{ "schema_version": 1, "generated": "2026-06-13", "editorial_rules": { "conservative_number_leads": "Standing rule: the smaller/tighter figure leads as the planning number; conflicts recorded both ways, never silently resolved.", "interim_verification": "Official sources recorded from excerpts carry verification:\"pending\" and display as pending our direct verification; upgrades record who and when.", "rulings_applied": "correction-2026-06-13: width_in fields normalized to measurements-only after the Airo prose field rendered a 3-inch planning width; commentary moved to row notes." }, "disclaimer": "Policies and equipment change. Every figure carries its own source URL and date. Verify with the operator before travel.", "operators": [ { "id": "amtrak", "name": "Amtrak", "mode": "rail", "region": "United States", "seat_width": { "summary": "Amtrak coach seats are widely reported at about 23 inches wide -- roughly 5-6 inches wider than a typical domestic economy airline seat -- with no middle seats anywhere in the fleet. Long-distance coaches (Superliner, Amfleet II) add 50-52 inch pitch, leg rests, and deep recline. The catch: Amtrak itself does not publish numeric seat-width specs on its class pages; the numbers below come from reputable secondary sources and measured reviews, so every figure is labeled accordingly. Acela widths conflict between sources (21 vs 23 in for Business); the smaller figure leads.", "by_equipment": [ { "equipment": "Superliner Coach (bi-level, Western long-distance routes)", "cabin": "Coach", "width_in": "23", "source": { "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superliner_(railcar)", "type": "secondary", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "secondary" }, "notes": "secondary; not published by Amtrak" }, { "equipment": "Amfleet I Coach (Northeast Regional and corridor services)", "cabin": "Coach", "width_in": "23", "source": { "url": "https://travelswithkev.com/amtrak-coach-class/", "type": "secondary", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "secondary" }, "notes": "secondary; pitch ~39 in; not published by Amtrak" }, { "equipment": "Amfleet II Coach (single-level long-distance, e.g. Silver Service/Crescent)", "cabin": "Coach", "width_in": "23", "source": { "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amfleet", "type": "secondary", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "secondary" }, "notes": "secondary; pitch ~50-52 in on long-distance config; not published by Amtrak" }, { "equipment": "Acela (legacy trainsets)", "cabin": "Business", "width_in": "21", "source": { "url": "https://railroad.net/seat-specs-for-amtrak-trains-t107496.html", "type": "community_report", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "conflicting" }, "notes": "conflicting: also reported as 23; smaller figure leads; pitch ~42 in" }, { "equipment": "Acela (legacy trainsets)", "cabin": "First", "width_in": "23", "source": { "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acela_Express_(trainset)", "type": "secondary", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "secondary" }, "notes": "secondary; pitch ~42 in" }, { "equipment": "NextGen Acela (Avelia Liberty, in service since 2025)", "cabin": "First", "width_in": "22", "source": { "url": "https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/guest-blog-acelabration-lets-talk-seats/", "type": "secondary", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": "2025", "confidence": "secondary" }, "notes": "cushion width (measured by Rail Passengers Association reviewer" }, { "equipment": "NextGen Acela (Avelia Liberty)", "cabin": "Business", "width_in": "21.5", "source": { "url": "https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/guest-blog-acelabration-lets-talk-seats/", "type": "secondary", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": "2025", "confidence": "secondary" }, "notes": "cushion width (reported as half an inch narrower than First; measured by Rail Passengers Association reviewer" }, { "equipment": "Amtrak Airo (Siemens Venture-based trainsets)", "cabin": "Coach", "width_in": null, "source": { "url": "https://www.trains.com/pro/passenger/amtrak-offers-first-look-at-airo-equipment/", "type": "secondary", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "not_published" }, "notes": "not published (pitch 37 in coach / 39 in business per trade press; Amtrak says 3 in more space between neighboring coach seats than Amfleet)" }, { "equipment": "Viewliner", "cabin": "Coach", "width_in": null, "source": { "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viewliner", "type": "secondary", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "secondary" }, "notes": "n/a -- Viewliner cars are sleeper/dining/baggage equipment only; there are no Viewliner coaches. Coach on Viewliner-equipped trains is Amfleet II." } ], "notes": "Amtrak's own class pages (amtrak.com/reserved-coach-class-seat, /business-class, /first-class-seat) describe 'wide reclining seats with ample legroom' and 'no middle seat' but give no inch figures -- direct page fetch was not possible in this session, so even that qualitative wording is excerpt-derived. The 23-inch coach figure is consistent across multiple independent secondary sources but has not been confirmed on an Amtrak page read directly. Acela Business conflict (21 vs 23 in) recorded both ways; 21 leads per the smaller-figure rule. One practical caveat from community reports: older Amfleet coaches often lack a center armrest between seat pairs, while newer Venture/Airo cars have one -- relevant to plus-size comfort and unverified officially." }, "seatbelt": { "exists": false, "statement": "Amtrak passenger cars have no seatbelts -- there is nothing to buckle, nothing to extend, and no belt-related size issue on any Amtrak train. Passengers are free to get up and move around the train while it is moving.", "length_in": null, "source": { "url": "https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/policies/terms-of-transportation/childrens-policy.html", "type": "operator_official", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "verified", "verification": "pending" }, "notes": "Amtrak does not appear to publish a page that says 'our trains have no seat belts' in so many words. The absence is derivable from official material: Amtrak's children's policy states 'Child car seats cannot be secured to any seats onboard Amtrak trains or buses' (no belts to secure them with), and Amtrak's personal-safety page tells passengers to use handholds, luggage racks, or seatbacks when moving through a moving train -- guidance that presumes unbelted, mobile passengers. Secondary sources state it plainly: 'There are no seat belts aboard an Amtrak train' (Global News, 2017, on rail-safety design rationale; also mentalfloss.com and rd.com). FRA does not require passenger-rail seatbelts; crash-energy-management seat design is the safety approach. Official source is excerpt-derived, hence verification pending despite high confidence." }, "customer_of_size": { "policy_name": "None (no customer-of-size policy exists)", "summary": "Amtrak has no customer-of-size policy, no second-seat requirement, no weight or size limits for passengers, and no belt-extender concept (no belts). This is a verified absence, not a guess: Amtrak's seating policy and accessibility pages address seating broadly and never mention passenger size. The closest official text is the seating policy's 'one seat per fare' principle, which cuts the other way -- a passenger is entitled to one seat, and Amtrak's booking flow does not offer a supported way for one passenger to buy two seats. Practical extra-space routes that ARE official: no-middle-seat 2-2 coach layouts, accessible 'transfer seats' with extra room on all trains (intended for passengers with disabilities), and private rooms (Roomette/Bedroom) for guaranteed personal space.", "second_seat_required_when": "Never. No Amtrak policy requires any passenger to purchase a second seat based on size.", "purchase_process": "Not published. There is no official process for one passenger to book a second seat; community reports (Amtrak Unlimited forums) describe inconsistent agent answers, including that a second seat may be purchasable at full fare by phone, but this is not documented by Amtrak. Passengers wanting guaranteed extra space are pointed (by secondary guides) to private rooms or Business/First where seats are assigned.", "refund_conditions": "Not applicable -- no size-related second-seat purchase exists to refund.", "source": { "url": "https://www.amtrak.com/planning-booking/policies/terms-of-transportation/seating-policy.html", "type": "operator_official", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "not_published", "verification": "pending" }, "notes": "Seating policy ('Passengers are entitled to one seat per fare, to ensure other paying passengers are not excluded') and accessibility pages (amtrak.com/accessible-travel-services, /onboard-the-train-seating-accommodations) reviewed via search excerpts only -- direct fetch blocked, hence verification pending. Accessible 'transfer seats' offer extra room and exist on every train but are described for passengers with disabilities (wheelchair transfer, walker, leg cast, large service animal), not passengers of size; whether a larger passenger may request one is unaddressed. Nothing