travel by amtrak questions

[PRINCESS VIJA]

have you traveled by amtrak to any destination? Did you like it, did you have fun? Any regrets?

We are thinking of traveling to Washington DC by train. We've always wanted to travel somewhere by train and figure this might be the best opportunity as we will be using the metro when we are out there, so no need for our car.

But, having never done this, I wonder how it would work. We have 2 kids, and we will not be paying extra for a room. It would be an overnight trip. We also have to take 2 trains. First one connects in Chicago, and DOES NOT allow checked baggage. So we would be limited to 2 carry ons per person for the entire trip. Not sure how that would work with clothes, etc.

any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[disney1990]

Where are you starting your train trip? Is the second part of it the Capitol Limited from Chicago to Washington?

 

[minkydog]

I love train travel, but I like to go by myself. Last summer I took the train 8 hours to my sister's house. Train travel is slower than car travel and I love to watch the scenery go by. I carry a bunch of books and magazines, pack a lunch, a blankey& travel pillow, and a suitcase and I basically sleep, read, eat and sleep some more. I especially like it when the train is not full so I can spread out on the seat. If you have a seat mate, however, you wouldn't be able to do that. One thing about it, train seats are wider and cushier than plane seats and they have a ton of leg room.

I don't know that I'd want to travel on a train 24hrs with 2 kids, especially if they was no place for them to sleep other than their seat. I guess it depends on their ages and how well they can stay in their seats. There are no seat belts and the kids won't be allowed to roam around much. Teens would probably be fine, but young kids are going to get antsy real quick. Its not like you can get off and do something else. Maybe you want to think about going a shorter distance first to see how it goes?

 

[minnie56]

My friend who is afraid to fly goes from NY to Florida often ...she says a Sleeper is the ONLY way to do it!

 

[barkley]

i would reccomend calling the actual stations you would be going into/out of and asking the station staff what the REAL time of travel is vs. what amtrak's website says-you may find that it would be a MUCH longer trip than you anticipate.

3 years ago we decided to take the kids and do what amtrak claimed was an 18 hour (one way) train trip. the actual trip took over 26 hours. we had no issues with weather or any other unexpected (on amtrak's part) delays-it was the 'norm' for the route according to train and station staff.

we started out with around a 4 hour wait at our departure station (staff said if we had called them directly vs. amtrak's national number they would have told us to ignore the departure time b/c the train never arrived at the time reservations told riders). then there were multiple delays when the train stayed at other stations along the route longer than they were advertised to.

when we arrived at our destination 8 hours later than our planned time we were too late to get the rental car we had reserved so we had to arrange taxi service to the hotel we were staying at (which luckily we had been able to contact by cell to request they hold the room for a late check in).

our return trip a week later, again took about 8 hours longer than amtrak to this day puts on their website.




the kids liked the train, initialy. after many hours they were bored (they did not want to watch scenery, they were'nt interested in the old checker sets or decks of cards in 'the game car'. they did enjoy the food in the dining car (it was good, but not inexpensive).

we had a sleeper car-what amtrak calls their largest. when converted from sleeper to a seating area it is still very small. think of how large a handicapped stall is in a public bathroom-this is smaller in depth and width, but at least it afforded the kids some place to lie down and nap.

i don't know how old your kids are, but one of the best things we found available were these little portable dvd like things that some of the stations rent to take on the train. they are pre-loaded with movies, tv shows and music. they come with a headset. this gave the kids something other than their gameboy to do.


i would travel by train again as an adult, but in hindsight-taking my then 9 and 12 year olds was not the best idea.

 

[eduk8r26]

15 years ago my godson and I traveled from Los Angeles to Boston on the train--no sleeper. That was the rough part as I don't sleep well sitting up. But I was on a budget. He had a ball. I brought tons of things for him to play with and he hardly touched them. We had to change in Chicago, and baggage just went right on through. I love to go on trains. The only bad part was they were working on the tracks from Albany to Boston, so we had to take a bus from there.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I traveled as a child on two trips.

Charleston to Jax/Orlando
Phily to Jax/Orlando

(I say Jax/Orlando b/c one trip was Jax and one was Orlando and I haven't a clue of which is which.)

The novelty of riding a train wore off after several hours. Sleeping in a car is hard. I know folks who complain of overnight airline flights. To me, train travel is worse.

