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It was FABULOUS. I will NEVER fly if I can Amtrak. We left about 8 in the morning and got there a little after midnight. It was warm and cozy on the train, we could eat, drink, sleep, watch movies..it was incredible.
It's not a beautiful trip because they take you through the ugliest parts of every single city, but it was truly fun and relaxing.
I used to take the "silver meteor" all the time from NYC to CHS. I loved it. Both ways it's a red eye. You get on, get comfy. Get some food. Hang out in the club car. Get some booze. Hang in the club car. Pass out. Wake up. Get some breakfast. Then you're there!
i've considered this cause i don't like to fly. but the cost seems the same as flying, and the sleeper style rooms are very expensive. the cost holds me back. especially when you need to purchase 5 tickets for a family. flying is more economical.
I took the train Amtrak train from Boston to Florida and it was awful...uncomfortable...during the night (while we were sleeping) the train sat on the tracks for hours and of course no one had any information on the set back...at one point the trained cleared out so my husband moved his seat so we could stretch out and I'll quote the conducter, "who told you to move your seat!"
Now I drive...it's fast and I'm in control...no cocktails, though.
Mine were not that much more reclinable that an airplane seat. I once took a very long train ride from London to Scotland...that was nice...Amtrak was not...but I see others have enjoyed it
your name is speed addicted...I don't know, it may not be for you...I always felt like the train was moving soooooo slow...it made me restless...I felt like I would have made better time in a horse and buggy...and the scenery is not pleasant.
This would be the other side of NY but pulling in to Penn Station from Boston to NY...it was disgusting!
The seats are much bigger, they do recline quite a bit and there is an adjustable foot rest.
I guess it depends on what kind of person you are, really. I'm a go go go always on the move so when I travel I expect to be able to relax. I was having work done on my personal business, I could check in with my contractors and then I unplugged and totally vegged for the rest of the trip.
My boyfriend and I took our dvd player and we snuggled and relaxed all the way up. We played cards, talked, did nothing, ate...I mean it was like being at home. And we traveled in our jammies.
So, it definitely depends on YOU rather than Amtrak me thinks.
For Short hauls like NY to Charleston and points in between Amtrak is a good bet.. if you fly to NYC and you are just visiting... you still have to get "downtown". .most of the major cities Baltimore, DC, Philly.. you are downtown when you arrive.. and you can either take a taxi or local transit to get to your destination. The Palmetto that runs between Savannah and NYC is an ideal short haul train.. because you can make the trip in one day and it would be comparable to driving without the hassle. If you are going from NYC to Miami.. the train is probably not best.. to much time/space for something to go wrong/delay. Amtrak is at the mercy of the freight carriers so the longer the trip the more freight you will likely encounter.. the longer the delay. The Palmetto can only encounter difficulty between Savannah and DC.. on the other side of DC the tracks belong to Amtrak.. so there are less delays.. I also avoid taking the train out of Columbia or Camden because of the early departure time... Charleston and Florence offer ideal departure/arrival times to NYC on the Palmetto. Oh yeah for smokers or those who have to get fresh air.. you can usually get off in Rocky Mount, Richmond, and DC (for an extended period of time while the engine is change from diesel to electric) for a little break..which also helps.
Oh yeah for smokers or those who have to get fresh air.. you can usually get off in Rocky Mount, Richmond, and DC (for an extended period of time while the engine is change from diesel to electric) for a little break..which also helps.
This is a great point.
One of the people I was traveling with is a smoker. She was able to get off at least 5 different stops to have a break and a smoke.
So that was wonderful for her and it was nice for us to get off and get some fresh air too. But the breaks are literally a couple of minutes.
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