I find tipping in the U.S. generally quite stressful but I’m about to take three overnight journeys on Amtrak (LA to Flagstaff, Flagstaff to Chicago and Chicago to Washington DC) in Roomettes and wondered what an appropriate amount to tip the attendant on leaving the train is?
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Tipping on Amtrak
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peterblue
Member
Zero?
Why would you suggest that?
Sun Chariot
Established Member
From personal experience, travellling Amtrak and Cumbres & Toltec Railroad, I only tipped personal assistance (luggage porterage / served food). I typically tipped between 8% and 12%, depending on what aasistance the "service" entailed.
peterblue
Member
Why wouldn't I suggest that? Tips are an above-and-beyond thing; the more this stuff gets normalised the worse it will become. Amtrak staff do get paid well enough, unlike other examples in the US Restaurant industry.
It's normalised already in this instance, advising what seems to be a new overnight Amtrak traveller not to tip the attendant is pretty poor in all honesty.
It's not cool to be an activist tourist and impose your own cultural values on other countries, particularly where a frontline employee might be denied money they may otherwise reasonably expect.
It is standard and expected to tip Amtrak employees. I usually tipped a 20 after an overnight and in the dining car 5 dollars per meal. The staff are mostly pretty good and affable and most of them are hustling for tips.
It is standard and expected to tip Amtrak employees. I usually tipped a 20 after an overnight and in the dining car 5 dollars per meal. The staff are mostly pretty good and affable and most of them are hustling for tips.
Iskra
Established Member
Weirdly, I travelled on Amtrak from coast to coast and made friends with a number of Americans on the journey ...I was the only one tipping. I don't think it is necessary on Amtrak at all, although of course the staff will not decline free money.
Mainline421
Member
They are paid a full salary, I doubt they’d be offended if they even notice. Even dining car staff receive full wages, unlike restaurant servers who often rely on tips and I’ve seen plenty of Americans either not tip at all or leave $1.
Zerothebrake!
Member
- Joined
- 26 Mar 2012
- Messages
- 210
I've just come back from a month long trip around the states using a 30 Day Rail pass.
In the Dining Car breakfast was 20 USD, Lunch 25 USD & Dinner 45 USD.
Breakfast was probably the best value but the Lunch was made up of items that you could buy from the shop on a plate.
Even after buying a can of coke for 3.5 USD they were still looking for a tip.
In the Dining Car breakfast was 20 USD, Lunch 25 USD & Dinner 45 USD.
Breakfast was probably the best value but the Lunch was made up of items that you could buy from the shop on a plate.
Even after buying a can of coke for 3.5 USD they were still looking for a tip.
You are referring to "coach" class, while the opening poster has an all-inclusive rate, so not comparable.
When I travelled with other forum members in 2022, we did tip after meals, however other people at adjacent tables did not do so. It made absolutely zero difference to the service we received compared to others, there was no sign of any expectation of a tip and no gratitude or acknowledgement of the tip.
On one sleeper we did tip the attendant but they didn't seem to be expecting it; on another trip the attendant was nowhere to be seen at the station we alighted from, so couldn't tip them (and presumably were not expecting it).
Others experiences may vary.
Ironically it was the Pullman Car Company who spread tipping from the Deep South to the rest of the US, by encouraging tipping of their sleeping car attendants in lieu of wages. Tipping was previously considered a mark of the European aristocrats the US wanted to distance itself from.
Tipping became common in the Deep South as a way to avoid paying black people once slavery was abolished.
You are correct that the railway (principally Pullman) tradition of tipping sleeper attendants and diner waiters came from this approach, and divided into ethnic groupings, which to a considerable extent prevail to today, with African-American car attendants and waiters, and Filipino lounge car stewards, separated from European operating crews. This was the case nationwide, even in areas of the USA where there were few of these minority groups, it was a tradition. There were separate unions as well, as the mainstream unions would not admit these groups - the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters probably the longest established.
These positions were initially unpaid, and then on a lesser scale. Diner waiters would have small bags round their necks which they placed their tips into. It became an issue in WW2 when these crews were assigned to long distance troop trains, with enlisted soldiers unused to this approach, poorly paid themselves, and bringing their own attitudes. Some railroads, though not all, paid these crews extra when running these trains.
Allied with this, these positions stayed with long distance trains from start to finish, maybe over several days, with accommodation often in an old coach attached to the rear. Operating crews very strictly stayed within their own division and were changed en route; such an approach is still how it is nowadays.
These positions were initially unpaid, and then on a lesser scale. Diner waiters would have small bags round their necks which they placed their tips into. It became an issue in WW2 when these crews were assigned to long distance troop trains, with enlisted soldiers unused to this approach, poorly paid themselves, and bringing their own attitudes. Some railroads, though not all, paid these crews extra when running these trains.
Allied with this, these positions stayed with long distance trains from start to finish, maybe over several days, with accommodation often in an old coach attached to the rear. Operating crews very strictly stayed within their own division and were changed en route; such an approach is still how it is nowadays.
I travelled on the Coast Starlight and California Zephyr in 2018 and I can't recall seeing any sleeper passengers tipping in the restaurant car. As you always sit at a table with other passengers, I think it would be awkward to tip if no-one else at the table does (or vice versa of course). I did tip the carriage attendant when I got off (maybe $20 for the Zephyr) but I don't know whether others were tipping or not.
I'm surprised to read of so many accounts where passengers haven't been tipping. I've done all the overnight routes at least once and I think I've witnessed it only a couple of times. It's true that it is by no means universal but most passengers do tip and in my view it's bad form as a tourist to make a point of not doing so.
Would it be completly obvious to someone unfamiliar that a tip is expected? I suspect it's less tourists making a point and more people not understanding the expectation (otherwise those people would also be refusing to tip in restaurants). Even in the US, nobody tips on a plane, in an airline lounge, etc, so if someone isn't aware they could assume trains are the same.
Oh they do tip in airline lounges!
Royston Vasey
Established Member
I always tip a dollar a drink for bar service in a US airport lounge! Even for the free drinks.
It never occurred to me to tip for the baggage car attendant on the Coast Starlight, or cafe counter service in the Sightseer Lounge, but would have tipped if I was having a sit down meal and been served a restaurant style meal, unless it was totally undeserved of course.
I did use Amtrak Acela First Class a number of times on the North East Corridor, where the service was always very attentive, and I was regularly offered more wine/beer, and I would normally hand the attendant ten bucks when alighting (or leave it on the table with my empties). I always sensed they worked hard for tips, and expected them.
Ballyheigue
Member
I don't get any tips in my poorly paid job (13.45 per hour) so I'm not tipping anyone.
railfan99
Established Member
I have never tipped Amtrak staff, as they are not on US$2.50 per hour (or the equivalent in 2026 US$) as are many who work for private sector restaurants.
If you google presents for flight crew there are plenty of pages discussing this US thenominum where cabin crew can't accept tips but can accept small gifts wbich are given by passengers increasingly.
GRALISTAIR
Established Member
Having lived in the United States for 25 years I got used to and embraced tipping. My wife hates it. To answer the OP question though, I would tip $10.
Probably more sympathetic to this approach if the US didn't do this...mainly by invading them.
A charge we Brits are surely innocent of.
Recently?
nanstallon
Member
- Joined
- 18 Dec 2015
- Messages
- 1,059
Tipping is degrading, and not to be encouraged. Not wanting to go OT, but I saw on a National Express coach (in UK) notices by the windows encouraging tipping the driver. Usual British aping USA.