I spent $500 to have my own room on a 30-hour Amtrak ride. Take a look inside the 20-square-foot private cabin.

Business Insider's reporter traveled by train down the East Coast from New York to Miami in an Amtrak Viewliner roomette. Joey Hadden/Business Insider This 20-square-foot train cabin was my home for 30 hours. I spent $500 for the private space aboard an Amtrak train from NYC to Miami. Take a look around the tiny hotel room on the rails. I'll never forget my first Amtrak roomette . Before I'd spent roughly 200 hours on overnight trains in the US and Europe, I had no idea what to expect on the 30-hour journey from New York City to Miami in October 2021. It was my first overnight Amtrak trip, and I was set on having a bed in a private space. So I spent $500 on a roomette accommodation — the lowest-tier private cabin on Amtrak sleeper trains. The 22.75-square-foot cabin contained two beds, a toilet, and basic amenities.