ELMER TELLS TIPPING ON AMTRAK

Someone is going on Amtrak and wanted to know about tipping.  You do not have to tip on Amtrak.  Anna and I did do the service we received and the fact that Anna had her broken leg at the time we were on Amtrak.  Do to the broken leg, we asked for  extra service that most people didn't ask for.  In some cases, we asked for things we didn't know if we were going to receive - but we did. So when someone did something extra for us, we tipped extra.

Also, some Amish and Old Order Mennonite that were on the Amtrak train that we were on did not tip.  They felt that what they were paying for their tickets, cabins, etc. If you get a cabin, your meals are included - they felt being served in the dining room, their room attendant, etc. were included in the tickets.  They felt that the salary they were making - they didn't need tipping.  I don't know if they knew how much these people made but we didn't.  Anyway, Fannie and Albert, Jean and David, Thomas and Ruth and Anna and I tipped.

If someone helps you with your bags, the tip should be a $1.00 a bag.  Now, we paid more because they had a wheel chair waiting when we got to Amtrak.  In addition to taking the bags from our drivers vehicle to the train, they also helped get Anna into the wheel chair and push her to the train. So in addition to the $1.00 a bag, I gave $5.00.

At the train, the conductor, helped get Anna on the trail.  I offered the conductor a tip and he refused saying it was part of his job.  We thank him very much and remembered him in our prayers.

Now if you have a sleep car, we paid $5.00 a night per person to our attendant - $10.00.  If he or she did extras the tip went up. Like he brought most of our meals to our car.  Made sure we could both get in and out of our bed without problems.  Again the tip went up $5.00.

In the dining room, we tip 15% of the bill to our waiter.  Like I said most were delivered to our room and Porter did it, but when one of the waiters from the dining room did, I gave her 15% of the bill plus $5.00 for delivering to our room.

If you don't have a car, and don't want to go to the dining room, there is a place you can go to get food.  Sometimes they come around offering food.  Again we would advise you pay the bill plus 15%.  Some trains if you don't go to the dining room, you have to go to the other place to get it.  If you are handicapped and you ask for them to get it for you, I would pay 15% plus maybe $5.00 extra for them bringing it to me.  They also have a drinking establishment (bar) on the train.  I have never been there so I can't tell you, but I would say 15% of the bill should be right.

Anytime someone needs handicapped assistance, which I did with Anna, I also offer a tip.  Most of the time people took the tip and appreciated it.  Our tip was also turned being told it was part of their service.

Now, yes, Porter was our car attendant on our trip, and tried to refuse because we are friends.  I explained I would have given the tip to any car attendant that gave us the service he did - so he took it.  He above and beyond what was required in his job to make Anna comfortable.

Likewise if you get someone on a train who does not give your the service you feel you should receive, I would lower the tip or not give any.  This was our first Amtrak trip and felt that we received excellent service.  As I said above and beyond what was expected.  Now, we do believe that Porter had something to do with some of the service, but we really appreciated it.

I hope this helps you on your trip and you enjoy it.

Trust God's Wisdom,
Elmer