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regarding the scenery--------be sure to check the schedules. Trains run 24 hours a day and in the winter season (now) the daylight hours are much less.
Passing through beautifull scenery just ain't the same if it's dark out.
What about the Denver to Salt Lake City track ?
Any comments on that one ?
Or is it part of one of the above ?
Denver to Salt Lake City is part of the longer "California Zephyr" route from Chicago to Emeryville (San Francisco). It's quite scenic...includes (westbound) the climb up the 'Front Range' of the Rockies with numerous N.E. views out over the Great Pains....the 6.2 mile long Moffat Tunnel through the Continental Divide...then the high valleys around Winter Park and Granby..then into a series of three long and very narrow canyons above the upper Colorado River. Later an extremely scenic trip through another 'tight' canyon shared with Interstate 70, to Glenwood Springs. After this more canyons and desert bluffs through Grand Junction....usually darkness falls in the Utah desert.
Eastbound, leaving SLC, you pass over Soldier Summit (very scenic) on the way to Price, then on through desert into Colorado. Eastbound, darkness often falls around the Moffat Tunnel, a few miles before Denver.
Either direction, you see MOST of the scenery, in summer time, due to the long days.
If you like riding trains, it's Amtrak or nothing. When I travel long distance (if not by car), my first choice is train, my last choice is bus. I have only used Amtrak when time is not a factor - every Amtrak trip of mine has been delayed, sometimes by several hours. If you don't have to be somewhere at a certain time - who cares?
The coach cars are very comfortable. As a tall person, I despise taking airplanes simply due to the comfort factor. Also, you aren't going to be frisked, searched, interrogated, or hassled boarding an Amtrak train. BIG PLUS.
I love going down to the lower level where the lavatories are and looking out the big window at the passing landscape. Other than the occasional bathroom user, nobody is down there.
Tip: bring snacks. Their snack bar is nasty, and has nothing available for vegetarians other than a chewy bagel that they toss in a microwave. On my last few trips, I brought my own tea bags and the person in the snack bar filled up my thermos with hot water for free.
Someone else posted about BYOB. I've done that, too. On a 30 hour trip, I like to celebrate a bit, you know? Their beer selection is lame and painfully overpriced. I'll never forget my last train trip, seeing this 20-something guy make trip after trip to the snack bar, coming back with his prize of $4 Budweiser beer cans to impress his girlfriend. What a joke!
Tampa to Miami normally a 2-3hr drive took over 10 hours by train because it stopped in the middle of nowhere. Nobody said a thing the next thing I see the conductor run pass me open the door and hops out. He did not come back for another hour or so. Then the train began to move at lovely 17mph. Stopped again,lights and everything went off sat for another hr. Moved again at a nice pace of 17 mph all while we were towing another train whom was having trouble so every stop from then on out took twice as long.
I rather drive..
I know what you mean. It's slow. But aside from driving yourself, it still beats taking the bus or flying if you're not on a schedule.
I've taken Amtrak from/to LA/Tucson a few times. It's never been under 10 hours, compared to driving which takes about 6 hours.
*You can get a 10% discount on tickets if you have an AAA card and book 3 or more days in advance.
*Kids ages 2-15 only need to pay 50% fare if they are riding with an adult.
*You can buy a ticket 15 minutes before the train leaves (at least on shorter distance trips), if the train isn't sold out or it is an unreserved train.
*If you've never ridden Amtrak, the seats are much larger than airplane coach or bus coach seats; they are similar in size to first class airline seats. Also, Amtrak seats have a lot more legroom than either airplane coach or bus coach seats.
*For travel along the Northeast Corridor, there are always discount codes to various destinations in the on-board Amtrak magazine (Arrive).
*If you don't use your reserved ticket, you can use it as credit towards future Amtrak travel without penalty for up to a year after the originally scheduled travel date.
I know what you mean. It's slow. But aside from driving yourself, it still beats taking the bus or flying if you're not on a schedule.
I've taken Amtrak from/to LA/Tucson a few times. It's never been under 10 hours, compared to driving which takes about 6 hours.
