keyshawn

Hey,

I'm thinking about embarking on some sort of road trip this summer, and considering amtrak as one of my options for transportation. What's your experiences with it ? How did you feel about it; would you do it again ?

I've only traveled in trains once, last summer [overnight], from Madrid to Barcelona and loved it.
[Besides the culture experience, it was more comfy than a plane ride, not expensive and smooth all around.]

catcha back on the flipside,
will.

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Meditrina

I took Amtrak from NYC to North Carolina, a 16 hour trip, with a 3 year old. I thought the staff to be very helpful and the ride was very comfortable.

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bbbbbb555

i take the amtrak all the time from central california to san diego, and it is usually a good trip. it takes a little more time then driving, but it is cheaper then gas for me, and a lot more relaxing. it takes about 8 hours, so it is nothing like one of the cross country trips. i was thinking about doing something like that over the summer, so i am interested what people have to say about the over night trips. they have some really cheap deals on the website sometimes for long trips.

maleficent

I've gone from Washington to Chicago and then 'cross country. The DC to Was was 16 hours sitting up in a chair, and it was painful - -the chicago to the west coast was in a sleeper car, though most of the time i spent in the bar car playing cards, was much better...

The train trip was fun, but it's definitely part of the trip... if you've got the time, it's a beautiful way to see the country... and it's got some beautiful country to see...

Teh trip I am wanting to take, is a high end train that goes across the rockies... thru canada - -and looks amazing...

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Grasshopper Green

I've traveled in Southern California with Amtrak several times and loved it. It was pretty cheap, less of a hassle than driving, and relaxing. The only other train travel I've done was in Great Britain; I took a train from London to Cardiff, Wales. That was about 2 1/2 hours and I loved that too. I wish the US would get a more extensive rail system; I love traveling by train and would choose trains over planes for shorter distance travel any day. Have fun on your trip!

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Charlatan

I've only travelled by train in Europe but I would love to travel Canada and/or the US by train... I'd also love to travel from Sydney to Perth in Australia.

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shakran

If you can afford it go first class. You get a sleeper, and your meals are included in the price.

It'll be a LOT slower than the train you went on in Europe, but it'll be more comfortable and the food will be much better. Every time I've been on Amtrak the food's been good, and on several occasions it's been excellent.

It's just a fun way to travel - I enjoyed that the travel was part of the experience, rather than a way to get to an experience.

maleficent

I have a few customers in the DC/Maryland area and the Metroliner/Acela is the most efficient way to get there.. It's a little less than flying (last time I took it it was just over 250 round trip), I've taken the train enough that I get upgrades to first class - which is really nice. you can get from NYC to DC in less than 3 hours, and no hassles with security or flight delays. plus on the Acela there's an outlet at every seat so you can work comfortably the entire trip. The high speed trains are awesome...

The train that goes from NYC to Toronto is lovely as well -- especially in the fall, one of the trains has a glass enclosed observation car

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cj2112

I took Amtrak from Tacoma to Los Angeles once, and I thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Of course I was 21 years old, and partying very heavily at the time. Do not attempt to smoke pot on the train, they get kinda testy about it. Bring a bottle (but be discreet), booze is expensive on the train, but it is available. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Traveling by train is an experience everybody should have at least once in their lives.

StephenSa

I used to travel by Amtrak (short jaunts, three to four hours) fairly regularly and loved it. Big comfy seats and nice views you don't get when driving or flying. I'd bring a little bottle of something and myself and a friend would have a few drinks, some nice conversation and just enjoy the ride.

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snowy

I travel by Amtrak regularly here in the PacNW up and down to see my parents about every three months, and I've taken three substantial trips by train in the United States, so if you have any questions, I'm probably the girl to ask. The first trip was an overnight in a sleeper from Seattle down to Oakland on the Coast Starlight, the second was a very long journey around the United States (Portland-->Seattle--->Chicago--->New York--->Washington, D.C.--->Chicago--->Portland), and the third was a two-night trip we took to Denver with a stop in Reno (Portland--->Sacramento--->Reno--->Denver). My parents have traveled around the US by train even more than I have.

First off, on Amtrak, don't be in a hurry. Take the train to TAKE THE TRAIN. Enjoy the trip. It's going to be slow, you're probably going to be late, and things will happen that are out of your control. Amtrak is not like the European rail system, you cannot set your watch by it and I do not advise you to do so--in the case of the Coast Starlight you would regularly end up several hours behind.

Secondly, if you can afford it, do get a sleeper. The coach seating on the majority of the fleet is not particularly comfortable or pleasant, and there are plenty of places in this country where taking a long nap is preferable to watching the countryside (eastern Montana goes on FOREVER). In going first class, all your food is included, which is nice. Amtrak actually has pretty decent food. You also get an attendant in your car who provides you with snacks, drinks and even games sometimes.

