Whos been on Amtrak?

Question

i have a 9 hour trip.

i heard its quite and relaxing

but not on schedule

so its going to be even longer than 9 hours.

i heard you can get up and walk around for food and a movie, but what do you do with you bags and stuff?

leave them at your seat?

would you suggest amtrak or a greyhound bus?

Answer 1

Stay away from Greyhound if you can.  

On Amtrak you usually only check your bags if you are going long distances or overnight.  There are overhead storage bins above your seat, just like on an airplane.

Depending on the route you may or may not have a dining car. Short distances generally don't.  There are no movies on a train.

As far as on time scheduling is concerned Amtrak is probably no better or no worse than anyone other.  Planes are rarely on time.

Answer 2

I've never taken that long of a trip on either a train or a bus, but I highly recommend Amtrak over Greyhound.  Both suffer from periodic delays (bear in mind that the stop times in towns are built into the schedule), but Amtrak does tend to have fewer stops (depending upon the route) and you can get up and move around.  The seats are more comfortable and have more leg room too.  It also much quieter than the bus.  Plus, if there's a screaming kid in your compartment, just move to another!  

You can store your bags in racks above your head or in the large luggage racks at the ends of the cars.  I've always taken my carry-on (with my wallet, phone, etc.) with me when I move through the train, but I've never had anyone mess with my luggage.  

Bring a book, computer, and/or another entertainment device.  I've never been on an Amtrak with a movie provided - and even if there was one, what are the chances that it's one you'd like to see?  

On long trips the dining car can be well stocked, but a lot of times it's mostly snack stuff.  However, you can carry on whatever you'd like, so bring food with you.

Answer 3

i took the amtrak  "lake shore limited"     it was a train from h**l!!   water came through the roof  and i swear it had square wheels ..... did about 100 mph and almost fell of the tracks      never again     amtrak is prehistoric   travel     try european trains ........   you cant even feel them move hardly and they are always on time ,........and lots of them

Answer 4

You can either check your bags or not. If checking is not available, that means they have enough room on the train to accommodate an extra seat for your bag(s). Sometimes there is a lot of room, sometimes it is packed. Either way, the seats are very comfortable, and you can walk to the observation car or the dining car for a change.

Answer 5

I used to ride on Amtrak every other week from Albany to Buffalo and visa-versa. You can get up for food - if you want movies you have to bring a laptop or portable DVD player. When you leave your seat you can throw your bags above in a storage spot or bring them with you. Definately take Amtrak. Have a safe trip!

Answer 6

You can check your bags on AMTRAK just like you would when you fly. You give your bag to the train station attendant, and he gives you a claim ticket with a code number. The other half of the claim ticket goes on the bag.

When you arrive at your destination, they unload the baggage car -- usually putting all the suitcases on a small truck -- and drive the truck up to the gate. You claim your bag directly off the truck.

But here is a hint for you: If you can, pack small and carry your stuff in a backpack or gym bag. That way you can just carry your bag onto and off of the train. This saves time.... usually, there are several taxis waiting for passengers. While others are waiting on their bags, the ones carrying their stuff jump in the taxi and are gone! And if you have to wait for your bag, you'll probably have to call a taxi company and wait for them to show up.

AMTRAK is often late. It's really not their fault, they are renting rail time on other railroad company lines. And if the other company tells them they have to stop and wait for one of their trains to pass, they have to. If they don't, there could be a collision.

The best thing to do is to call AMTRAK's office at 1-800-USA-RAIL and check the trains progress. It's a computerized menu, so make sure you are using a touch tone phone. The computer voice will tell you where the train is and how far behind schedule that it is. No use to go to the station if the train is three hours behind schedule!

You can go just about everywhere on the train... snack car, dining car, you might even get into the sleeper car section, if you can sweet talk the attendant. Tell him or her that you've never ridden a train before and just want to see what it looks like, and don't stay long, and they may let you! It all depends on what kind of mood he is in. You can not get into the baggage car, nor can you visit the engine.

But everytime you get up and walk around, keep one hand on the back of a seat. Trains sway, and they may move in a direction you weren't expecting. Be aware of the handholds and grab one if the train shifts unexpectedly.