on amtrak.com found that is addressed to larger passengers specifically. Secondary plus-size travel guides (e.g. fatgirlstraveling.com 'Why Train Travel is Ideal for Plus-Size Travelers') consistently describe Amtrak as size-friendly precisely because no policy exists." }, "outreach": { "items": [ { "id": "amtrak-seat-widths", "topic": "Official seat-width specs by equipment", "question": "Can Amtrak confirm published seat-width figures (in inches) for Superliner coach, Amfleet I/II coach, Airo coach and business, and NextGen Acela business and first? Secondary sources consistently report ~23 in for coach, but we can find no official spec page.", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "amtrak-second-seat", "topic": "Second-seat purchase for one passenger", "question": "Is there a supported way for a single passenger to purchase a second adjacent seat for comfort (online or by phone), and if so, what is the fare and refund treatment? Forum reports describe inconsistent agent answers.", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "amtrak-armrests", "topic": "Armrest configuration by fleet", "question": "Which fleets have a center armrest between coach seat pairs, and does it raise fully flush? Community reports say older Amfleet coaches have no center armrest while newer Venture/Airo cars do -- can Amtrak confirm fleet by fleet?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "amtrak-transfer-seat-eligibility", "topic": "Transfer-seat eligibility for passengers of size", "question": "May a passenger of size who does not use a mobility device request the accessible transfer seat (which offers extra room) at booking, and how is priority handled versus passengers with disabilities?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null } ] }, "gaps": [ "No official Amtrak page publishes numeric seat widths for any equipment type; all inch figures are secondary or measured-by-reviewer.", "Acela Business width conflicts across sources (21 vs 23 in legacy; ~21.5 in measured on NextGen); smaller figure leads pending official confirmation.", "Amtrak Airo seat width not published anywhere found (only pitch: 37 in coach / 39 in business, trade press).", "No documented process for one passenger to buy a second seat; community reports are inconsistent.", "Armrest presence/liftability by fleet is community knowledge only.", "Whether passengers of size may use accessible transfer seats is unaddressed on amtrak.com.", "All official amtrak.com sources in this file are excerpt-derived (direct page fetch unavailable in this session) and carry verification: pending until pages are read directly." ] }, { "id": "greyhound", "name": "Greyhound Lines", "mode": "bus", "region": "United States", "seat_width": { "summary": "Not published. Greyhound's official pages describe 'comfortable leather seats', 'ample legroom', and 'everyone gets a window or an aisle seat' but give no seat-width measurement.", "by_equipment": [ { "equipment": "Prevost X3-45 / MCI D4505 (typical fleet coaches)", "cabin": "Coach", "width_in": null, "source": { "url": "https://www.amtraktrains.com/threads/greyhound-seats-and-fleet-questions.46644/", "type": "community_report", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "community" }, "notes": "approx. 18 (community measurement, cushion width; not official)" } ], "notes": "Official onboard page (greyhound.com/travel-info/onboard) publishes no width figure; secondary blogs cite 17.5-18 in but are undated content-farm sources, so only the forum measurement is recorded. Fleet is largely MCI D4505 and Prevost X3-45 coaches in 2x2 layout, all seats window or aisle (no middle seats)." }, "seatbelt": { "exists": true, "statement": "Official Bus Features page: 'All of our new buses have three-point safety belts (that's most of our fleet)' — shoulder and lap harnesses, usable with standard child car seats. Older coaches may lack belts.", "length_in": null, "source": { "url": "https://www.greyhound.com/travel-info/onboard", "type": "operator_official", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "verified", "verification": "pending" }, "notes": "Belt length is not published. Wording 'most of our fleet' means belt availability is not guaranteed on every departure. Secondary trade press (metro-magazine.com) reports Greyhound began equipping its fleet with seat belts in 2009." }, "extender": { "available": null, "how_to_request": "", "personal_extenders_allowed": null, "restrictions": [], "source": { "url": "https://www.greyhound.com/help-and-info", "type": "operator_official", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "not_published" }, "notes": "No official Greyhound page