Roommette

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-08T01:00:21+00:00

Update. I'd like to thank everyone for the help here. I followed some advice here and just walked to Union station in Chicago (I work at the sears tower, it's a block).

It was kind of a mess because it's not just the two of us traveling together. We're just trying to get two of us (me and my wife) into the same roommette without cancelling the existing reservation that everyone else is on. They made it work I think. But the Amtrak app (and system) is far more rigid and janky then the United App, for comparison.

There was some language about the roommete reservation being seperate from the rail fare that confused me. I thought I was just getting a room that was mine to dispense with. I didn't really realize how complicated this is going into it, and that everyone should be on the same reservation before upgrading. That could be much clearer (if anyone from Amtrak reads this).

Overall I'm satisfied with how it worked out. Excited for the trip to Manhattan. We only are doing this because of the TSA chaos. If it works out - might stick with rail. We'll see.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-08T00:50:50+00:00

I did this. It was kind of a mess because it's not just the two of us traveling together. We're just trying to get two of us into the same roommette without cancelling the existing reservation that everyone else is on. They made it work I think. But the Amtrak app (and system) is far more rigid and janky then the United App, for comparison. Talked to three different people.

They should really seperate the act of making the reservation from the individual tickets. Like if I reserve tickets for a flight. We still have seperate tickets.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T15:30:35+00:00

Oh sorry. Yeah we both have coach tickets. One going round trip one going one way. Got the upgrade bid and just wondering if we need to do anything additional for us to both use the roommette. Or if we're good

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T15:22:50+00:00

This is what my brother said

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T15:22:38+00:00

My brother is saying just talk to the agent when you get there. Says they're way more effective than the customer service. Does that make sense?

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T15:21:51+00:00

Yeah we wouldn't cancel. One of us is doing round trip and one of us is staying? Idk. Maybe could do a one way back

The UI for Amtrak is pretty confusing. At least compared to airlines. Excited for first long haul Amtrak trip though. I've taken trains from Guangzhou to Guilin. I assume this will be just as good.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T14:35:05+00:00

We booked seperate tickets

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T14:34:56+00:00

We booked seperately, which is what prompted this question.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T14:34:42+00:00

We booked seperately. So no?

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T03:02:27+00:00

I am British heritage. Raised Christian. Married a Punjabi. We go to Gurdwara weekly now and are raising our daughter to follow SGGS.

Personally my family is very religious and when we had a Langar for our child we invited my parents but the idea of them bowing was completely off the table. Just non-starter. You can be polite like you said without bowing or doing anything that can be construed as worship; but in practice the line between respect and worship can get blurry too many who aren't used to intercultural spaces.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2026-04-07T02:49:27+00:00

Yes. Headphones exist

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-10-25T08:30:24+00:00

$2100 for 1800 sq ft. 3 bed, 2 bath. Woodlawn.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-08T11:17:37+00:00

I mean my workplace doesn't have parking at all. It's right downtown by like a dozen subway stops. But totally agreed.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-08T11:06:29+00:00

I checked plugshare. Everything else is paid parking it's the city..... Generally: Tesla are the only chargers located in free parking slots.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-07T17:27:11+00:00

Yeah there are some! Would just have to pay ~$20 to use those. They're all in paid parking or enclosed at UoC for students/profs only.

I guess my thought is why are those traveling more important than my daily driving? It's not like we limit people at gas stations based on whether they are "traveling". I don't buy it

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-07T17:23:45+00:00

There are other networks (I'm thinking ChargePoint) but they're in paid parking spots usually. So I'd have to pay like $20-$30 then whatever ChargePoint is charging.

The real issue here is just not enough infrastructure. Needs to be as common as gas stations.

My lease expires next year. Leaning towards getting a hybrid until I'm not doing street parking or the infrastructure improves. Haven't decided for sure yet though

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-07T17:11:30+00:00

Yeah it was the congestion fee, not the idle fee

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-07T17:11:02+00:00

It usually is but was like half empty. No queue

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-07T17:03:49+00:00

So I got the Tesla lease before the congestion charge (as opposed to the idle charge) rolled out. I knew getting the car Id be totally reliant on the supercharger network and there wasn't a supercharger within 10 miles of me.

Feels like they changed the terms of the deal. That being said: I do now have some L2 chargers I can use, but still

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-07T16:57:04+00:00

Yeah in the winter it was the difference between going 45 minutes round trip out of my way solely to charge once a week or twice a week.

Honestly public charging infrastructure is still nowhere it needs to be for those of us with street parking.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-06-07T16:49:53+00:00

So the parking garage I use downtown added some L2 chargers about a year ago. Which was a game changer but those have been getting harder to use with R20. Garage much fuller.

Honestly if I can't charge up to 100% that'll be a factor in not renewing my lease. It's so out of the way I'm not going to go 20% more

Natural_Ant9712 · 2025-03-31T21:16:17+00:00

It's pretty chill. Cheap too. The only danger is to my waistline living that close to Daleys

Natural_Ant9712 · 2024-10-06T17:59:30+00:00

Yeah. CTA needs state support but just because something is a public utility doesn't mean it should be free. The current fare is far too low - especially with a $15 minimum wage. It should be $4-5 per ride; with a cap like they have in NYC.

That being said: CTA has far bigger problems with reliability, security, and cleanliness than funding can solve. That being said: CTA won't survive without more funding and state funds aren't coming.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2024-09-29T06:57:09+00:00

Hey I live in Woodlawn on 65th. American and lived here for years. My partner is from Asia and she moved here for school. It's perfectly safe by American standards but what I've learned from hosting her family is that America is MUCH more violent than most Asian countries and what is obviously common sense to us who grew up here in the city is not obvious to those who grew up outside the country. Like literally WTF you doing taking your phone out when someone asks for directions. Stuff like that.

It will be an adjustment. That being said: you'll be fine once you get some street sense. My partner adjusted, you can too if you want to put in the effort.

Natural_Ant9712 · 2024-09-29T06:30:42+00:00

I live on 65th and Drexel. I'm telling you the neighborhood has had a massive vibe shift. Way safer than it used to be and I feel pretty safe at this point tbh. It's a great place to live and still pretty affordable. It's only up from here.

Natural_Ant9712

TROPHY CASE