Any amtrak experts out there?

[cjnix29]

Taking a train across country has been on my mom's bucket list for a long time. So that is what we got her for Christmas. I've never done this before, but wondered if anyone has any budget tips in doing this? We gave her the choice of where and when she wanted to go. Looks like we are going from Chicago to LA. My sister and I are going with her, any helpful tips would be appreciated!!!

 

[hollypoast]

Taking a train across country has been on my mom's bucket list for a long time. So that is what we got her for Christmas. I've never done this before, but wondered if anyone has any budget tips in doing this? We gave her the choice of where and when she wanted to go. Looks like we are going from Chicago to LA. My sister and I are going with her, any helpful tips would be appreciated!!!

I've taken Amtrak twice. The first trip was from Chicago to Washington DC and the second was from the Wisconsin Dells to St. Paul, MN. I love traveling by train. Its very relaxing and there is plenty of room. A few things that might help to know:

-Travel delays are not uncommon. Some one told me that the rails are owned by commercial trains and they get priority over Amtrak, if needed. Not sure if that's true or not but we did have a 3 hour delay on our way to St. Paul. (short distance so seemed like a big deal)
-Unless it has changed, Amtrak has a crazy, customer friendly cancellation policy. (100% of your $ back if you cancel within 24 hours or something like that.) Check to make sure this is still the case but on our past two trips I cancelled and rebooked when better deals became available.
-Traveling by train is very different than by plane. You go to the train station and when its time, you go out on the platform. An attendent will scan your ticket and you just get on. You also carry your own luggage on with you.
-The seats are much bigger than airline seats and recline enough that you can sleep on them.
-On our trip to DC, a day out we received a call offering an upgrade to a sleeper cabin for $100. Not sure how often that happens.

That's all I can think of now. Have a great trip!

 

[usnuzuloose]

Never been on the train over night. Some of the trains have free wifi. Love it as I can relax, and read or be on the computer. You can bring food with you. Bring your own snacks. Next time I would bring my own pillow and blanket. Sometimes the trains can be on the cool side.
You can also sit in different areas on the train and enjoy the views. Take pictures of pretty scenery.

I forgot how the dining area works. They also have the deli area to buy stuff to eat as well.

 

[kj2mom]

Just took the Amtrak from MA to VA and back again this weekend (13 hours each way). It was a very pleasant experience. I packed a cooler with snacks and drinks so that I didn't have to purchase all of my meals (each way was lunch and dinner on the train). I had brought one of those neck pillows and a blanket but it turned out our train was actually hot as could be, too hot sometimes. The heaters were along the window and the floor under the window so my daughter and I kept switching seats when we got too hot so the person in the window seat could sit in the aisle for a bit to cool off. We had an hour stop in Washington DC so we got off, went up to the food court and grabbed lunch to eat on the train when we got moving again. It was nice to stretch and have something different for a meal. I had printed out the schedule both ways prior to leaving and I was glad I did because it was kind of fun to refer to it to see how far we had come and if we were on schedule etc. We had WiFi and it was actually fairly good. I had read online prior to leaving that they did not allow for streaming but I was able to stream my slingbox sometimes when the signal was strong. One point, which may not matter since you are traveling with other family members, that I didn't realize was that while the information boasts an electric plug for each seat the outlets are along the wall so if you are in the aisle seat you have to reach over the person by the window in order to plug in. I traveled the first 13 hours alone and I wasn't comfortable reaching over the person next to me so I didn't plug anything in (it worked out fine but wasn't what I had planned). Coming home my daughter was with me and we shared a row, obviously we had no problem reaching over each other to plug/unplug. All in all, it was a very enjoyable experience for us. It wasn't just a leisure trip for us, my children went to VA for the holiday weekend and I went down in order to bring them home, and I had a bit of trouble deciding whether to drive/fly/train. In the end I am very glad we took the train!

 

[lanejudy]

I used to travel by Amtrak quite regularly. I'm not sure how long your mom's trip will be, or whether you booked coach or a sleeper or business class -- I always traveled reserved coach. My biggest budget tip is to bring food. I recall the food onboard was very expensive. My trips were usually overnight and often involved 2 mealtimes, so I packed a little Igloo cooler with enough to get me through, and maybe bought a snack onboard if needed. I enjoyed traveling by Amtrak. Have a great trip!

 

[Lintasare]

Be warned the ride can be bumpy. You said you are traveling Chicago to LA. That is the Southwest Chief and the tracks in NM are very bumpy. I would suggest having one meal in the dining car. I did dinner on my way out to California over Thanksgiving and it was very nice and the price isn't shabby. It's was $18 and change for a half roasted chicken with sides and a drink. And I tipped on top of that. As you are going through Southern CO and Northern NM try to sit in the observation car. The views are worth it.

