Has anyone traveled via Amtrak?

Question

I think it would be a cool way to take a cross-country trip. Bus to Flagstaff, then go from Flagstaff to Chicago to D.C. to NYC and stay a day or two in each city. More in NY because that was where we had planned to go in the first place.

Please share your experiences. Thanks.

Answer 1

I traveled from El Paso, Tx. to San Antonio on Amtrak about 6 months back. It was very nice, but unfortunately there were a few problems with the trip.

First, the train was late. And I don't mean 10-15 minutes late. I'm talking a full 6 hours late. Fortunately the station was within walking distance of some restaurants, and I brought a few books and my camera with me, because I may have otherwise died of boredom.

Second, if you can get first-class tickets, DO IT. Not only is your meal included with your ticket, but you have your own little compartment with two seats (meaning that you don't have to squeeze between a bunch of people you don't know, and it's WAY more comfortable) that can also be converted into a two-bed sleeper. This is especially important since it looks like you're gonna be on the train for more than 12 hours.

Third, be prepared to eat with people you don't know. The steward for your car will call your compartment to go to whatever meal, and you go and sit at whatever chair is open, no matter if there's already people at the table. There's generally four to a table, so if there's three people and an open seat, I can guarantee you'll be in that chair.

Oh, and MAKE SURE THE DOOR IS LOCKED when you go to the bathroom to either do your business or take a shower. The train will bump around and the door WILL open if it gets jarred hard enough. And be nice to the stewards, as a general rule they will have not slept in about 3 days and will bring you extra orange juice if you're not mean to them.

That's all the wisdom I have to impart. Feel free to ask if you would like to know more. :)

Answer 2

You will take the Southwest Chief train, that is not one of the every and ever late trains like the Sunset Limited. The problem of the late trains and bad tracks are a consequence of the private freight carriers that priorize the share holders money over track maintenance and train dispatching. From Chicago to DC there are two routes, the thrice weekly Cardinal and the daily Capitol Limited. If you can go via sleeping car, better! DC to NY is easy, there are a lot of fast trains between them. Please look at www.amtrak.com to see deals, accomodation, passes, etc, if you purchase tickets well in advance they cost less. You also can order a magazine with description of routes from Amtrak, and also a timetable. You can also see the delay of trains from the website.

Answer 3

I took the train once from NYC to RI, and it was a wretched experience. In general, Amtrak is said to be over-priced and consistently unreliable in terms of keep to its schedules, and I found this to be the case. The trains are dark and gloomy as well, and they won't get you to your destination any faster than a bus would.... They move at a snail's pace. With the money you'd spend on a ticket, you could easily take a plane... and that is what I suggest you do rather than use Amtrak.

Answer 4

I took the Amtrak from Portland, OR to Milwaukee, WI. The first day was fun, but by the second day I was really ready to get off the train. I think it is great for a one day ride, but spending the night on the train, not so good. You can get a sleeper car, but when I took the train, a sleeper car cost more than a plane ticket was. Also after spending two and a half days on the train, everything rocked back and forth on me after I got off, I felt like I was still on the train.

Answer 5

It is slow going, compared to flying.
But consider all the great options:
Room to sleep, eat, drink.
A large bathroom and you can walk around, before/during/after "take-off", without having to be buckled in.
The scenery is fantastic.

The only thing I don't like is the fact that much of the track is not kept up.
What I mean is that in Europe, the tracks are awlays in great shape and a smooth ride.
In the States, there is always a lot of bumps and thumps due to poorly maintained rail.

Go - enjoy and let us know how it went.

Answer 6

Very easy way of traveling. If you are old enough you can have a drink with your meal.
More leg room, can get up and walk around when you want to, seats are bigger than a bus and are generally more comfortable.

Go for it. Enjoy my city, Washington, D.C.

Answer 7

Amtrak was a nice experiance.
Although I was only in the train a couple of hours, it was much nicer than going by car.
It's less bumpy.
and you have more leg room.
And there isn't that fret or fear of falling out of the sky, or hitting another car.
And it's, supposedly, cheaper than airline tickets.

Answer 8

the buss iS a a horror
hot noisey no food
go by amtr ack plenty of room,,,, food ,,,,,toileT cheap
read a book
go from nyc to buffallow in the fAll along the hudson BEAUTIFUL