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Depending on how slow, that might be desirable. Is it more expensive than flying plus the cost of an additional night in a hotel?
Yeah.
$300 gets you a nice hotel just about anywhere in the country. Maybe Manhattan on New Year's Eve you won't get anything. Plus there's that whole two days of "wasted" travel time. I mean, it's scenic and all but if I'm going to spend that amount of time getting there I'd personally take my motorcycle along the coast. Grueling trip but a lot more fun than either the train or plane.
Somebody mentioned the "Canadian " that goes across Canada......
Unless you have VERY deep pockets, AND time to waste, its a bad idea. Now, don't get me wrong, the scenery is amazing, in the Rockies, but a thousand miles of Manitoba and Saskatchewan and Alberta ........down right boring. The vast majority of the passengers on that run are not Canadians, they are "from away ".
My wife and I priced the rail trip, Toronto to Vancouver, as seniors, and we could have bought a good used car for that amount of money, and that was ONLY a one way trip. We flew to Vancouver, on West Jet , took five hours, and about 500 each for a return ticket.
Jim B.
Toronto.
^^ This is the reason. A friend of mine was recently comparing fares between bus, train, and plane for a trip to his reunion here in the US. The train fares were so outrageous they didn't even make sense. I enjoy trains very much and would prefer to take a train any day, particularly on the Northeast Corridor, but the prices are always much higher than buses, and rival the prices of a plane ticket.
Amtrak ran the Montrealer, an overnight train from NY to Montreal until 1995. In its replacement they took out the sleeping areas and put in business class.
Slow, stupidly expensive. Pretty much any distance where you'd want a sleeper, you'll get there faster in a plane and then you can just get a hotel for less and be more comfortable. For example, it's two hours from Sacramento to Seattle, costs about $300 if you're buying in advance and don't need flexibility round-trip. Amtrak costs $900 or so although that's for two people, so it's only $300 more than a flight for two people, and takes 20 hours. While more comfortable, I'd rather be uncomfortable for two hours and get where I'm going so I can do something else, sleep in a nice hotel rather than a cramped sleeper-ette
I've taken the train once and won't ever do it again. Might be fun if you're retired and just hopping around from town to town.
20 hours is ridiculous. It takes about 12 hours (approx. 8pm to 8am) to get from Florence to Paris, and I don't think that was on EuroSTAR. (but I can't remember for sure )
It's too bad we Americans are so squeamish about being around people we don't know. Those prices could probably be lowered a lot, if they could fit more people in a car. (like I said, I had a pass, so I don't really know how much the trip from Florence to Paris cost)
I try not to be Eurocentric often, but in this case, the US could learn a lot from Europe.
Somebody mentioned the "Canadian " that goes across Canada......
Unless you have VERY deep pockets, AND time to waste, its a bad idea. Now, don't get me wrong, the scenery is amazing, in the Rockies, but a thousand miles of Manitoba and Saskatchewan and Alberta ........down right boring. The vast majority of the passengers on that run are not Canadians, they are "from away ".
My wife and I priced the rail trip, Toronto to Vancouver, as seniors, and we could have bought a good used car for that amount of money, and that was ONLY a one way trip. We flew to Vancouver, on West Jet , took five hours, and about 500 each for a return ticket.
Jim B.
Toronto.
Via rail has discounts for seniors. The one way fare from Vancouver to Toronto, for a regular upper berth with all meals include ( that's four nights and ten meals ) is
Fare: $682.00 G.S.T./H.S.T.: $34.10 P.S.T.: $0.00 TOTAL CAD$: $716.10
Youth 12 years to 25 years also get discounted fares.
Yes the regular fare sounds expensive, but I don't think it's unreasonable.
As for the prairies being boring…depends on who you are I suppose. I used to work on VIA and loved early mornings looking out on the endless fields and crops, small towns with Orthodox Church's and their onion domes etc.
I do know that many " from away " were awestruck at the expanse of the prairies.
I enjoyed the view of the Great Plains from Amtrak, especially from the domed observation car. For an east coaster used to mostly forest, it's a novelty. Though it's not completely flat. And yea, I found traveling cross-country a memorable experience. Didn't pay for a sleeper; I slept in my seat.
20 hours is ridiculous. It takes about 12 hours (approx. 8pm to 8am) to get from Florence to Paris, and I don't think that was on EuroSTAR. (but I can't remember for sure )
It's too bad we Americans are so squeamish about being around people we don't know. Those prices could probably be lowered a lot, if they could fit more people in a car. (like I said, I had a pass, so I don't really know how much the trip from Florence to Paris cost)
I try not to be Eurocentric often, but in this case, the US could learn a lot from Europe.