If you are not in a sleeper definitely take a pillow and light blanket. I also recommend ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones. The trains can be loud, especially if you are near where the cars connect. When the doors open you hear all the train noise.

 

[msmama]

I just read this article the other day. He makes the whole thing sound very tempting!

http://dereklow.co/across-the-usa-by-train-for-just-213/

(There are tips at the end of the article).

 

[Pooh2]

OP, are you going on the California Zephyr?
Last summer, we did the California Zephyr from Emeryville, CA to Chicago,then the Lakeshore limited to Boston. It was a fantastic trip!
The scenery through the midwest was phenomenal.
Are you in coach or sleeper rooms?
The sleepers include meals in the price of the ticket and sleepers get first dibs on reservations in the dining room. Great way to meet new people.
If you are in coach, bring plenty of snacks and drinks in a small softsided cooler just in case the dining room runs out of space.
Sleepers have access to showers, coach seats do not have access to the shower area.
Be sure to bring a camera. We took a ton of photos out the window, as well as at the stations during leg stretch breaks. Take lots of photos of your mom at the various stops to commemorate her special trip.
Have a wonderful time!

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Looks like we are going from Chicago to LA.

Have you heard of this train service: Pullman Rail Journeys? They have a very special train that does overnight trips from Chicago to New Orleans.

Anyway, I take Amtrak pretty frequently, from Washington DC to NY and cities in Virginia and West Virginia. I did the auto train from Orlando to DC for the first time this summer. I've had a Bedroom and Roomette on Viewliner trains, and family bedroom on a Superliner (auto train). I can't imagine doing an overnight trip in coach. Think of the crying babies, hard-of-hearing folks, flatulence, and snoring that could keep you up, let alone the swaying of the train and the train horn.

Throw in that Amtrak is government owned and is less successful than the postal service, and you can set the appropriate level of expectations for the experience. The food is lowest-bidder microwave heatable frozen entrees. The schedule is more of an aspiration, and its not unusual for the long-distance trains to be running 4, 8, or 12+ hours late.

That all being said, the views can be awesome, its a great way to go if everything works right, and the experience can be unique.

On the other hand, I used to have a dream of doing a long distance overnight trip out west like the one you're planning. Then I actually did an overnight on Amtrak, and I'm not so sure. It was tough to sleep. And no matter how awesome the view is, if you miss an entire night's sleep, you don't really care about the outside world. That being said, I'm planning to do an overnight on Amtrak again next summer on the auto train, but this time with a sleep aid and no kids. If I don't sleep better on that trip, I'm going to abandon the idea of a exotic train trip on Amtrak, and try it someplace where the train system is meant for passengers, like in Europe or Asia.

 

[Miffy]

OP--The Amtrak cancellation policy is no longer 100% refund, as a PP stated. Not sure exactly what it is, but there are cancellation fees and may even be rescheduling fees.

I'd strongly advise booking a sleeper car. The fun and glamour of train travel might wear a bit thin without a private compartment and a bed to sleep in! We take Amtrak from NYC to Orlando and always have a roomette--makes things much more pleasant.

 

[mistysue]

There is an amtrak credit card which works like the airline ones with miles. If you go to their site it will tell you the current deals. You do get miles for signing up. DH now commutes by train for work every week (5 hour trip, stays in the city M-F) and enjoys the experience every time.

 

[Minniedap]

Nine of us did the Amtrak trip from Chicago to LA four years ago. We traveled in the summer. On the way there the train was not full so the odd numbered person got to sit alone. On the way back the train was full (due to the northern route being cancelled because of wild fires) so I had to sit next to a stranger and that was a bit uncomfortable. The lounge car is a great place to sit and visit with people. We did eat one meal in the dining car and enjoyed it. I would bring snacks and some drinks in a cooler. The train was cold at night. I would do the train again but we all kind of agreed that a trip with only 1 night on the train would be best.

 

[cjnix29]

OP, are you going on the California Zephyr?
Last summer, we did the California Zephyr from Emeryville, CA to Chicago,then the Lakeshore limited to Boston. It was a fantastic trip!
The scenery through the midwest was phenomenal.
Are you in coach or sleeper rooms?
The sleepers include meals in the price of the ticket and sleepers get first dibs on reservations in the dining room. Great way to meet new people.
If you are in coach, bring plenty of snacks and drinks in a small softsided cooler just in case the dining room runs out of space.
Sleepers have access to showers, coach seats do not have access to the shower area.
Be sure to bring a camera. We took a ton of photos out the window, as well as at the stations during leg stretch breaks. Take lots of photos of your mom at the various stops to commemorate her special trip.
Have a wonderful time!

We are actually going to go on the Southwest Chief. I would rather do the Zephyr, but mom doesn't like elevation, and its her trip, so her call. I am going to book roomettes, as mom insists that she needs something to lie down on. We have taken the Lakeshore to Boston before, but it was probably over 25 years ago.

