Has anyone ever traveled on Amtrak from the east coast to the west coast?

Question

I will be traveling with 2 children (2 & 5). Any advice or suggestions to make the trip go smoothly? Also, i noticed it gets to one destination and there is a huge layover until the next train leaves. Will i have to sit at the station and wait the whole time until my next departure? Please help!

Answer 1

I am an AMTRAK nut and have been coast to coast many times. I have planned a 3 week trip in April. Here are my suggestions, With kids if you can afford it, get a sleeper. Coach is OK for a single rider or even a couple but it gets old after 3 nights with kids . The answer above is not accurate. The reason AMTRAK connections are bad is because they lease the rails and the commuter trains have priority therefore they can't get into Chicago later than 3 PM. Another thing is the freight trains have the rail priority on the long haul trains thus AMTRAK has to go on siding when a freight approaches. It is an experience that is enjoyable but be flexible and enjoy the ride.

Answer 2

if you are travelling to the west coast, take the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago, if you are from the New York or Boston area.  If you are from Washington DC or Philly, take the Capitol Limited to Chicago.  Once in Chicago, transfer layovers are not too long.  perhaps an hour or so at most.  It is just like flying, except on rail.  From Chicago, if you are going to California, take the California Zephyr or the Texas Eagle.  If you are going to Seattle, take the Empire Limited.  If you are going somewhere on the west coast between San Diego/LA and Seattle, take a train out west and then take the Cascade from LA to Seattle.  As for the child situation, if you have the money, go for a sleeper.  it is quite comfy, with beds, a shower (a communal shower if you dont get a deluxe room, which has its own shower), meals included, and plenty of beautiful views.  I hope this has been a good description/helpful for you.  good luck and enjoy your trip

Answer 3

I also suggest you get a sleeper (as that way your meals

are included, and you will be able to relax a bit

but the trains may run late.. due to other train traffic

technically Amtrak is *suppose* to have priority over other traffic

but the railroad dispatchers tend to favor their own company)

(all the dispatchers work for the host railroad and not Amtrak

(

Answer 4

do not do it you will you will regret it i went from providence ri to colorado  it was h**l on earth

Answer 5

OK, you will be spending two days in restaurant-like close quarters with the same 10 or 20 other people, who are there to enjoy their train trip as well.  Be realistic - are your kids REALLY that well behaved?  

And for whom are you choosing the train?  My parents took me on an 8 hour train trip when I was 4, for practical reasons, not to impress me.  Honestly I barely remember the experience.  Had it been a 2 day trip, I can't promise I would have remembered it well.  Certainly 2 days in a moving box has the potential to suck for a kid.

By all means, exploit ALL of the train's facilities.  The dining car every meal, as it's an excellent diversion and containment.  There is nothing wrong with spending 1/3 of the day in the lounge; in fact, before meals it's a very good idea... the lounge is usually right next to the diner, so you're ready to go when you're called.

Yes, the huge layover is partly to allow "slack" time for connections.  Yes, that much time.  Because of the very long distances, western Amtrak trains very often run insanely late, that's just a fact of life.  Test: if your train was TEN hours late would you be able to keep yourself and your kids mellow?  If not, forget it.

If all goes well and you have a big block of layover time, do anything you please with the time.  With one inviolate rule: Be back "up to 90 minutes in advance of your scheduled departure time" -- per Amtrak.  You can ask how long that really needs to be.  I have extensively explored Chicago and D.C. during layovers.

The train lays over in downtown Chicago, 2 blocks west of the Sears Tower, the southwest corner of the area called "The Loop".   I've gone to the Museum of Science and Industry during layovers, but ask knowledgeable Chicago parents.

In Washington DC, the train station is one block from the National Mall.  If you've seen "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" you know how close the train station is to the Capitol building.  The White House and several Smithsonian museums are a hefty walk away.  The train station itself has a shopping mall with food and movie theaters.

Safety -- read up.  Generally the insides of coaches present no extraordinary risk, outside of the fact that they're bouncing and jouncing.  The gaps between cars, though, are comparatively dangerous.  They have some extremely nasty pinch points - especially for feet and other appendages which are on the ground!  Shoes are mandatory for everyone.  Make your older grab handrails, as a hand grabbing a rail is not on the ground...  and best carry your littlest one.

Best line ever heard from an Amtrak conductor:   "Check under and around your seats for personal belongings.  And if any of you have small children... please... take them with you."

Answer 6

There is never middle of the road commentary from those I have spoken with in regard to travel on Amtrak.  People love it or hate it, probably because no two trips are the same.

Little kids are going to get figety, so bring some diversion for them, as well as lots of snacks for them and yourself.

The best thing that can be done to make a more pleasant trip for your and yours would be to book a room on the train.  Unfortunately, this is usually out of most peoples budget, but I would suggest beg, borrow or steal to book one.

Have a safe trip..................

Answer 7

Yes, you will have to wait at the station unless its several hours. You can go shopping or for lunch/dinner. If its late at night and the layover is extensive, you may want to consider getting a room at a local hotel. Unfortunately, travel by train has purposely been made inconvenient by conspiracy by the big auto makers, big airlines, and big oil companys. This keeps people off the rails and on the roads or airlines.One should be able to go from Grand Central in NYC straight through to Seattle or LA with limited short station stops, sadly this is not the case. On the other hand, the travel is so smooth, food is generally good and the views are second to none.