Here is the thing, and anyone who knows anything remotely about how to run a RR will back it up; passenger rail service in any country and that includes the United States had never existed, nor will it without some sort of direct or indirect government subsidy.
Yes France, the UK, Germany, Spain, et al have wonderfully fast HSR. But look at who is running them (often state railways and or quasi private RRs that still receive funding in one way or another from rate payers), and how they are operated.
Simply put most European citizens and or governments see the value of HSR and work hard to make it happen, even going against local interests when necessary.
It isn't that Americans are "squeamish" about traveling with persons they do not know for long distances in tight quarters. Try flying coach/economy on a long haul/international flight and you'll find conditions often not much different than a packed RR car.
The expense in the USA for rail comes from the fact Congress and many local governments really don't care and or have been trying their hardest since WWII ended to kill off RRs in favour of the airline, trucking and automobile lobby.
Back in the day RRs like the Pennsy not only built the tunnels under Hudson River but Penn Station as well at a cost of nearly billions in today's money. The only major USA passenger RR left standing, Amtrak, does not have that kind of cash.
20 hours is ridiculous. It takes about 12 hours (approx. 8pm to 8am) to get from Florence to Paris, and I don't think that was on EuroSTAR. (but I can't remember for sure )
Eurostar is a London to France /Belgium train service.
Quote:
It's too bad we Americans are so squeamish about being around people we don't know. Those prices could probably be lowered a lot, if they could fit more people in a car. (like I said, I had a pass, so I don't really know how much the trip from Florence to Paris cost)
A plane has tighter seating quarters than a long-distance train. I did a search, Florence to Paris is $159 for a 16 hour ride, might not be the best deal. One transfer is involved, there might be another route that's better.
Was watching one of those old "Thin Man" films on television the other day with Myrna Loy and William Powell.
In the opening sequence the ritzy and wealthy Nick and Nora Charles were arriving in CA from NYC onboard one of the high class trains of the period. Scene opens with the couple in their suite preparing to disembark and as Mrs. Charles is packing she is in full flow about " how are you supposed to keep the mystery in a marriage after spending several days travelling like this"... she groans out loud.
That my friends is why long distance train travel with overnight cars began to lose its luster for many who could afford other ways to travel when they came about.
Imagine being cooped up for three, four , five or more days on a train as it made it's way from NYC to San Francisco, or Chicago to Texas, Or New Orleans to Ohio, and so forth. Remember there were no televisions, lap tops, tablets, cell phones or any of today's media/tech mod cons. Looking out the window at the "view" gets old after awhile. So you either chatted with fellow travelers, knitted, played endless rounds of cards, read a book and other busy work to keep occupied.
For the businessman where time is money spending endless days on the rails was not only unproductive but could cost business. While one guy was taking the train from say LA to Seattle, another flew there and not only arrived sooner but could close the deal before the former even set foot in the place.
Eurostar is a London to France /Belgium train service.
A plane has tighter seating quarters than a long-distance train. I did a search, Florence to Paris is $159 for a 16 hour ride, might not be the best deal. One transfer is involved, there might be another route that's better.
At least with Google maps, 16 hours 20 minutes is the best I'm seeing. I'm not really digging into that much. Transfers add a lot of time and hassle. Once again, I'd much rather fly from Florence to Paris than deal with five transfers. I'm sure the transfers are slowing things down as opposed to Sacramento/Seattle which is just a straight shot with not that many stops. Again, even without a sleeper which is way more expensive (and totally pointless with five transfers), $159 is barely less expensive. Looks like $359 for a round-trip flight.
I know Amtrak is way ahead of some other countries (they don't allow people to ride outside on the trains) and they do have in room showers on the NY to Miami overnight trains. Not every room but they are available for $$$$ and all the roomettes have shower access in your car.
Excuse me sir, why are you mocking my country of birth . And the part of India where I lived saw zero rooftop riding. That portion of your comment was totally unnecessary.
I agree with Malloric on Seattle to Sacramento flight followed by a hotel stay. If everything goes well, that's the best option. Seattle is a bit long haul for a 1 night train in my opinion, as its around 1000 miles away.
However, we don't have the tame, dry, and beautiful summers you people out west get to enjoy. Our steamy heat always comes with the threat of severe storms and in winter we have close to a foot of snow. Often times, flights are delayed in a ridiculous fashion due to weather that the train seems much more comforting option for shorter hauls (around 500 miles).
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) and they do have in room showers on the NY to Miami overnight trains. Not every room but they are available for $$$$ and all the roomettes have shower access in your car.
. And the part of India where I lived saw zero rooftop riding. That portion of your comment was totally unnecessary. 
