With two nights on the California Zephyr and two beds to choose from, I picked both.
In February 2026, I took the Amtrak sleeper train's full route from Chicago to Emeryville, California. For the 53-hour train journey, I booked a $2,200 bedroom with a foldout couch and an upper bunk. As a solo traveler in a room for two, I spent one night in each cot to see which I preferred.
I got roughly the same amount of sleep in each bunk, but some key differences led me to prefer the top one.
And honestly, you probably won't agree with me.
My Amtrak bedroom was 50 square feet and had two beds.
Inside the bedroom, there was a bathroom on the left, a foldout couch on the right, and a table and chair against the back window. Above the couch was a lever to pull the top bunk down from the ceiling.
Train attendants offer turndown service to set up both beds, but as an experienced overnight train traveler (I've spent 193 hours on them), I did it myself.
I spent my first night in the top bunk.
When I pulled the top bunk down from the ceiling, I found a ladder, straps to hook to the ceiling, and bedding. I hooked the ladder to the end of the bed and climbed up to fix the straps. There was also a pair of pockets on the wall where I stored my water bottle and phone.
The shakiness of the train felt more prominent in the top bunk, but I didn't mind it.
If you're new to overnight train travel, I wouldn't recommend the top bunk. The shakes and rumbles of the rails felt more intense up there than on the couch below. But I've slept on so many trains that this motion rocks me to sleep now.
I slept for seven hours and woke up feeling well rested.
Sleeping up top made me feel like a kid again.
I slept in the top bunk above my brother growing up. Back then, it felt like just another mundane detail of my day. But as an adult, lying up there in that Amtrak bed, I was overwhelmed with nostalgia. It was like traveling back in time and having the chance to appreciate something I never did as a kid.
The best part of the top bunk was that it made the room feel bigger.
With the couch still intact, adding the top bunk gave the tiny space another piece of furniture without taking up more square footage. I stored my belongings on the couch below and used the bunk as a loft throughout the next day.
On the second night, I slept in the bottom bunk.
Beneath each corner of the couch was a pedal that read "Push for bed." With my foot on the pedal, I pulled the bar spanning each cushion to make the bed. I had easy access to the power outlets and a cupholder by the window.
The bottom bunk felt larger than the top bunk, but it made the room feel smaller.
The bottom bunk was wider than the top bunk, so I had more room to stretch out. At the same time, the lower bunk took up a lot of the floor space. I suddenly felt cramped. There was no longer space to stand in front of the sink, so I brushed my teeth in bed. I stuffed all of my belongings in the corner of the room.
I slept for eight hours in the bottom bunk and felt just as well rested as I did the day before.
In the bottom bunk, I woke up with a view.
The window in my room was only visible from the bottom bunk. So I appreciated waking up, opening the curtains, and seeing the sunrise without leaving my bed.
It may have been smaller and shakier, but the top bunk has my heart.
I'm sure most would prefer the bottom bunk for its size and slightly smoother ride, but on future overnight Amtrak trips, I'll always take the top bunk.
If I'm riding solo, it'll make the room feel bigger. But even if I'm not, I'll give my partner the bigger bed and enjoy feeling like a kid again.
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Joey Hadden is a travel reporter and photojournalist at Business Insider based in NYC. She covers transportation modes, alternative lifestyles, and luxury travel. Many of Joey's stories are visual features that give readers a front-row seat to her personal experiences at home and around the world.Joey graduated from St. Edward's University in May 2019 with a BA in Photocommunications. Since joining BI in 2019, Joey has traveled by train in seven different countries, from day trips to overnight rides as long as 30 hours. She's ridden on many different train lines, including Amtrak, Via Rail, and the iconic Orient Express of the 21st century, among others. During her travels, she's slept in countless accommodations — five-star hotels, unique tiny homes, and private train cabins, to name a few.When traveling in North America, Joey takes readers inside the continent's wealthiest enclaves where billionaires hide away, from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to Medina, Washington. She spends her free time singing and playing drums for the indie-rock band Blanket Approval. You can follow Joey on Instagram or send her an email at [email protected].Popular ArticlesI spent $1,000 to have a room to myself on a 30-hour Amtrak ride. It was the best experience I've had on an overnight train in the US.I booked basic economy flights with Delta and United. They felt like 2 completely different classes.I went on an adults-only cruise for the first time, and 8 things surprised meI spent 2 nights in a 2-story, 100-square-foot tiny home in Germany that was smaller than any I've seen in the USStep inside the richest city in Arizona, where wealthy Californians are flocking for private mountainside estates