I am contemplating the auto-train for travel to VA when we relocate. I would not do it without a sleeper car.

It is still cheaper than airfare (for what I priced)--before the car--and there is a bed to sleep in.

I was 7 on one trip and 9 or 10 on the other.

It is doable, it is tolerable--but it gets old and uncomfortable really really really really really really really really fast. Plus they were overnights--and there is nothing to see in the dark.

If it is a trip that will involve sleep or all day travel--sleeper car sleeper car sleeper car sleeper car!

I priced my family of 5 (no daddy and baby is free) WITH car transport on the Auto Train--it will be $2000 RT WITH car. It was about $1000 one way--$300 or so of that was my van. VERY reasonable IMHO.

The trip is about 18 or so hours and includes dinner and continental breakfast.

Much more than that is pushing it to me. My train will also be direct and require no switching.

Also--if there is a delay, you will be stuck for HOURS.

I think my Philly train was 4 hours late departing, but smooth sailing when we finally left.

Sadly, last night--I was almost home and came to the railroad crossing before the river. While not Amtrak, it was a standard cargo train stopped. What I did not know is that this was THREE HOURS from when it originally stopped. Evidently--4 teenagers decided to trespass on a railroad bridge. 1 was able to get off teh bridge. The other three were not. That would have delayed ALL rail service north and south bound in Florida along the east coast.

Unlike air travel where they stick you on another flight--or get another plane from the hanger--there is nowhere to go.

So it is best to prepare for the worst and hope that your train is at least on-time with minimal delays.

 

[My2Cinderellas]

I took the girls to Chicago via Amtrak a few years ago. It's a 6 hr or so drive, or just over an hour to the train station in Osceola and then 6-7 hours to Union Station. A friend of mine has taken the train from Osceola to Denver several times, so she warned me that it will not be on time. This is the California Zephyr train that runs from just outside San Fransisco to Chicago.

We were scheduled to board at 8:20 am, but I called when I got up and found out the train was running 2 hours late. We got to the station around 10 and it was closer to 11 before it arrived and we boarded. This is a pretty short delay from what I was told - it often is several hours behind schedule.

I chose the train because it was actually cheaper than driving and paying for parking at a downtown hotel. Now I can say I've done it and am not sure I would again, at least with kids. the seats are large and comfy, but not assigned. I had a hard time finding 3 seats together since my kids were 6 and 7 at the time. The movement wasn't bad, I did give dramamine to my youngest who gets really motion sick. Entertaining them was basically like being on a long car trip.

Carry on luggage isn't a big deal - it doesn't mean the same thing as on an airplane. It just means you haul your own bags and leave them on racks just inside the doorway - they can be fullsize bags. Take your personal items up to your seat with you. It's ok to bring along a big cooler with drinks and food.

We didn't try the dining car, so can't comment on quality. Prices did seem a bit high though. The snack car options were a joke. $5 for a nasty microwaved cheezburger, $2 for a can of pop, etc. Bring your own. Alcohol is allowed, and is sold on the train too.

On the return trip home, the train originates in Chicago, and left on time. But we had to sit and let freight trains go by (amtrak doesn't own it's tracks for the most part - so the freight gets priority over passenger traffic) and then because we sat for freight traffic, the engineer timed out and we had to sit again until the new engineer could drive in from our next stop, where he was supposed to take over. We arrived in Osceola over 2 hours late.

Timeliness is one of the main reasons I would hesitate to take the train again. Especially if a transfer was involved.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Oh my, two kids overnight on a train in seats, good luck. It's boring, not that comfortable, and the aisle is not meant for running up and down, it's a moving train. Can your kids sit for 24 hours with limited moving around? I took a train to Syracuse, it was a 6-7 hour ride and I thought it was completely miserable.

 

[cntrygal]

Its fun i have done from albany NY.to disney twice with two kids, no sleeper. They were 5 and 15 the first time and 7 and 17 the second time. We had a great time. We love train travel. We are going from Utica Ny all the way to montana this spring on the train, we will have a sleeper for the portion from Chicago to montana. I cant wait i love to travel by train.

 

[MrsPete]

We did a train trip (to DC) last year, and overall it was great.