The reason that particular one is so long is the length of time needed to get through all the freight lines our of LA. Its move five minutes, wait 20. Last time I got on in Palm Springs. No waiting for frieght trains.
If you take that route all the way to Dallas/Fort Worth you hit what may be the ---slowest--- ride ever, going across Texas. Over a day in the lone star state. But its the speed limit on the tracks based on condition. Not as much frieght, tracks not as good. But West Texas does have some beatiful areas too.
The Soutwest Chief (LA to Chicago thru New Mexico/colorado/kansas) is an awesome ride. You dont' see much of Arizona but the Colorado/NM part is wonderful You chug up all the way from the bottom thru the Raton pass and into the city. I did vidios of it so I can remember it live. It takes half the time as the southern route because the speed limit is better.
regarding the scenery--------be sure to check the schedules. Trains run 24 hours a day and in the winter season (now) the daylight hours are much less.
Passing through beautifull scenery just ain't the same if it's dark out.
I think this has been touched upon earlier in this thread, but the Chicago to Seattle/Portland route is a perfect example. I took it in mid-October (an on-time train) and we spent the entire second day looking out at exactly the same thing hours after hours after hours (still fun, just not as much). Then, as soon as we started to head into the beautiful mountains in western Montana, the sun set. And, to make it worse, it was a new moon so you could see absolutely nothing! (at least with a full moon you can somewhat see outside at night)
Well, here is what I have found out on my own. It is virtually impossible to purchase an Amtrak ticket, except by one of the following methods:
1. Go to an Amtrak station when it is open
2. Book online, and then sit at home all day, from 9-5 M-F and wait for the Fed Ex man to bring it to you and pay an extra $15 for Fed Ex.(you must sign for it),
2A. Book at least two weeks in advance so they can mail it to
3. Go to a travel agent and pay a $30 commission on your $100 ticket, and if you lose the ticket, pay Amtrak a $75 re-issue charge. No tickee, no ridee.
4. Wait until 3 days before departure and reserve on the phone, if they have any coach seats left, or pay double if they don't.
If you travel in winter and the train is cancelled due to weather, you're on your own, they have no responsibility for your inconvenience.
If you want to go from Port Huron Michigan to San Antonio Texas, you can, but you can't get back again, unless you are OK with a 44-hour stopover in downtown Chicago. Fare $130, two nights in a downtown hotel. $130 if you're lucky.
Well, here is what I have found out on my own. It is virtually impossible to purchase an Amtrak ticket, except by one of the following methods:
1. Go to an Amtrak station when it is open
2. Book online, and then sit at home all day, from 9-5 M-F and wait for the Fed Ex man to bring it to you and pay an extra $15 for Fed Ex.(you must sign for it),
2A. Book at least two weeks in advance so they can mail it to
3. Go to a travel agent and pay a $30 commission on your $100 ticket, and if you lose the ticket, pay Amtrak a $75 re-issue charge. No tickee, no ridee.
4. Wait until 3 days before departure and reserve on the phone, if they have any coach seats left, or pay double if they don't.
If you travel in winter and the train is cancelled due to weather, you're on your own, they have no responsibility for your inconvenience.
If you want to go from Port Huron Michigan to San Antonio Texas, you can, but you can't get back again, unless you are OK with a 44-hour stopover in downtown Chicago. Fare $130, two nights in a downtown hotel. $130 if you're lucky.
No wonder nobody rides Amtrak.
You can purchase a ticket on the train itself too. Know the fare and pay it on the train. Last trip I made OK to cali several people did. The conductor will take care of your ticket.
You can purchase a ticket on the train itself too. Know the fare and pay it on the train. Last trip I made OK to cali several people did. The conductor will take care of your ticket.
My passenger needs to get on at an unmanned stop---the train will not stop if there is no ticketed passenger with reservations to get on (or off) This stop is about 50 miles from the nearest regular station. I was told (by Amtrak) that if you board without your ticket, there is a $75 "re-ticketing fee". Furthermore, if you board a train in which all coach seats are sold, you will have to pay about double for business class.
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so you could see absolutely nothing! (at least with a full moon you can somewhat see outside at night)
