Long train ride?

[stsomewhere]

We are considering taking Amtrak from Chicago to Vancouver for a cruise. We would get 2 sleeper rooms.
If you have done this...would you recommend taking the train one way and flying the other?
My husband loves the idea of a train trip across the country.
It is about 50 hours with 2 overnights.

My daughter, 10, has no preference. My son, 13, wants to fly one way.
It does not matter to me.

Any suggestions or tips would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[chabs]

No way! The train is not fun. We did it once for 30 hours and I couldn't wait to get off. We had booked a round trip, but DH and I hated it so much that we spent big $ to fly back. We thought it would be fun too, but it really is rather boring. Also, the longer you are on a train, the dirtier it gets.

It's fun for about the first 2 hours-then you want to get there already.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I would totally go one way on the train simply because traveling by train with a sleeper car is one of the things on my list of things I want to do in my lifetime. I love the idea, it's so unique! I blame it on my love of the character "Piorot" (David Suchet) , one of Agatha Christie's creations whose stories are set in the early 1900's, I think.

Even so, I would probably fly home, there comes a point where novelty wears off and things get annoying, I would bet one way would be enough of an experience.

 

[stsomewhere]

I am now leaning toward taking the train there and flying back.

 

[clh2]

I've taken 3 long distance train trips. LOVED THEM. Each unique and different for a variety of reasons. Took the train from Chicago to San Fran, Seattle and then San Fran again. We flew back each time.

My only word of caution would be - just make sure there is enough time to allow for significant delays - because they happen. Personally - I would allow at least an additional 24 hours - JUST in case something happens. (On our Seattle trip - we had to have the dining car pulled off in Racine, due to a major malfunction. My DH is a rail-fan, so this was quite cool for him. We arrived into Seattle HOURS late due to something that happened 50 miles out of Chicago.

On one of our San Fran trips - there was a train derailment "ahead of us" so we did not go through the Rockies, we went "around the Rockies". Ironically - this was the only time we arrived on time. The "back-up" tracks we used were double-line the whole detoured way.

Personally - I'd jump at the chance to take a long-distance train trip - but only if I can have a sleeper! I will refuse to do a 2-night train trip in coach. And...the coach gets quite "gamey" after the first night.

 

[bellebud]

No way! The train is not fun. We did it once for 30 hours and I couldn't wait to get off. We had booked a round trip, but DH and I hated it so much that we spent big $ to fly back. We thought it would be fun too, but it really is rather boring. Also, the longer you are on a train, the dirtier it gets.

It's fun for about the first 2 hours-then you want to get there already.

just curious - did you do a sleeper room, or just seats?

 

[SaraJayne]

We've had friends that have done the train long distance and they said no way in heck would they ever ever ever take the train again.

 

[stsomewhere]

I've taken 3 long distance train trips. LOVED THEM. Each unique and different for a variety of reasons. Took the train from Chicago to San Fran, Seattle and then San Fran again. We flew back each time.

My only word of caution would be - just make sure there is enough time to allow for significant delays - because they happen. Personally - I would allow at least an additional 24 hours - JUST in case something happens. (On our Seattle trip - we had to have the dining car pulled off in Racine, due to a major malfunction. My DH is a rail-fan, so this was quite cool for him. We arrived into Seattle HOURS late due to something that happened 50 miles out of Chicago.

On one of our San Fran trips - there was a train derailment "ahead of us" so we did not go through the Rockies, we went "around the Rockies". Ironically - this was the only time we arrived on time. The "back-up" tracks we used were double-line the whole detoured way.

Personally - I'd jump at the chance to take a long-distance train trip - but only if I can have a sleeper! I will refuse to do a 2-night train trip in coach. And...the coach gets quite "gamey" after the first night.

We are planning to arrive the day before our cruise leaves. Scheduled arrival 2pm.

I am glad to hear that is enjoyable. We are looking forward to to.

 

[mtemm]

whenever I think of long train trips I think of the sex and the city episode where carrie is afraid to fly to san francisco and talks samantha into taking the train with her. she thought it would be very "some like it hot" but it ended up being "some like it not!"

 

[Magix]

OMG. I took Amtrak from L.A. to Chicago this past April. I'd always wanted to do the "Silver Streak" trip. Good lord, I'll never do it again. Definitely spring for the full private room with private bathroom. Each room will have a couch that pulls down into a bed, which they claim is for 2 people, but fits 1 comfortably. There is also a pull down bunk above the bed for 1 person. The toilet/shower is extremely small. To shower, you're basically standing in the space where your feet will rest while using the toilet. Make sure the door is securely latched or, when the train lurches around, you'll fall out into the main compartment (I did avoid this very real possibility, thankfully). When the couch is in seating position, there is also a single seat across from it and a small table in between. There is a VERY small "closet", which is really just a small slot for hanging clothes. There's also a very small shelf above the seat. No other storage space, really. I had to keep moving my bag around whenever I wanted to use the toilet/shower, etc.

Dining was fun enough, since I was on my own and was seated with different people each meal. It was fun to talk and learn about other folks. The food was okay.

I would absolutely not book the roomettes, which are just 2 seats that come together as a bed, with a bunk above. I walked through a car of those on my way to the dining car and the people in there looked miserable. Very, very small "rooms", plus you've got to use the shared toilets and showers. Blech.

Bring LOTS of things to amuse yourselves. Staring out the window gets very boring. Also, don't expect the temperature controls in your room to actually do anything, since it's all central air (or lack thereof, depending on the car you're in).