Take advantage of the staff! It's likely they've been where you're going and have recommendations about it. Most of them make that trip repeatedly. They LOVE to talk to their passengers if given the chance. On our big trip back East, the dining car staff got to know us pretty well (my brother is a hambone) and gave us tons of recommendations as to what to do and where to eat once we got to Chicago.

Amtrak is expensive. So if you're looking for a cheap option, this is not it. However, the people you will meet on Amtrak (LOTS of different kinds of people take Amtrak) make the expense worthwhile. This is not like an airplane where you're stuck in one spot for the duration, or a car where you're driving for hours on end. This is a train where you can get up, go to the bar car, have some drinks and have some fun. If you take a relaxed attitude, go with the flow, and talk to the people around you, I guarantee you'll have a great time.

Yes, Amtrak has its problems but if you can go with the flow, they're a great way to see the country. You'll definitely get a feel for how BIG the United States really is.

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maleficent

The bar car is especially fun on Sundays, when in certain parts of the country, the counties that the trains go thru are dry.. and the trains aren't allowed to serve alcohol. The bartender would warn us ahead of time and you could stock up...

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greytone

I am looking forward to my first trip on Amtrak in July. I will be going from Atlanta to New Orleans and back for a conference. I figured it would be a good time to try something new. I did book a "roomette" because I figured I would spend at least half the difference on food anyway. Besides, I hope to get some studying done on the way. I'll let you know what I think when I get back.

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onodrim

When I was in middle school, my family traveled to Oregon from Chicago on Amtrack. Other than getting some motion sickness, I remember enjoying the experience a great deal. The seats are really caught roomy and comfortable. The food in the dining car is better than expected. And best of all you can see some terrfic scenery from the obervation car.

In more recent years before I got my car, I would take the train just a few hours from school to Chicago. Again, it was an overall good experience. The only problem I had was that the train was often running a few hours behind. Frustrating, but not a huge problem. Overall, I think traveling by train is a very cost efficient and pleasant way to travel.

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tiltedbc

I took the Coast Starlight Express from Seattle to San Diego and enjoyed the whole trip. Of course I met up with a fun girl and spent most of the time talking to her....

Like was said before, if you can afford a bed get one. Sleeping in coach on ANY train is not a fun experience if you can afford a birth (otherwise known as an "over and under") which are beds that fold down or are made from the seats in the sleeping car.

DON'T buy meals or booze on the train unless you want to pay premium prices for this luxury. Bring what you want along in your backpack or go shopping when the train stops for a longer rest stop.

DON'T get too drunk on a train. The constant motion will really be nasty (as I learnt) just like taking a ferry while you're drunk and start feeling queasy.

DO make an attempt to meet people. Trains usually have an observation car where you can sit and talk with various people. Meet a nice girl/guy you like and invite them back to your birth seating area for drink (which is allowed in sleeping car areas but not coach on most trains).

Amtrack as a rail system isn't too bad. Better than Canadian trains and WAY better than places like Greece, with their narrow gauge rails.

tommylee02

I had tons of fun on the trains in Europe and Asia, but American trains tend to be late, slow and full of weirdos (sorry if you're a weirdo). But at least you can walk around and stretch and not have to succumb to the pressures of long distance driving. Go for it, I bet you come out of the trip with some good stories!

Rodney

Haven't ridden Amtrak in a few years, but I agree with onesnowyowl and tiltedbc. It's slow, it's fun, and it should be considered part of the vacation, not just the trip to the vacation. On long trips, you'll enjoy it a lot more with a compartment. Sleeping in those seats isn't all that much fun, though many do it.

The interesting thing about the train: you cannot avoid meeting people. People start conversations. In the dining car, you _will_ be seated at a table with three people -- there's no room for singletons or single couples. And you'll talk.

snowy

If you get a room in the sleeping car, meals and non-alcoholic drinks are included--it's all part of going "first-class." Every car has a attendant who usually has drinks and snacks on hand in the car for free.

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Anexkahn

I've taken the coast starlight from oregon to cali quite a few times, and really enjoy the ride. It can't be said enough tho that you cannot rely upon the schedules and you should allow as much as a day flex upon arrival and departure if timing is critical because it is not uncommon for amtrak to run as much as 8-10 hours late.

At least in the pacific northwest, Amtrak leases the rails from the freight companies, and as such, passenger trains run secondary to freight. It is not uncommon to sit on a siding for 30mins to an hour between stops waiting for a freight train to come through.

Overall tho, i have really enjoyed traveling by train and would recommend it.

snowy

Tne only section of rail in the US I know of that Amtrak owns exclusively are the tracks for the Acela Express in the East. However, good portions of the country are double-tracked. It's when passenger trains get stuck behind freight in areas of the country without double tracking (think rural) that Amtrak gets behind--and it's really not their fault. There's only so much they can do as in the majority of places freight comes first.

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