Touring USA via Amtrack? Suggestions?

Question

Hey all.

As some of my previous questions would indicate, I am a young guy living in Maine who is looking to re-locate to another area of the country within the next year or two. I haven't seen much of the country aside from the New England area and want to check out pretty much the entire country before making a decision. I went to a Celtics game last night using the Amtrak system, and was looking at a map of the routes and the prices and such, and I think if I prepare smartly, Amtrak could be a much better way to do this than by car or plane (and a LOT cheaper, which is vital). The only states it doesn't go through are Wyoming, South Dakota, Hawaii and Alaska, so I'd be able to go pretty much anywhere, and check out Cali, Colorado, the south, mid west, etc. I do have a few Q's however, and was wondering if anyone had suggestions. What are the best deals cost wise? How would I be able to get around the towns? Showering, sleeping? I have a general idea, but want some suggestions. T/Y

Answer 1

Every April I buy the unlimited AMTRAK ticket and spend the entire month on AMTRAK. Here are some suggestions if you are riding coach. :

  1.  warm blanket

  2.  full sized pillow

  3. Road Atlas

  4. Flash Light

  5. National AMTRAK Timetable

  6. Sunglasses

  7. eye drops

  8. extra money for the diner (good food)

  9. pen and a log book for your notes

10.Camera

       I spend about every third night in a motel depending on stops and connections. You will need money for cab fare, motel, food and incedentals along the way. Sit back, relax, get a window seat and enjoy America

Answer 2

Enjoy!  Be careful about selecting stops to get off the train, though.  Some stations are in dicey parts of the cities, and the train comes through in the middle of the night.  Some small towns just have shelters without actual station buildings.

Long distance trains often run behind schedule, sometimes by several hours.  Keep a charged-up cell phone handy, and call "Julie" at Amtrak (1-800-USA-RAIL) to find out the timeliness of the train you'll be riding.  You'll need to know the train number and station; this info is in the National or Regional timetables.

Answer 3

Harry B:

Kindly heed all the information from previous answers == they have a genuine care.

You might also want to look into the "North American Rail Pass" -- 30 continuous days of travel; and yes, it includes VIA Rail Canada!  But sleepers/dining/seat upgrades are not included.

Look at the AMTRAK timetable; get a VIA timetable if possible -- and plan your trip.

And if you happen to ride the "City of New Orleans" on the northern part of its run -- you just might see ol' Turtle 6 slogging slowly around. . .

But seriously; I WANT TO BE IN YOUR SHOES!  I am green[er] with envy.  I'd love to do that.

Showers are now available on VIA trains, and I think on some AMTRAK runs.

Yes, some of the stations are not exactly in the best part of town; I know of one that isn't EVEN in town!  It's just a small shelter along the tracks and the highway.

Alaska and Hawaii do have their own railroads, but sadly AMTRAK does not make connections with them

Answer 4

It may be cheaper and nostalgic to travel the country by rail, just make sure you plan to spend a lot of time traveling.  If time isn't a concern, then enjoy your travels.  Otherwise, based on experience (I work in the rail industry), I'd suggest you consider bus (if costs are a concern), driving or flying.

Answer 5

i go on amtrak all the time. i think a 2 person sleeper would be the best. you get meals earlier, and of course you have a place to sleep. using the showers is pretty easy. theyre just like normal showers. the only concern with sleeping is the length of the bed. you may not be able to sleep lying straight.

Answer 6

Any Amtrak train with one or more sleeper cars will have a shower.  It's on the lower level of the sleeper cars.  What I'm not sure is whether someone from coach is allowed to use the shower in the sleeper car.  You probably would have to ask the car attendant.

Answer 7

Lately Iv been taking the train from school in Dallas to my hometown Austin on weekends and it is about half the price of flying southwest if i book a flight in advance. For longer trips though it is actually cheaper to fly though.