Really, it's so excessively boring! My trip was only 42 hours and I thought I was going to go out of my mind when I finally saw the "Welcome to Illinois" sign and still had 4 hours to go! All I could think was, "OMG! Let me off this thing!!" If there was a luxury train to travel on, that would definitely be something to do. But, Amtrak long distance? No way, never again. I was so glad I'd made the decision to FLY home!

 

[wdwiala]

I've done the roomettes from Chicago to New Orleans with a two year old. Not too bad. I did regular seating as a child. Would never do the trip without the room.

 

[momrek06]

Good or bad reviews ... I want to do this for sure!!! We live in SoCal and I would love to go at least as far as Chicago!!!

Yup, it is on both of our 'bucket lists'!!!

 

[southernbohemian]

I would definitely fly one way if you decide to go that long by train. I've only done the San Antonio to New Orleans route (which usually takes about 13 hours) and that was more than enough for me. I don't dislike it as a way to travel, because it is nice to be able to relax the entire time instead of driving, and it's a lot less hassle (and a little more novel) than flying. But it gets old fast. It's definitely not as glamorous as it seems in the old movies. It's more like traveling by bus.

Definitely plan for delays. I think the rule is that cargo trains get the right of way before passenger trains, so even if things are going smoothly you might still find the train waiting on other trains to pass before it can move on from a spot.

Food prices are high, so plan on bringing LOTS of snacks. And bring a portable DVD player and lots of movies for your kids.

That does seem like it would be a beautiful part of the country to travel through by train.

 

[LuvOrlando]

OP, could you please post a trip report and photos of the train ride if you end up doing this? I would love to see them!

 

[bumbershoot]

If I had the money, I would do that in a heartbeat. Well, maybe I'll wait until DS is just a bit older (the likelihood of hubby taking off the time from work for it is very low, if there was a chance of Disney or going overseas that year).

I went from Seattle to San Jose CA by the train, and except for the part that I was 7 months pregnant and miserable in my skin, I really liked it. I would be miserable at home, so the misery doesn't color the actual train experience.

On the way down I was in a roomette and it is a bit small. My knees were against the bunk and my belly was touching the door, so that was weird. And the shared bathrooms in the roomette area was a big bleah, but I didn't experience any of the extremes that some have with shared bathrooms.

That said, on the way back, my dad finagled me a handicap accessible room, after finding a kind Amtrak employee who understood that I was having a VERY hard time (and I'll note that the HA rooms were empty, I was NOT taking one away from someone else), and that was much more pleasant for me. Bathroom in the room. Much nicer for me.

But back to the trip! Having the room makes you first class, which gets you your food. I'm vegetarian and had *severe* food issues and aversions during that time, but I snarfed down all the food and found it to be delicious. No funky smells in their food at all which was lovely. I enjoyed meeting new people at meals and in the lounge car.

You DO want to allow *at least* 24 hours for delays, if there's anywhere you have to be, and that allowance is on either side. Alternatively, have the money to get off the train at a nearest station, get to the airport, and get on a plane. Passenger trains do not have priority on the rails, so Amtrak can get stuck behind freight.

So let's see...get the room, try for the room with the bathroom in it, allow lots of time in case of delays...those are the big caveats to help you have the best time you can!

 

[barkley]

we did the portion of the trip you would be doing when you hit california (we got on in davis ca and rode to olympia wa).

DEFINATLY do not rely on amtrak's schedual-based on our experience, and what we were told by train and station staff on that leg of route, it rarely runs less than 6 hours behind schedule (in our case it was over 12 hour delays). the issue is that amtrak does not have right of way on the rail lines, so the freight trains call the shots so if it's a busy freight period, you have much longer delays), and when you start getting into the northern california and oregon portions of your trip, the freight delays are much more substantial.

let your hotel know you may be delayed (we almost lost our room due to excessivly late arrival, and the car rental place being closed so we had to find alternate transportation to hotel/back to car rental place the next day).


the route you would take entails a bus ride for the final leg of your trip (seattle to vancouver)-i don't know how amtrak handles these, and what happens if your train is delayed after the schedualed departure of your bus. you may want to check on this (on another vacation, before we moved to washington, we did an alaska cruise out of vancouver but did a couple of days in seattle first. we looked into using the amtrak bus for the seattle to vancouver leg, but their schedual was pretty restrictive and limited in availability so i would be concerned as to how you would get from seattle to vancouver if you missed your schedualed bus and had to wait a significant time to catch another).


when we went, ds was 10, dd was 13. if we had not had game boys and one of those pre-loaded movie players amtrak rents in some stations we would have gone nuts. the kids got bored with the scenery pretty quickly. the "family car" (or game car) had nothing but old board games with missing pieces, and a few sets of cards. we had the larger lmao:) family sleeper car, which even with the beds folded up offered less space than a standard gas station bathroom stall (the standard sleepers were about the width of less than a double bed, the length of a single bed (when the beds are opened there is no floor space in those "rooms"). we all arrived exhausted.

dh and i would like to travel by train again someday but without the kids. i think one of the most stunning routes would be the one you get if you do an alaska cruise that is land/cruise.

if it were me in your shoes, i would consider doing the train from chicago to southern california, and then flying up to vancouver (avoiding the bus alltogether), then flying home. it will give your dh an overnight (at minimum) taste of rail travel such that you can decide if a longer trip is in your foreseeable future.