livitup

We will be taking the train from Atlanta to NYC this summer. It won't be our first train trip, but the first in a very long time. We were wondering about any problems to watch for and about Penn Station.

Daniel_Williams

I recently went from NYC to New Orleans and back on the Crescent. Expect and plan for a certain amount of delay so you'll be composed when/if the train is delayed; you can check the train's status on Amtrak's web site, so you don't end up going to the station in Atlanta too early. For some reason when I did the trip each way, the delays were in Alabama. We were 2 1/2 hours late arriving in New Orleans and 1 hour late arriving in NYC.

I had a roommette, which isn't a bad idea if travelling from Atlanta. Do eat in the dining car... meeting people there is half the fun; you're assigned seats with other passengers, so you inevitably end up chatting a bit.

No issues with Penn Station other than to say that it's busy; you'll arrive mid-afternoon. Take the escalator up and catch a cab at the lineup on 8th Avenue.

Have fun! DAN

starrsville

I went from Atlanta to DC and back - years ago. Don't think I'll ever do it again. Maybe the roomette would make it more bearable, but the train stopped (seemingly) at every small town on the way up in the middle of the night. Impossible for me to sleep - and the "charm" I was looking for never appeared. Once was enough for US train travel for me.

But, I agree that there are no particular problems with Penn Station.

Are you sure you don't want to fly?

dfr4848

Have also done that trip but from New Orleans. Sleeping car definitely makes a huge difference - and meals are included with first class ticket. I found it very enjoyable. Dan is right about Penn Station - busy but easy to get around; take cab at taxi stand on 8th Ave.

Daniel_Williams

I would definitely recommend a roomette for any overnight train travel if financially possible. I've been on the Crescent now 3 times (to New Orleans) and while I was awake, cheery and admiring the attractive foothills of Virginia in the morning each time after a good night's sleep (falling asleep shortly after Atlanta), passengers I met from coach were often simply bleary-eyed and ready to get off the train.

Even the roomette is not for everybody, but I think the Atlanta-NYC leg is an ideal distance to see if you can sleep well on a train (18 hrs.) and to see if train travel is your cup of tea. While some will disagree finding a train under any circumstances tedious, for me, bar none, train travel is my favourite form of transportation. Unlike plane travel which is simply a mostly unenjoyable means to get from A to B, a train ride is to me a civilized, enjoyable part of my vacation, where getting from A to B is as much a part of the fun as anything.

I hope you have a great trip!

DAN