found that mentions seat-belt extenders, belt length, or personal extender rules. Outreach required." }, "customer_of_size": { "policy_name": "No named customer-of-size policy; 'reserve the seat next to you' option", "summary": "Greyhound publishes no customer-of-size rule and no requirement for larger passengers to buy a second seat. Its Seat Reservations page offers the ability to 'reserve the seat next to you if you need additional room' for a route-dependent fee.", "second_seat_required_when": "Not published — no official trigger (e.g., armrest test) found.", "purchase_process": "During initial booking only: when adding the passenger to the booking you can reserve the adjacent seat (fee varies by route, schedule, booking time, and seat category). Seats cannot be added or changed after the ticket is booked. A secondary report (mightytravels.com, Oct 2024) describes a 'Neighbor-free' option with the second seat at a 45% discount; this figure is not confirmed on greyhound.com, so the tighter official reading (route-dependent fee, no stated discount) leads.", "refund_conditions": "Seat reservation can be cancelled up to 15 minutes before departure; refund is issued as a voucher (per official Seat Reservations page).", "source": { "url": "https://www.greyhound.com/travel-info/seat-reservations", "type": "operator_official", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "verified", "verification": "pending" }, "notes": "Secondary 45% second-seat discount claim: https://www.mightytravels.com/2024/10/greyhounds-reserved-seating-policy-a-step-towards-better-bus-travel/ (type: secondary, accessed 2026-06-13, published 2024-10, confidence: secondary). Same source notes onboard enforcement of assigned seating is inconsistent. Armrest design between seat pairs is not documented officially. Greyhound is owned by Flix; booking flows mirror FlixBus." }, "outreach": { "items": [ { "id": "greyhound-seat-width", "topic": "Seat dimensions", "question": "What is the seat width (between armrests) and seat pitch on your current MCI D4505 and Prevost X3-45 coaches, and is there a movable armrest between seat pairs?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "greyhound-belt-length-extenders", "topic": "Seatbelts / extenders", "question": "How long are the three-point seatbelts on your newer coaches, and do drivers carry seat-belt extenders? Are passengers allowed to use their own extenders?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "greyhound-cos-policy", "topic": "Customer of size", "question": "Is a passenger who cannot fit within one seat required to purchase a second seat, and what happens on the day of travel on a sold-out bus if a passenger needs two seats but only reserved one?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "greyhound-second-seat-pricing", "topic": "Second-seat purchase", "question": "Is the 'neighbor-free' adjacent seat sold at a discount (reports say 45%), and can it be added after the original booking or refunded to the original payment method rather than as a voucher?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null } ] }, "gaps": [ "Seat width and pitch not published anywhere official", "Seatbelt length not published; belts only on 'most of our fleet' — coverage by route unknown", "No official information on seat-belt extenders (availability or personal-extender rules)", "No formal customer-of-size policy; second-seat trigger, day-of handling, and armrest design undocumented", "Secondary 45% second-seat discount figure unconfirmed on greyhound.com", "Official page claims sourced from search excerpts (direct fetch unavailable) — verification pending" ] }, { "id": "flixbus", "name": "FlixBus (US)", "mode": "bus", "region": "United States", "seat_width": { "summary": "Not published. FlixBus US pages advertise 'comfortable seats and plenty of space' and extra-legroom seat categories but give no seat-width measurement.", "by_equipment": [], "notes": "US FlixBus routes are run by contracted local operators using standard 2x2 motorcoaches (often the same MCI/Prevost types as Greyhound, which Flix owns); equipment varies by operator partner, so width likely varies. Secondary sources describe premium/extra-legroom rows with about 2-4 in more legroom but no width figure." }, "seatbelt": { "exists": true, "statement": "FlixBus US help article 'What about safety onboard the bus?': wearing your seatbelt is obligatory at all times on board; every seat has a safety belt that must remain secured for the duration of the trip.", "length_in": null, "source": { "url": "https://help.flixbus.com/s/article/PSSP-What-about-safety-onboard-the-bus?language=en_US", "type": "operator_official", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "verified", "verification": "pending" }, "notes": "Belt