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ccjjcc

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Hi, Things are moving along with moving my brother to my state....

I'm wondering what it costs to get a travel companion/caregiver.

We were thinking of flying but he hates to fly and I thought the train would be so much more pleasant and scenic and I think he would really ENJOY it. It's a 2 day, ie 48 hour trip. I've looked at the seats on the Amtrak site and they look wide and comfortable and have a way you can put your feet up like a recliner.

I'm pretty sure he'd be fine. The nurse at the hospital seemed to think he'd be okay. The
problem would be transferring him - from the wheelchair to the seat and then back to the
wheelchair and seat if he had to go sit on the toilet, plus I think there is one train transfer.

I can't do it myself, my back is bad and it seems like he isn't able to help lift, like he is dead
weight until he's up. He can't walk either. I wonder if he'd be okay in that seat for 2 days.

They have sleeping rooms, which have a bed, and he could actually travel in that, probably
sitting up. But again, it's the transfer to and from wheel chair. Plus, it costs too much and I
don't know that I could swing it.

I'm open to ideas, suggestions, the forum is so helpful. Mainly, wondering how much a
companion (with muscles) would cost.
 
is there any family members who can chip in with the cost , my thoughts on a train for 2 days would be hard on him , would he be willing to fly some airlines offer discounts in this situation
 
Amtrak provides a discount for disabled passengers who stay in one of the accessible sleepers. You have to book via phone to get the discount.

Since you want a one-way companion, unless you are willing to pay for return transport, a college student with a reason to go home or something like that might be your best bet. Not sure what your lead time is.

Also, in an accessible sleeper, an attendant will bring your brother meals if needed if that assistance (you will also want to ask for luggage assistance) is printed on his ticket.

As far as the coach option, some trains do have accessible space on the lower level where you just stay in the wheelchair. Again, the booking agent can specify that on the ticket. However, I agree that 2 days upright is just too much. And, as you say, a companion is still needed. Still, the train is a great way to travel and if your brother would prefer it, there is no reason not to try to make it happen.

Also, check the Amtrak Web site for promotions relative to companion discounts, which change monthly, and the Web as a whole for coupon codes between specific city pairs/routes. Of course, you can only apply one discount at a time so if you find a larger discount, you will have to forgo the accessibility discount. Also, if you do find a companion, sometimes you can save time/money by inserting a brief bus leg into the trip and changing trains and/or even doing a stopover and changing direction. The online Amtrak booking engine search results are not always complete, so always check the PDF schedules to make sure you are seeing all the possibilities. The Thruway buses are accessible as well. What two cities are we talking about?

I hope this helps. I am somewhat of an Amtrak expert so let me know if you need further details.
 
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