Positives: The seats were larger than airplane seats and more comfortable. We had two electrical outlets beside each pair of seats. We were free to walk around during the trip, even to go from car to car. The conductors took good care of us first-timers.

Negatives: The bathrooms became progressively more disgusting as time went on. The food sold in the cafe car was both expensive and bad (you're allowed to bring your own).

However, I don't think I'd do the trip you're describing. I wouldn't want to have two small children on the train overnight. I wouldn't be able to sleep while watching them, nor would I want to arrive in DC exhausted. The sleeper rooms (which you've already eliminated as a possibility) are ridiculously expensive; flying is cheaper.

I don't see any problem with the carry-on thing. Pack lightly; plan one small rolling bag per person, and put this up top above your seats. You're saving money on the train, so if you need to send some jeans to be washed at your hotel, you can afford it. Then have one backpack per person with food and entertainment items.

Is a half-and-half trip possible? Drive the first leg of your journey, then leave your car and ride only the second train? Perhaps you could do the first half of the drive, then stay in an inexpensive hotel (eliminating the sleep/supervision issue) and take only the second train.

When you get to DC, consider the Phoenix Park hotel -- it's a great location. It's one block from DC's Union Station, which means you can WALK to your hotel. There's a Metro (subway) station in Union Station and a food court.

 

[portocall]

Sadly, last night--I was almost home and came to the railroad crossing before the river. While not Amtrak, it was a standard cargo train stopped. What I did not know is that this was THREE HOURS from when it originally stopped. Evidently--4 teenagers decided to trespass on a railroad bridge. 1 was able to get off teh bridge. The other three were not. That would have delayed ALL rail service north and south bound in Florida along the east coast.

Unlike air travel where they stick you on another flight--or get another plane from the hanger--there is nowhere to go.

So it is best to prepare for the worst and hope that your train is at least on-time with minimal delays.

That is such a sad story. The railroad bridge is a popular high school hangout. I used to hangout there with some friends, but was way to chicken to ever venture onto the tracks and certainly not the bridge. Might be the fact that I am too chicken to swim in any water where I can't see the bottom and Crane Creek is too murky over there. I am praying for the families of those children.

Back on topic, like Lisa Loves Pooh said... delays are something to consider. I really want to take a train trip because my youngest is really into trains, but I am going to make it a short trip to see how he does first. My best friend took her son across country on the train when he was the same age my youngest was and her son was mad because he had to ride inside the train and he couldnt see train going...

 

[MomToAp1699]

We took a train ride from Pennsylvania to Georgia in 2005 for my brothers USMC graduation. The first leg of our trip was no checked baggage.. Didn't mean we had to bring carry on type baggage just meant we had to store our luggage on the car itself rather than having it checked. Wasn't a big issue really. The trip was approx 27 hours and it was My husband, our 6 year old and myself. We didn't have a sleeper car and the only real negatives we had where the first leg ( without checked baggage) also didn't have assigned seats and since people where already seated when we got on we had to sit seperately. In addition the food in the dining car was very costly as someone else mentioned previously. We did bring our own food and where able to get off at certain stops as well so it wasn't too much of an issue. Overall we enjoyed the trip and the scenic views but it took a lot of time we would have enjoyed on our vacation.

 

[Belle2667]

Our first ever trip to WDW was Amtrak. Philly to Orlando. Since it was supposed to be a "once in a lifetime" trip, we splurged for a sleeper room with a private bath (meals and drinks were included). There were 11 of us all together and we were able to swap people so the five in my family all shared one sleeper room.

While I thought it was pretty cool, it was much slower than driving, and some in our party got carsick. PLUS....we had movies in our car but it showed the same movie (The Horse Whisperer) over and over and over again for 31 hours...each way!

Most of our party will never do the train again, but I would like to do a western trip sometime with those cool sightseeing cars.

 

[clh2]

I am a HUGE rail fan...absolutely HUGE rail fan.

I wouldn't do it without a sleeper though. And...it has been 10 years since I've done a trip.

If you are going round trip - have you considered an "air-rail" option? Check with Amtrak...I think they still offer those. It might be OK to go out to DC in a coach...but coming home...I would either fly back, or get a family sleeper.

My trips have been from Chicago to the west coast, and I know that the east coast trains are different, because they aren't as tall.

Now - in the coach areas...by the end of the trip...the coaches were downright "gamey" smelling. BO, dirty diapers etc. EWWWW!!!!!