type is not specified for the US fleet; FlixBus's child-seat help article says child safety seats 'must be secured with 2-point belts', implying at least some coaches have lap-only belts, while Greyhound-operated equipment advertises three-point belts. Recorded both ways; belt type per US coach is unresolved. Belt length not published." }, "extender": { "available": null, "how_to_request": "", "personal_extenders_allowed": null, "restrictions": [], "source": { "url": "https://help.flixbus.com/s/?language=en_US", "type": "operator_official", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "not_published" }, "notes": "No FlixBus official page found that mentions seat-belt extenders or belt length. Outreach required." }, "customer_of_size": { "policy_name": "No named customer-of-size policy; extra-seat booking", "summary": "FlixBus publishes no customer-of-size rule and no requirement for larger passengers to buy a second seat. Its Terms and Conditions of Carriage formalize an 'extra seat' purchase: the fee for an extra seat is governed by current valid ticket prices (i.e., you pay a second fare), and the extra seat is not an additional claim for carriage and may not be transferred to another person.", "second_seat_required_when": "Not published — no official trigger found.", "purchase_process": "Book the extra seat during the initial booking (in practice, by booking a second adjacent seat/fare; seat reservations cannot be added after the ticket has been booked, per the seat-reservation terms). Seat-reservation fees vary by route, line, seat category (aisle, window, row, table) and booking time.", "refund_conditions": "Not published specifically for extra seats; standard FlixBus cancellation terms apply to the underlying ticket. Outreach required for extra-seat-specific refunds.", "source": { "url": "https://global.flixbus.com/terms-and-conditions-of-carriage", "type": "operator_official", "accessed": "2026-06-13", "published": null, "confidence": "verified", "verification": "pending" }, "notes": "Seat-reservation mechanics source: https://www.flixbus.com/service/seat-reservations (operator_official, accessed 2026-06-13, confidence: verified, verification: pending). Flix owns Greyhound; in the US the products are converging, but Greyhound's pages describe an adjacent-seat reservation 'if you need additional room' while FlixBus's T&C describe a full-fare extra seat — recorded per-operator. Armrest design between seats not documented." }, "outreach": { "items": [ { "id": "flixbus-seat-width", "topic": "Seat dimensions", "question": "What is the typical seat width (between armrests) on FlixBus US coaches, and does it differ on extra-legroom rows or between operator partners?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "flixbus-belt-type-length", "topic": "Seatbelts / extenders", "question": "Are US FlixBus coaches fitted with 2-point or 3-point belts, how long are they, and are seat-belt extenders available on board or allowed if a passenger brings their own?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "flixbus-extra-seat-mechanics", "topic": "Extra-seat booking", "question": "For a plus-size traveler in the US, what is the correct way to buy an extra seat (dedicated extra-seat option vs. booking two passenger fares), is it guaranteed to be adjacent, and can it be added after the original booking?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null }, { "id": "flixbus-cos-policy", "topic": "Customer of size", "question": "Is a second seat ever required for passengers who cannot lower the armrest or fit within one seat, and are extra seats refundable if the bus departs with empty seats?", "status": "not_asked", "asked_date": null, "channel": null, "response_date": null, "response_summary": null, "response_quote": null } ] }, "gaps": [ "Seat width not published; US equipment varies by contracted operator", "Belt type for US fleet ambiguous (2-point referenced in child-seat article vs 3-point on Greyhound equipment) — recorded both ways, unresolved", "Seatbelt length not published; no extender information anywhere official", "No formal customer-of-size policy; extra-seat refund conditions and adjacency guarantee undocumented", "Official page claims sourced from search excerpts (direct fetch unavailable) — verification pending" ] } ], "license": "CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) - attribution: SeatRuler, seatruler.com", "canonical_url": "https://seatruler.com/data/transit.json", "cite_as": "SeatRuler transit dataset, seatruler.com/data/, retrieved [date]. Licensed CC BY 4.0." }