slimcr

Got a couple of questions regarding a train trip in the United States.... perhaps you guys can shed some light on the situation...

1. How much cheaper would it be for that person to go by train and not just fly across?

2. If someone where to go from California to New York by train, how long would it take to do so?

3. How can it take a person 3 weeks to do such trip? Under like ridiculous worst case scenario circumstances, wouldnt it still take alot less than 3 weeks to make the trip?

4. If someone is illegally (immigrant) in the United States, would you still be able to get on a train and make such a trip or do they require some sort of id?

5. Amtrack is the only train company Ive heard of, are there others?

Thanks for your time.

And no, none of this has anything to do with me

shakran

not a whole lot cheaper if you want to go comfortably (sleeping car = first class, but keep in mind all meals are free if you pick that choice) but it's a LOT more fun.

assuming Los Angeles to NYC, you'd leave LA at 6:45pm and arrive in NYC at 6:25pm, 3 days later.

Generally, if you take 3 weeks, you're stopping at lots of places and getting off for a few days to explore, then continuing the trip.


Used to be that would be no problem. After 9/11, however, you must present ID. Of course, foriegn travellers do travel by train so it's not like you'd automatically be forbidden to travel by train. Of course the real question is, if someone's an illegal, WTF are they doing in my country. Get legal or get the hell out.


Yes, but they're generally regional scenic trains (Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge steam loco's, Cumbres-Toltec steam locos, the Minnesota Zephyr dinner/music show train, etc) Amtrak is pretty much it for distance travel.

maleficent

USA Rail Pass for Foreign Residents

North America Rail Pass

It's definitely cheaper for a non-US citizen on the rauls - but if you book the flight more than 2 weeks ago, it's cheaper to fly. You can fly from LA to Newark for under 150 bucks round trip with 2 weeks notice.

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slimcr

the scenic stuff is out of the question. The person that did this is my girlfriends deadbeat dad who said he wouldnt be able to call or send them money for three weeks because he was making the trip to move to NY from CA.

It sounded like bullshit so I thought Id look into it a little...

fresprite

train from nyc to lax, 3 days as mentioned above, cost 260,

plane to lax to nyc, 232 for same day, travel time, 8 hours

Even if he went on the american orient express, its a ten day trip, and only in november, costing 4000 dollars, but its also a scenic trip and not a type of train that you be using to move stuff in. and goes from dc to la. so the deadbeat dad is obviously lying.

Heres a list of all us trains

http://www.narprail.org/linksserv.htm