Since I "don't camp", we had sleepers for all three trips. My family had our own bathroom, with a teeny-tiny shower. If you do get a sleeper - meals are included in your cost (at least they were 10 years ago!!)

Now, for train timing...I would allow an "extra day" if you needed to be at your destination for something specific...i.e. a wedding, job interview etc.

Of our three trips - we had "power problems" on trip 1. Don't remember exactly how late we got into San Francisco as we went through the rockies. We were on our honeymoon...didn't really care. No plans once we got to SF.

For trip two...we went from Chicago to Seattle...the dining car had major, major problems in Kenosha Wisconsin...not even an our out of Chicago. It took 3 or 4 hours to get to Racine Wi and get the dining car pulled off the train. This was actually quite interesting to be a part of. AND...BONUS...we ended up getting room service on Amtrak, since they brought food on at every meal time...i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes we got to Seattle late...but who cares. (It was just DH and me for that trip!)

For trip 3...it was DH, DD and me. We went from Chicago to San Francisco. DD was 5 at the time...she loved the train. We had a bedroom (sleeps 2 and has the bathroom) and a roomette (where DH slept, but no bathroom). We spent most of the time in the "bedroom unit". The timing on this run was GREAT...we got in early, due to a train derailment through the rockies, so we went around the rockies. The Amtrak staff we SO excited to get into town early . The tracks we were on were double track, so very few train delays on this run...

 

[marypoppinswannabe]

I traveled once (when I was college-age) from Grand Rapids, MI to Jackson, MS and back to Grand Rapids. I enjoyed it tremendously, except that strangers beside me both coming and going were real characters...

The lady on the way down was an older lady with the worse breath you could ever imagine and she wanted to talk the whole time...My southern upbringing and my momma's training managed to keep me from gagging in her face... I spent most of my time in the club car playing cards with complete strangers.

The lady who sat next me on the way back opened her cooler and pulled out a beer as soon as the train started. Later on, she was having a conversation with me. She popped her false teeth out while she was in mid-sentence...Again, it was all I could do not to gag... She eventually passed out and snored really loud the whole time. Again, I spent most of my time in the club car...

So, this long story to tell you, try to get a seat all to yourself, if possible.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Where are you starting your train trip? Is the second part of it the Capitol Limited from Chicago to Washington?

Yes, and we are starting in Milwaukee


There is a lot to think about. Thanks for the input.

My DH does get seasick quickly, I suppose this might be a problem I hadn't thought about.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I'm phobic of planes, so when I went to college in Virginia I would always take the train between Missouri and Virginia. If you can swing it, I highly recommend getting a room. I have done sleeper cars twice and it was very much worth it.

The great thing about trains is that they can go rain or shine, very rarely do they actually cancel a route. I had a time when we were four hours late because the track switches were frozen. Because I had sleeper, all my meals were paid for and I got to have fillet minon for free instead of eating dorm food! Plus, it's nice to have access to a shower and a chance to really lay down.

Coach is certainly doable, but it is not nearly as comfortable. I found the best way to sleep was to have two seats to myself, but that is not always a guarantee if the train is crowded.

One thing I love is that you can walk around and stretch your legs. The dining car has pretty good choices. The dining car and all business class seats have outlets, so if you bring a laptop or some other form of entertainment, you will be able to plug it in. Just make sure to bring headphones!

As far as motion sickness, that was a concern for my parents when we took our cruise. After watching an episode of Mythbusters in which they had Adam test very motion sickness remedies, we brought some Ginger Pills with us. They worked wonders!

 

[MushyMushy]

My daughter and I took the Auto Train one year to go to Florida. Let me just say, there's no way on earth I'd do a 24+ hour trip with kids without getting a sleeper! Ours was a 14 hour trip that got delayed and we ended up on that train for about 40 hours. The people in coach were pretty miserable. Like another poster mentioned, it's not like the train can just stop and let people off. There's just nowhere to go.

That said, we had the best experience of our lives and I'd love to do it again! Amtrak employees are the best and really did everything in their power to make sure the passengers were comfortable and cared for in a difficult situation.

 

[redlight]

I've taken Amtrak many times for day trips, but never overnight. If the trip can be done in a day, I'd much rather take the train than fly.