3-hour flight on half-full plane vs. Amtrak overnight in private room: which is safer? (cost, hostels)

[GVLNATIVE]

With the current pandemic, if you have to travel (and I do):

If time, cost and all other criteria are the same, if you simply wanted to avoid coronavirus, would you take:

Amtrak overnight

You would be in a private room with a door. The room has a wash basin with soap and water. You could get dinner delivered to you on board, and you could totally avoid all contact with anyone other than the sleeping car attendant who you wouldn't touch. You would be sleeping on an Amtrak-issued mattress, with an Amtrak-issued blanket (which is wrapped in plastic, ready for you to unwrap). The departure station would be somewhat crowded but you'd just walk in and go straight to the train, and there would be almost nobody at the destination station.

OR

Flights totaling 3 hours, with a 1-hour layover

The plane would be probably half-empty, and you could sit in the airline lounge at the airport, which would also be half-empty. You could wash your hands in the airport numerous times.

Which is safer? I'm told that air on planes is circulated more often than in a typical office building, and you could be at least a few feet from people on the plane and in the airport. But Amtrak would have total privacy--but if anyone touched your bed or pillow that could spread coronavirus.

Thanks.

[SunGrins]

The Amtrak attendant will make your bed. You can bring your own food in a small cooler.

[GVLNATIVE]

Thanks. Great points. I will make my own bed and maybe even bring my own pillows, to avoid human contact and contact with things that people have touched.

[hertfordshire]

If I absolutely had to travel, this is the one time I would probably choose train over plane. But I would bring my own food, plenty of disinfecting wipes to clean EVERYTHING in the cabin, and I would probably bring my own linens.

[StealthRabbit]

Bring your own sleeping sack. (Popular 'safe' barrier for those using hostels) / bedbug protection. I would drive before I would take Amtrak, as they have left me stranded more often than delivered to desired location. Many times been transferred to a Greyhound bus. Not my choice of clientele during a pandemic.

[projectmaximus]

I don't think you mentioned how long the Amtrak ride is. But I would probably go train simply because the sheer number of people in the area is lower. I would have to imagine the train would be mostly empty and you really have no reason to get off at stations along the way but if you did they'd be pretty empty too. The airports would probably have crowds to some degree, and you'd be forced to travel through three of them.

[Chava61]

Without thinking about it too much, I would guess the train would be the better option if you have your own sleeping roomette/car.

[BOBNCHI]

It will probably be a moot point, as the way things are changing every minute, the OP won't be going anywhere!

[craigiri]

If I were healthy and under 50 I would probably fly with a mask and gloves and a few feet from others.

[DaneThornberg]

Originally Posted by GVLNATIVE

With the current pandemic, if you have to travel (and I do):

If time, cost and all other criteria are the same, if you simply wanted to avoid coronavirus, would you take:

Amtrak overnight

You would be in a private room with a door. The room has a wash basin with soap and water. You could get dinner delivered to you on board, and you could totally avoid all contact with anyone other than the sleeping car attendant who you wouldn't touch. You would be sleeping on an Amtrak-issued mattress, with an Amtrak-issued blanket (which is wrapped in plastic, ready for you to unwrap). The departure station would be somewhat crowded but you'd just walk in and go straight to the train, and there would be almost nobody at the destination station.

OR

Flights totaling 3 hours, with a 1-hour layover

The plane would be probably half-empty, and you could sit in the airline lounge at the airport, which would also be half-empty. You could wash your hands in the airport numerous times.

Which is safer? I'm told that air on planes is circulated more often than in a typical office building, and you could be at least a few feet from people on the plane and in the airport. But Amtrak would have total privacy--but if anyone touched your bed or pillow that could spread coronavirus.

Thanks.

The sleeping car sounds much nicer (I've done it and it was a surprisingly elegant experience). Also with the train, you won't have to squeeze past or sit near others shoulder-to-shoulder and face-to-face - ugh. And you've seen the quality of people flying these days. Most of those idiots can't yet afford a sleeper car, so you should be safer.