Thanks everyone for all your input! keep it coming!! No idea what to expect as far as showers, when you may be able to get off the train, etc. Thanks!

 

[Miffy]

mom insists that she needs something to lie down on

A sleeper has more than just a place to lie down--it has privacy and quiet, two things that coach can't provide.

There are showers on the Southwest Chief, according to two websites I found. I believe all sleeping car accommodations on Amtrak provide a shared shower room.

There are tons of videos on YouTube showing the very train you're taking if you'd like to check it out ahead of time.

And have a fantastic trip!

 

[Pooh2]

Our car attendant announced at each stop if we could get off to stretch our legs and how long we would be stopped for. I would not wander far from the car though. A few times the break was shorter than expected to make up time.

Roomettes have shared showers with the other roomettes. They look roomier than the shower in the bedroom compartment. Towels are provided but we brought our own travel size shampoo and shower gel.

Breakfast and lunch are first come, first serve. We went early before a line built up (and they may run out of favorite items).

Dinner is by reservation, the car attendant will come to you during the afternoon at your roommette to ask what time you prefer to dine. They will announce when to report for your time over the loud speaker in the car "Those with reservations for 5pm seating may now come to the dining room!"

If your party is less than 4 people, they usually fill in the seats. So you, your mom and sister would likely be sitting with a single traveler in the dining room at all meals. It's a fun way to meet new people. Our car attendant would call out, "If you are a party of less than 4, you WILL be dining with your future friends!"

All meals will be included in your roommette price. We did leave a tip in the dining room ($5 per 2 adults for brk and lunch, $10/2 adults dinner).
We also tipped $20 to the car attendant per night.

Not sure about the Southwest Chief, but the Zephyr had an observation car and lounge where you can visit and get out of the roommette for a bit.

As another poster mentioned, youtube has lots of videos to help you get the lay of the land.

Happy Travels!

 

[Annette M]

We traveled the Southwest Chief many years ago, destination, Disneyland! We enjoyed the experience and would like again someday to experience another train trip. My advice, look at the schedule and shower when the train will have a short stop, much easier! Food was wonderful in the dining car but again that was 18 years ago. We enjoyed the observation car, and our boys slept very well in their bunks.
On our return trip, we stopped off at Flagstaff, Arizona and then toured the Grand Canyon before heading back to Chicago.

 

[PatMcDuck]

My husband takes Amtrak every other weekend, Wash DC to Trenton NJ. (He is working on the new museum for the Smithsonian) Anyway, Amtrak is great. Tips? Book as early as possible for best discount. Do you have AAA? They give a discount, and if you buy as AAA, you get a refund no matter when you cancel. You can switch trains too, no charge. And even after you book, keep an eye on the fare, sometimes it goes down (rare but it happens). Sign up for emails for special deals.

 

[Lintasare]

If you are booking sleeper accommodations then your meals in the dining car are included in your ticket price. I took the Southwest Chief from Albuquerque to California over Thanksgiving to visit friends. I had the chicken with a side of orzo rice pilaf and it was very good. I also had breakfast on the way back. Also was very good.

 

[quirty30]

I just read this article the other day. He makes the whole thing sound very tempting!

http://dereklow.co/across-the-usa-by-train-for-just-213/

(There are tips at the end of the article).

Just to play devil's advocate, I saw this article which calls the above article into question.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-...oss-us-for-213-doesnt-tell-you_b_8930832.html

 

[DanBoris]

We are actually going to go on the Southwest Chief. I would rather do the Zephyr, but mom doesn't like elevation, and its her trip, so her call. I am going to book roomettes, as mom insists that she needs something to lie down on. We have taken the Lakeshore to Boston before, but it was probably over 25 years ago.

Thanks everyone for all your input! keep it coming!! No idea what to expect as far as showers, when you may be able to get off the train, etc. Thanks!

We did the train from Philadelphia to LA a couple years ago and took the Chief on Chicago to LA leg. It is a great ride and you get to see some amazing scenery, especially in Arizona and New Mexico. What is her concern about "elevation"? The Chief does go through some mountainous areas and we did have some problems with our ears because of that on one night. Each sleeper car has a shower with a small (and I mean small) changing room attached to it. Taking a shower on a moving train can be quite tricky so you might want to try to time your shower to one of the longer stops. Most stops are just a few minutes, but there are also stops where they do maintenance, crew changes and re-supply which are longer. You will see these listed on the route guide with both an arrival and departure time. These longer stops are also a good time to get off the train and stretch your legs. Your cabin attendant can tell you how long you will have at the stop so you can walk around on the platform or into the station building. The Albuquerque stop is a nice one because the local American Indians usually have tables setup selling things.