Train Travel ... Maine or Mass to Texas

[Ted in Halifax]

Anyone know if this is possible or reasonable. Trying to find a site that tells me if travel from the Northeast is reasonable (i.e not too costly). Any theories or websites that would help?

Thanks
Ted

 

[rockydek]

Amtrak.com is a good place to start/ North to South and South to North all the way to Portland Maine.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

Awesome. Many thanks.

 

[rockydek]

Your Welcome!

 

[DC7800]

Anyone know if this is possible or reasonable. Trying to find a site that tells me if travel from the Northeast is reasonable (i.e not too costly). Any theories or websites that would help?

Thanks
Ted

There is a connecting train between Boston and Maine. Once in Boston, take the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago, changing trains in Chicago to the Texas Eagle to Dallas, Fort Worth, or San Antonio (or intermediate points). If you want to go instead to El Paso or Houston, you can make connections in San Antonio (or catch a connecting Thruway bus), but a different routing (via New Orleans) might work better in that case. Only problem with New Orleans as a connection point is that it pretty much requires an overnight layover.

http://www.amtrak.com

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Are you serious...over 40 Hours to go between Boston and Dallas? The cost of a coach fare on the train is almost as expensive as a flight too.

I love trains, but its just too slow.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think the OP is serious. I know someone who, for years, refused to fly. He'd take the train to Arizona a couple of times a year - three and a half day trip! - and, on his arrival date, his wife would fly out there to meet him.

 

[Ted in Halifax]

Just looking ... you have to realize that I live on the edge of the planet ... just to fly from Portland Maine to Disney ... it takes me a 10 hours drive to get to PWM.

Just looking for options ... thought I might see something interesting ... already the price has scared me more than the time!

Thanks
Ted

 

[DC7800]

Are you serious...over 40 Hours to go between Boston and Dallas?

Long-distance train travel is comparable in time - or faster - than automobile trips or taking the bus, and it is the automobile which is the passenger trains primary competition - not the airplane. Indeed, on this route the train is going to be much faster than driving, since while road travelers are stopped for the night in a motel, the train keeps moving.

That said, there is a lot that could be done at reasonable cost to trim hours of running time off the schedule of each train. While billions are being spent on short, disconnected high-speed rail projects, there is nothing for conventional rail infrastructure. For less than the price of the 84-mile Florida HSR project, for instance, you could dramatically improve (and speed up) the existing railroad all the way from New York to Miami.

The cost of a coach fare on the train is almost as expensive as a flight too.

Trains are not really competing with airlines on price.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Long-distance train travel is comparable in time - or faster - than automobile trips or taking the bus, and it is the automobile which is the passenger trains primary competition - not the airplane. Indeed, on this route the train is going to be much faster than driving, since while road travelers are stopped for the night in a motel, the train keeps moving.

Trains are not really competing with airlines on price.

If the direct competition is cars/bus, the pricing model should compete as well. Most people will not sacrafice 40 hours and pay more then they could to drive when a comparable 4 hour trip by plane can be made at less cost.

You know I am all for train travel, especially over autos, but the cost structure in comparable times has to be looked at as a whole.