I traveled in a bedroom and shared bunk cabin on overnight trains in the US and Europe. The bedroom was worth the additional $900.

I'm a travel reporter who has spent 100 hours riding 3,000 miles by train.

For overnight rides, I've saved money by staying in shared spaces and also splurged on private rooms.

Read more: I've spent over 80 hours on overnight trains and made 7 big mistakes, from choosing the wrong bunk to not bringing a pillow

In October 2021, I booked a $1,000 bedroom for a 30-hour Amtrak train ride from Miami to NYC.

Read more: I spent $1,000 to have a room to myself on a 30-hour Amtrak ride, and it's easily the best overnight train accommodation I've ever booked

And then a year later, I booked the cheapest bed I could find on a 12-hour Nightjet train from Vienna, Austria, to Venice, Italy: a bunk in a shared cabin that cost about $80.

Read more: I paid $560 for a 7-day Eurail pass to country hop by train in Europe. I took 8 rides between 6 cities and it was so much better than flying.

The bedroom that I booked through Amtrak was a 45-square-foot space with a sofa that folded out into a bed, a bed that pulled down from the ceiling, and a chair that folded up out of the way.

Source: Amtrak

I thought it was spacious enough to stretch and move around in.

Read more: I paid $500 for a private room on a 30-hour Amtrak ride that came with 2 beds and a toilet. Take a look inside.

Meanwhile, the bunk that I booked through Nightjet was in a 74-square-foot, shared cabin with six beds. Although only four of the beds were booked for my ride, I thought the space felt cramped with three other people.

Read more: I've stayed in tiny spaces around the world. Here's what they've taught me about the best — and worst — small home design tips.

And I felt I had no privacy in the shared cabin, as there was a curtain covering the windowed door to the corridor, but none between the bunks.

Both rooms had tables that pulled out from the wall, but the one in the bedroom was twice as large with two foldout leaves for more space.

Both rooms also had temperature and lighting controls, which I appreciated.

Read more: I've traveled over 950 miles on business-class trains in the US, Canada, and Europe. Here's how they rank from best to worst.

But in the bunk, I had to share them with other travelers.

The bedroom had an enclosed bathroom with a toilet and shower inside.

Outside of the bathroom, there was a vanity with three mirrors next to the couch.

But in the shared cabin, there was no toilet. So I had to use the bathroom in the train car. And I didn't see any showers on board.

Read more: I compared a shared bunk-style cabin and a regular seat on overnight trains in Europe. I wouldn't book either again.

The bedroom also had storage solutions that I didn't see in the Nightjet cabin — a small closet with three hangers and a cabinet with two shelves.

When it was time to sleep, I thought both beds felt thin and a tad uncomfortable, but the blankets on Amtrak's train were softer, in my opinion.

I had a hard time sleeping on both rides, as understandably neither bed was as comfy as my own at home. But I slept more on the Amtrak trains, which I attribute to the comfier blankets and private space.

Read more: I've spent 100 hours traveling over 3,000 miles by train in 5 countries. Here are my 7 tips for making time fly on long rail journeys.

Both tickets included breakfast in the morning. On Amtrak, I had a filling, balanced meal with an egg sandwich, yogurt, oatmeal, and a muffin. Nightjet provided two rolls with butter and jam, which I appreciated, but I could've eaten more.

After trying both options, I personally preferred the private cabin and found it more comfortable than the shared cabin for an overnight ride. It was worth the additional price, in my experience.

Read more: I spent 11 hours with 3 strangers in a shared cabin on a sleeper train in Europe. 6 surprises made me regret my choice.

A representative for OBB Nightjet told Insider that offering "a high level of travel comfort is an important concern for" the company, and that it's "constantly working on improvements to" its services.

Source: Nightjet

Similarly, an Amtrak representative told Insider that it's "constantly evaluating ways to improve the customer experience" it offers.

Source: Amtrak

While I didn't personally enjoy the shared cabin, Nightjet also has private cabins on select routes. In fact, Nightjet's new line of trains coming later this year have private rooms on routes to Italy, according to its website.

Source: Nightjet

 

I can't wait to try them and see how they compare to Amtrak's bedroom.

Read more: I traveled in a shared bunk and a roomette on overnight trains in Europe and the US. The superior ride was worth the additional $400.