Cross Country on Amtrak
 

Have you travelled cross country on Amtrak? Please let me know your experiences and advice for a possible future trip.

Well, almost. We went from New York State to Glacier National Park in Montana. It was a package we bought through Amtrak. It was amazing to see how the states change as you get farther west. Each state was so different and interesting. My one recommendation would be to think about a sleeper car. Although the seats were very wide and comfortable for sleeping, the rest rooms were unisex and you were sharing them with the whole train. They were also very tiny. So it got to be pretty awful. We had a sleeper car when we went to Quebec and although it is also tiny, at least you have some privacy and are not sharing it with everyone. Also, at times there was a lot of overcrowding (trying to find a seat for two and also at meal times)and we tended to run late at times. But if you're up for an adventure, really want to see America, and don't mind a bit of inconvenience at times, it was great!

There was a thread about Amtrak awhile back, I'll see if I can find it and top it for you.

An interesting website for you:<BR><BR>http://www.railforum.com/cgi-bin/Ult...i?action=intro

J<BR><BR>Thanks very much. I should learn to use the Search

We rode Amtrak from the midwest to California. We bought the two week package with three stops allowed and chose to spend a few days in Seattle, Los Angeles and San Diego for our three stops. We had a wonderful time and slept in the coach. People are very civil on the train and you meet people from all walks of life and all regions of the country. You can spend time in the observation car and talk to people or go back to your seat and sit quietly and read, sleep or look out the window. We brought nonperishible snacks and mostly just bought coffee and tea so saved lots of money on food. I found the coach to be a little chilly at night even in the summer so would recommend bringing a blanket. Amtrak provides little pillows. I love the train.

Last year at this time I bought a North American Rail Pass that allowed unlimited travel on Amtrack for 30 days with the requirement of two stops in Canada. I am male, age 64 and traveled solo. My route took me from San Francisco to Chicago, Toronto, Montreal, Manhattan, Boston, New Orleans, Chicago, Seattle and back to San Francisco. 10,258 miles and exactly 30 days with stops of at least 3 days at each location. It was wonderful and I used the book, &quot;USA by Rail&quot; by John Pitt as a reference guide as well as information provided by Amtrack. Give it a try you might find it fun.

I have travelled across the midwest and loved it. I met interesting people and it was fun listening to everyone's stories, where they were going and why. Not to mention the scenery along the way. I highly recommend it.