you opted for a Coach seat.

Well BidUp allows you to place a bid to upgrade on the unsold seats.

For Amtrak, the benefit is obvious: you spend more. For you, the benefit is also obvious: you can get an upgraded seat for a discounted price.

The thing is, there’s just no guarantee you’re going to get it. Somebody else can outbid you.

I’ve Done My Fair Share of of Amtrak Bid Ups. After Some Wins and Losses, I’ll Share my Tips.

Here’s how to take advantage of Amtrak’s BidUp program to get upgrades for cheap.

1) Decide What You’re Willing to Spend

I think this is the first step for me. Because of course I’d prefer a roomette.

Maybe a roomette for an extra $100 is worth it, but at $150… I’ll ride the trip out in coach. In this case, I may put my bid at $100.

For a business class upgrade, I’m never willing to go above $25. And for shorter trips… I’ll just take the cheapest price I can get and not use BidUp.

That’s why I set a hard upper limit—like, “I’m not going to spend more than X dollars for this upgrade, no matter how tempting it is.” This is especially important for roomettes, where it is indeed tempting.

Before any decisions, I decide that the upgrade’s worth to me. Am I traveling overnight, or is it just a few hours? Will I be so tired that having a bigger seat or a private room would be a game-changer? Will being tired even matter because I have a busy schedule coming up? If the perks (like meals, extra space, or a comfy bed) matter enough, I’ll bump my budget a little higher. Ultimately, it’s all about knowing how much you’re willing to pay for a more comfortable ride.

Know your budget.

2) Bid on Less Busy Trains

The day before Thanksgiving? I’m just happy to have a seat. For BidUp to work in your favor, you want a train that isn’t going to be packed. If every seat is spoken for, Amtrak has no reason to offer you a cheap upgrade, and other people will be thinking the same thing you’re thinking and bid.

I’ve noticed that weekday afternoons or random off-peak travel times have more open seats. That’s when your chances of scoring an upgrade skyrocket. If it’s a smaller route or if you’re traveling in, say, January (when nobody’s really on vacation), you might bid on a business class seat and find yourself lounging in more space without shelling out a fortune.

I take the train from New York to Vermont (from where I live to where I’m from) frequently. Yet, my girlfriend’s family lives in Connecticut. I know that if I’m leaving Connecticut and going to Vermont, I’m already passed the business part of the trip. I’ve gotten several wins on this route.

Basically, if you know a train or a route is likely to be busy (big cities, major holidays, prime commute times), go in expecting little to no upgrade luck, unless you’re willing to put in an “excellent” bid. But if you’re traveling on the less busy part of a route and on a normal day, you can win.

3) How to Win With “Poor” Bids

If you just want to test it out and aren’t attached to winning, give a “Poor” bid.

The key is that it’s not a busy train.

I’ll throw “Poor” bids out there from time to time. On any remotely busy route, I’ve had no success. Any train leaving from New York Penn, for example, I’ve come out empty handed. This likely won’t work if you’re going from New York to Washington D.C (unless you try on one of the late night or early morning trains.)

A roomette in the offseason may have more success than peak travel season (summer.)

One way I check this is I see how much the Coach seat costs. Amtrak has a dynamic pricing model, like airlines. On more popular routes and last minute, they charge more. So if you see that the Coach price is still cheap, then it’s like not a busy train. Throw in a “Poor” bid.

4) The Roomette is Worth It

If you’re traveling overnight, even if you’ve resigned yourself to grinding it out in coach… I recommend putting in a “Good” bid for that Roomette.

The difference between Coach and Roomette is huge.

• An actual bed to sleep on. Your roomette has a top and bottom bunk. So for two people it’s especially a good deal.
• Meals included and brought to you with first-class service
• Shared showers and bathrooms. (For a private bathroom and shower, you’ll ned to upgrade to the Bedroom.)

I’ve never flown business or first class in my life. The prices have always seemed so extravegent. Yet on the roomette, I feel like I’ve gotten the seductive taste of “luxury” travel. And for BidUp, you can get it at a good price.

Yeah, it can cost a bit more. But if you’re considering it and have never done it, I recommend you try and swing a decent bid. If you end up winning, I have no doubt you’ll be happy about your bid, even if went above the “Poor” and “Fair” ratings.

For more on the roomette, I’ve got you covered with a whole article on my experience and what you should know.

My Amtrak Roomette Review: Overnight From Pittsburgh to Chicago

5) “Business Class” Isn’t That Much Better

Amtrak’s Business Class isn’t that appealing in general. It’s held back by how good Coach is on Amtrak compared to flying. Because Amtrak’s seats are already comfy and big, Business Class isn’t really worth it.

Here’s what you get, then I’ll explain what’s helpful and not about this.

• More legroom, foot rest, seats that recline more.
• Free non-alcoholic drinks.
• Access to the cafe car, even if you’re not eating.

I don’t need more legroom, and the foot rest is cool but again, I didn’t need it. I don’t care about choosing my seat either. Amtrak has no middle seats so… who cares?

If you want to sleep you can recline the seat more more. So if you’re a napper, maybe you’re willing to pay extra for that.

The free coffee or other drinks is nice too. That’s $4 I would’ve spent anyway.

Don’t Overpay For Business Class

It’s just not worth. Weirdly, sometimes business class is worse because you’re more likely to have someone in the seat next to you.

For a Low Bid, It’s Worth it for Long Rides

The best part of Amtrak’s business class is you get to sit in the cafe car.

If you’ve taken Amtrak in Coach, then you know you can only sit there when eating. But the cafe car is one of the best parts of any Amtrak ride. It’s where I’d prefer to spend most of the trip.

For short rides, I don’t mind. But if I’m on a five hour or more ride, well, I want to spend at least two of those hanging out in the cafe car. For me, that’s sometimes worth a “Fair” bid.

Acela First Class: I’ve Never Ridden

One popular route that I think follows similar guidelines is the Acela line.

Acela seats are all technically business class. The “upgrade” is to first class. The real perk is that the Acela trains go faster than the Northeast Regional trains. I’ve never ridden Acela on first class, but if I do I’ll be sure to blog about it.

No BidUp Option? Your Route Probably Doesn’t Have It

Of course, if all the upgrades are sold out (they often are) then you won’t get an email about BidUp. If your route doesn’t have business or first class options, then there’s no BidUp either.

The “Poor,” “Fair,” “Good,” “Excellent” Bar May Not Be All That Important

Often the difference between one or the other is literally a dollar. $20 can be “Poor” and $22 can be “Good.” I don’t put too much stock into it.

Let Me Know How Your BidUp Experience Goes In The Comments

I’m writing from just what’s happened to me. That’s far from statistical significance. So if you’ve ever used BidUp, add to our collective knowledge and let me know how it went. What route did you try it on? What was your bid? Did you get the upgrade in the end?

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