Everything you need to know before your next long train trip.
My name is Gwen and I ’m an Amtrak train junkie . If there was some sort of support radical commit to people whowant to be stuck in a tin canon land for 20 hours rather than 30,000 feet up for 4 , I ’d be a founding extremity .
I ’ve travel over 100 hour on this uniquelygovernment- and concession - fundedmode of transport , in the first place the California Zephyr , which execute between California and Chicago , and the Lake Shore Limited , which run between Chicago and Boston . I ’ve traveled alone , with a booster , with a bicycle along for the ride and without any of those things . Now after all those hr riding the rails and plentitude of lessons learned the heavy way , here are a few essential tips and tricks for longsighted railroad train trip .
You can and should bring more
If you ’re like me and unwilling to break the depository financial institution to get a slightly bigger and slimly more individual way on a 20 hour Amtrak train , you ’ll be riding charabanc .
According to the Amtrak website , each passenger is allowed one personal item and two carry - on items with the leverage of their ticket . For $ 20 each , you’re able to also impart two additional carry - ons qualification for a max total cost of $ 40 and five piece of baggage .
On one peculiarly challenging trip between Denver and Chicago , a costly friend and I brought our stock suitcase as well as a bike ( which we assure to the baggage motorcar ) and a composition board boxful full of picture . Just try and get that on a flight ! So convey that tank full of snack or that misshapen bowlful your friend leave in your apartment when she run aside . Just check that you could hoist all your luggage over your psyche or bring a stronger friend to help you out .
Flickr/Loco Steve
And if you ’re traveling with a shaver under two , you could convey on a pusher or other token of your choice without adding to the overall baggage total .
Comfort is the name of the game
Although the cost is low for an Amtrak ticket , the downside is the impact on your back health . The seats recline a skilful distance and there ’s a substructure remainder , but without right readiness the zest for life story and ginger in your step you had in San Francisco will harden and morph over the long chairbound hours , and you ’ll set down in Denver or Boston with a monumental knot in your back or else .
Comfort is key on tenacious Amtrak train trip . bear your sweatpants and sweatshirt . Bring an surplus pillow and a cover if you’re able to . I ’d also advocate bringing face wipes of some sort to freshen up on the morning of your journeying . There ’s nothing salutary than a coffee ( although I ’d also commend buying your own bottled chocolate before boarding ) and a freshly de - grimed face while sitting next to the rapidly passing landscape .
Bring a book (or four)
For many pegleg of these train journeys across the res publica ( peculiarly when theCalifornia Zephyrruns through the Rocky Mountains follow by Ruby Canyon , the Sierras , and Donner Pass on its way to the San Francisco Bay ) the scenery is beautiful . Endless arena of tall smoke and trees run off into the view . Take up residence in the California Zephyr ’s watching car and see the dawn Sunday glint off towering pot interrupted with bubbling streams . It ’s so quintessentially American that itmakes you want a hot dog very bad .
However , a pot of the journey ends up being more industrial than sweeping , between Denver and Chicago , for example . For these hours , make certain you bring a way to keep yourself entertained : The uninterrupted hours of the slight rocking motility of the train are the perfect context to crack open a long Word ( Dune concealment - to - cover on that industrial leg between Denver and Chiago is a personal attainment of mine ) .
Although there is wifi on board it run to get scratchy and it ’s worthwhile to download your favourite show forward of sentence . Or , put on some noise canceling headphones and catch up on a podcast or two , crack open up your daybook , or hear to an thoroughgoing playlist you made just for this trip . And enjoy !
Flickr/Jeffrey Beall
Flickr/Marty Bernard
Flickr/MKE_railscenes
